Day 37: Job 8:1-Job 24:25 - 90 Day Challenge

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Facing Trials in Job

A quick recap from yesterday's reading: 

God and Satan are conversing and Satan's like, "I can turn anyone from God!" and God says, "No way, try Job out. He's totally blameless and awesome." 

So Satan destroys all of Job's property and kills his sons and daughters, and still Job worships the name of the Lord. Then, Satan causes Job to have a massive, painful rash of sores and boils covering him from head to toe. Job continues to worship God, but now has some questions. We pick up in the middle of a conversation between Job and his three friends. That being said, get ready for a whole lot of paraphrasing! 

We continue through the conversation with Bildad's response--which is something to the effect of, "Look, you're a good guy--and we've only been here a fraction of a second. We don't know the ways of God! But God wouldn't just do this to a completely blameless man. So maybe other people in your situation might want to ask for forgiveness for their sin." 

And Job's like, "Yes! They should do that, but here's the issue--I haven't sinned." I think we can all feel Job's frustration with his friend in some sense, but his friend did give us this really lovely verse in Chapter 8: 

In Chapter 9, Job continues his complaints--but we get a really interesting insight into Job's sorrow in Job 9:25-28. Anyone who has struggled with depression: I highly recommend you read those verses. They really spoke to me. They made the Bible relatable. And it gives a real insight to just how alone and neglected Job was feeling at this point. 

Then Zophar hops in and echo's Bildad's point, saying, "Seriously, Job. If you just confess your sin, all of these wonderful things will be yours--including hope and safety!" (Job 11:13-18 are also worth a read). 

Job is getting really frustrated at this point. He tells his friends that he's basically become their laughing stock. And he hopes for a conversation with God himself, so God can explain what the heck is happening to him. Furthermore, so Job can explain his case to God--and get this all straightened out. (Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him. I will surely defend my ways to His face.") Yikes. Be careful what you wish for there, Job. 

Eliphaz then takes the time to put Job in his place (while still not understanding the Job actually was blameless). He's tells Job to drop it, to stop arguing with empty words and things that have no value. That there are people a lot older and a lot wiser than him--and that Job should stop raging against God and just ask for forgiveness. 

We then come across what I believe is the most relatable verse in the Bible thus far--a quote from Job. Are you ready for it? Job 16:3--"Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?" Oh my goodness I was dead after reading that. He literally just told his friends to shut up in the most Biblically sassy way possible. (Actually Job 16:3-5 is all very relatable for people who have a tendency to keep quiet when others are hurling words at them--I've had the exact thought.) Job continues on  to say: 

...and those with clean hands will grow stronger. (Job 17:9)

Bildad jumps in and repeats it back to Job--"When will you end all these speeches?" 

Then Job says, "You know what, even if you were right, even if I have gone astray, I believe the error would be my concern alone." He asks why they're pursuing him to confess sin the way God would? But STILL, Job says, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth." (Job 19:25). 

Zophar steps in and is like, "Come on, man. Give up the charade. We all know that man is wicked--we all sin. But the joy of the godless just lasts a moment. Come back to the eternal joy!" 

Job has got to be ripping his hair out at this point, right? He basically is. But then, we get a really interesting quote in Job 21:22: "Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest?" You just refuted your own point! How can you make your case to God while knowing that he already knows it. Frustration level: destroying your own argument. (Not that his friends are in the right either). 

Eliphaz even says that, "Can a man be of benefit to God?" (Job 22:2). But Job 22 reveals exactly how sinful Job's friends thought he must have been--Spoiler Alert: they were way off. 

Then Job continues lamenting his point that "If God would just hear me out..." Not knowing that this is not the work of God. Expect a whiny reading tomorrow too (not that I can blame him, he's in a tricky situation.)

So we're back to the question, why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad things happen to Christians? I believe the answer to that question lies in Job--and we're going to be exploring it more deeply over the next two days. For now, I'd like to leave you with this: 

Job was blameless in the eyes of God--he didn't sin once. But that didn't mean evil and sin didn't pursue him. Evil incarnate physically destroyed Job--by nothing he had done. And he was completely blameless. I don't think many people can say that. But there is one person I know of, who was also completely without sin--completely unwavering in his love of God but was still viciously pursued by Satan. That would be Jesus--who went so far as to die for all of our sins. There are definitely some small parallels here, friends. 

Tomorrow's reading will be Job 25:1-Job 41:34.

Have a wonderful day!

Jill Jafarace

Director of Student Ministries

New Leaf UMC