Reading Job

Who or what is the book of Job about? Many of us would say the book is the story of Job and about the problem of suffering. When in the past I read Job as the Bible’s discussion of why bad things happen to good people, I found it a frustrating book. While the question of suffering is discussed for chapter after chapter, the question of why people suffer isn’t ever answered--even when God shows up and speaks to Job. God doesn’t answer Job’s and my question.  This makes the book a frustrating read.

But what if we ask a different question? What if we, assuming God is the main character in this story, ask what does this story tell us about God? What do you think?

Careful. I didn’t ask what does this story tell us about God’s relationship to and involvement with suffering. I asked what does this story tell us about God? What does this story tell us about God’s relationship with us?