JOB: GOOD PEOPLE—BAD TIMES (9 OF 10)

Job: Good People—Bad Times (9 of 10)
Through the Bible
Roger Thomas
Job 1:1-3; 42:10-17
8/25/02

Introduction: Between these two texts is recorded one of the world's classic stories and one of faith's enduring lessons. This is the life of Job.

A man was once having one of those days when everything goes wrong. One thing after another. At end of day he's laying in bed exhausted. He cries out: "Why me, God? What have I done to deserve this? Why does everything always go wrong for me?"

Suddenly the ceiling opens up, a huge hand with a pointed finger began thumping him in the chest, and a loud, majestic voice boomed: "Because you bug me. That's why!"

It was one of those days. Job's life had fallen apart so badly that the only rational conclusion was that he was on God's hit list. Why? What could he have possibly done to "bug" God? That's what Job wondered and that's what our next book in our journey through the Bible is all about.

Job begins the poetical books of the Bible. The section includes Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Job is a classic. Some have called it the greatest poem ever written surpassing even the works of Shakespeare in its beauty of expression.

But the value of Job lies in more than its structure and literary form. Its story is compelling because it is so like the stories we all face—only written much larger. Job is about THE QUESTION. C. S. Lewis called it the toughest faith question of all times. Philosophers have asked the question since the beginning of time. Theologians have searched and searched for an adequate answer. Every one of us has wrestled with the personal side of the problem of pain or "why bad things happen to people, especially good people."

Before examining the details of Job, I want to note and how THE QUESTION fits into the flow of the Bible. Let me introduce what may be a new word for some of you—THEODICY. This is a philosophical term meaning "a defense or ...

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