Job 42

Summary: God's questioning of Job is finished. Job confesses he cannot stand up to God's challenges. God forgives Job in a roundabout way; He tells his friends to make sacrifices through Job for blasphemy, but Job doesn't have to do the same. 

So God gives Job his life back. Friends and family come to console him; he gains back his financial standing; and he gets his legacy back, with seven sons and three beautiful daughters. So Job's life on earth ends, full and content. 

Response: I'll admit, it felt a bit abrupt, but good for Job that his suffering lasted no longer than that. As an ancient book and epic poem, it did fine. It's pretty easy to tell that Elihu got grafted on by someone who really wanted to "set things right," as he didn't have to do the sacrifices like the other friends (but also doesn't get mentioned again).

I mean, we also don't hear from Satan again in the story after he sets the plot along. We don't hear about Job's wife and her restoration (along with bearing ten more children, wow). There's no shortage of loose ends, but I guess it can be expected from such an old tale. I'm also sure the rabbinic tradition is full of answers for little questions like mine. 

Alright, but what of the spiritual element of this book? It is in the Bible, after all. Well, I'm glad to have read it and have it shine a mirror on some bad theology. No, God is not the cop behind the billboard just waiting for you to mess up. Yes, God is big enough to take a few questions during suffering. No, not all suffering is punishment for sin. Yes, there is evil in the world, even evil that thrives in the world, due to the unfortunate fallen nature of man and their free will. The world is a messy place; as those that follow God, we are called to navigate it with generosity, forgiveness, and love, especially to those in the middle of suffering.