Sacred Suffering - a Study on the Book of JobSample

Have you ever asked the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” In today’s reading, we see that Job was not only a good person, but he was also a man of “complete integrity, who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Yet soon, intense suffering befell this servant of God. We look at Job’s life and think, “Why would God allow such awful things to happen to such a faith-filled person?”

Who was Job really? Today, we learn that Job had seven sons and three daughters. He owned thousands of livestock. In fact, his wealth made him the “greatest man among all the people of the east” (Job 1:3).

But today’s text is not primarily focused on Job’s wealth; the author instead emphasizes his character. In Job 1:4–5, we see evidence of Job’s reverence for the Lord and care for his family. Job sacrificed to God on behalf of his children’s theoretical sins. Job regularly went before the Lord as a mediator for his children, just in case they committed evil. Job was proactive against sin; his life was marked by devotion to God.

As we study Job, it’s important to remember Job’s humanity. Job was a real person who loved his family and God. But he was not Jesus. We will learn that Job was not perfect, but even so, his life points to the only perfect One.

Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Yet, even the perfect, sinless Son of God experienced unfathomable suffering for our sake. Jesus submitted Himself to die a criminal’s death so that salvation could come to all who believe in Him. Because of Jesus, we know that even when bad things happen to good people, we can have hope. We can look to Christ’s resurrection and remember that God creates good out of worst-case scenarios. We can suffer with hope and, yes, even joy, because we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Reflect and Respond question:

How would you respond if someone asked you, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” How does God’s character inform your response?