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No Answer?

“Then the Lord changed Job’s fortune when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all Job’s earlier possessions. All his brothers, sisters, and acquaintances came to him and ate food with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him concerning all the disaster the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a qesitah and a gold ring. Then the Lord blessed Job’s latter days more than his former ones. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named one Jemimah, a second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 

No women in all the land of were as beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave an inheritance to them along with their brothers. After this, Job lived 140 years and saw four generations of his children. Then Job died, old and satisfied.”

-Job 42:10-17-

Today’s blog post about Job is kinda a double post because I wanted to share two things with you concerning this book in the bible. Listed above is parts of the epilogue of the story of Job. It’s how the story ends. Job is given double what he had before, and lives many years enjoying his family. Up to four generations it says he enjoyed! It is very much a hollywood ending. 

Near the end of Job there is conversation that Job has with God. The conversation basically consists of God giving Job quite a few gut checks and really helps Job reconnect with some truths that he was questioning. However, in this conversation God never answers the infamous question: 

Why did this tragedy happen? 

In fact no where in the entire book of Job do we get a clear answer as to why bad things happen. I find that quite interesting and powerful all at the same time. Sometimes when God doesn’t give an answer or explanation he is in fact giving an answer by not giving an answer.

So I have a question.

What do you think God is saying by not answering the age old question of why bad things happen?

In my life I have seen many bad things happen. 

  • When I was 19 a friend of mine was high school, who also was 19 just collapsed and died instantly. He heart just stopped. 
  • The shootings at Columbine High School 
  • Oklahoma City Bombings
  • September 11, 2011
  • Shooting at a high school in Ohio (That happened this week) 

We live in world where it seems bad things happen a lot. And those things happen to really really good people. I heard once said that if we really took Jesus seriously by Love your neighbor as yourself and treat others as Christ treats us then there would be no need for a police. 

But that’s not reality is it? 

Because not everyone does take him seriously. 

We live in a world that is fallen. Bad things happen. It is a part of this world. I think that is the answer that God is giving us through Job.

Is it an easy answer?

No, absolutely not. 

But it is true.

Sometimes things just happen. 

I don’t believe the God ordains these things to happen. They just do. 

Here is the good news. 

God never promised to explain why bad things happen, but he did promise that he would never leave nor forsake us. So when bad things happen he never leaves. He is always by our side.