Earlier this year I set out to read the Bible through at pace, reading for about twenty to thirty minutes a day from Genesis through to Revelation. As I read it reminded that there are some books of the Bible that I have avoided, not deliberately, but unthinkingly because I just don't get them, I don't get how to teach them, I have not heard great teaching on them, and I find them hard. One of those was Job. And so my challenge was that for two months I was going to do a deliberate and detailed study on Job, working my way through reading it with the help of a good pastoral commentary. I chose Christopher Ash's contribution to the 'Preaching the Word' series. Having just finished the book and the study I am immensely grateful for the time Christopher Ash has put into the book as I found it very helpful.
It is honest about the books complexities and difficulties but just as honest about our need to understand it as we seek to live for Christ in a broken world. One of the things I found most helpful and challenging was the exposing of the faulty logic, or 'system', which the three friends base all their advice on. Tragically so often as Christians we can partially parrot some of this advice when we see others suffering.
Job is a book that confronts us with the brokenness of the world, a world which isn't simple in terms of good stuff happening to good people and bad stuff bad people. It is a book that confronts us with the sovereignty of God even over Satan who is active but not free to do as he pleases. Job is a book that constantly calls into question some of our unbiblical suppositions, and throws us back on the majesty of God. It has not been an easy study, at times I have opened it with a heavy heart, other times I have closed it with a heavier heart, but at the end I am left more sure of the goodness of God and the wonder of his love incarnate in Christ, and aware of my creatureliness in light of his majesty.
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