Finally, suffering may be accepted as inexplicable. This may be because God's favor, or lack of it, is arbitrary, as it seems to be in the stories of Cain and Abel and Jacob and Esau. Or it may be because God is jealous, as is suggested by the story of the tower of Babel. Or it may be for reasons that we do not, and cannot, understand, as is the case in the tale of Job. If we come to this latter conclusion, then we may in faith challenge God so long as we avoid blaming God to justify ourselves.
In answering Job's challenge, God does not attempt to justify what happened to Job, nor does God offer any argument about the purpose of life. At a time when Israel was quite certain of its own righteousness, and thus felt assured that God would be on its side in any future conflict with its enemies, the book of Job offered a prophetic insight into the presence and purpose of God. Yet, as so often in the wisdom literature, we are led more to pondering the mystery of life than to proclaiming with certainty the meaning of that mystery.
If suffering is a part of life and if suffering may be unjust, then what are we to conclude about God? In the tale of Job's suffering God is identified with creation and its mysterious power and order. God is the source of life as it is, of life in all its majesty and all its squalor. The God who allows Satan to toy with Job's life is the source of suffering and injustice as well as health and righteousness.
The answer to the question of life's purpose is God. All questions lead to God, and so God is less an answer to any question than the eternal question itself. Job does not deny God's presence and power, but Job does challenge God's purpose and justice. The conclusion of the story would seem to be that we cannot hope to understand God but, given God's presence in life, we had best be responsive.
If we are unable to affirm God through faith, like Job we had best do so out of fear.
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