Observe that Job was not being tested. God already had confidence in his faithfulness.

Indeed, it was God who pointed out Job to Satan. Satan was convinced that the prosperity gospel operated in Job’s life. If God took away the “stuff” of life in this world of mortality, Satan claimed Job would abandon The Almighty. At no point in this long account does Job ever waver from loyalty to Jehovah. Satan failed.

What Job wants, though, is an explanation of why such terrible things are happening. It would be better to die than experience these things (Job 3:11, 10:18-19). “God is not fair” is the claim that comes from Job’s lips.

Yet when we make that accusation we run the risk of claiming superiority over God! Our claim alleges that Creator has got it all wrong and, if we were given a chance to argue against God’s plan, The Leader of the Host would be humbled into changing it to the better plan, namely ours!

We want an explanation for what is happening, for what God is doing. We act like faith is not enough, or covenant isn’t sufficient. This is part of the Eden Syndrome (“You will be like a god”, Genesis 3:5).

Transforming prayer happened when God spoke to Job. This made Job confess that he talked too much about things he really could not understand (Job 40:2).

God is not afraid of our asking, “Why?” Creator is not obligated, however, to answer with an explanation of the reason behind what is happening!

Jehovah answered Job with, “Where were you when the world was created? Do you make nature work?” (Job 38-39). In clear terms Great God simply replied that the “Why?” we ask is based in arrogance, not the humble desire to be taught to accept the affairs of life as they are (Job 38:1, 40:2). When our “Why?” is based in our mortal finititude rather than trust in The Almighty, don’t expect Creator to reinforce our arrogance!