August 22, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that Job has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." (Job 1:12)

Theodicy is the defense of God in view of the existence of evil. If He is all-good He wouldn''t want His children to suffer injustice. If He is all-powerful, He could stop it. Why does it still go on? This is the theme of the Book of Job.

Christian apologists have grappled with this problem of evil for ages. God doesn't give a direct answer to Job. Neither does Jesus to His disciples. What He does is assure His followers that He will suffer with them through it and be with them to the end. Plus, He offers the hope of a future world where righteousness and justice reign, where every tear is wiped away, and where only joy is experienced, while giving a foretaste of it in the present. No other god or religious figure or ideology does that.