The Speeches from the Whirlwind – Discussion Questions

Interpretation Questions:

1. After all the dialogue and discussion, who, in the end, is right?
2. How does the ending of Job serve as a rebuke against almost all biblical interpretation?
3. How does the divine speech from the whirlwind respond to the needs of those who suffer? How does the book of Job as a whole serve those needs?

Application Questions:

1. God responds to Job, but do his answering words actually answer Job’s question? Are they delivered with the intent to provide clarity, or merely to shut Job up? How does this behavior figure into our own understanding of God? Does this impact your view of the deity? 
2. What is the message delivered by God’s speeches? What do his words say about interpretation and the ability to question? Is that a useful model to enforce on our spiritual places and practices? 
3. What do we do when we don’t have—or when God doesn’t give us—a satisfactory answer to our most pressing problems? Can we be content without knowing everything? How does this lack of understanding impact our faith?