Job 16: Job: “God Hates Me”

Job has heard enough. Speech after speech, his so-called friends have offered their wisdom—accusing, correcting, assuming they understand his suffering better than he does. But in Job 16, he fires back with words that cut through their empty comfort:" Miserable comforters are you all." He doesn’t just reject their advice—he exposes their failure. Instead of bringing relief, they’ve only deepened his pain. And as Job turns his focus back to God, his words take on a new tone. He sees himself as crushed, attacked, even hunted by the very One he longs to trust. He speculates that God must hate him, but amid his agony, a flicker of hope remains.

The Rev. Robert Moeller, Jr., pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Britton, SD and St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ferney, SD, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 16.

Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.