If you read Job 1:6-12, you’d know the story behind his misfortunes. God boasted of Job to Satan (Satan here is not the devil but an advocate or adversary in the original language): “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
Of course, he fears You. You’ve blessed him so much. Take away all he has, and he’ll surely curse you to your face.
We, the readers know this. But Job and his friends did not – not even until the end of the story did they ever discover the reason for Job’s sufferings. The theology of Job’s friends was that God is just and does not punish the righteous. Therefore, Job must be suffering because of his sin.
After all their debates and discussion on Job’s suffering, God steps in to reprimand Job’s friends and vindicate him.
Job 42:1 (NASB)
It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
What exactly did God say to Job? Read chapters 38-41. At the end of the book, when God finally spoke, his first sentence was a question.
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 “Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Summary of God’s reply? Job 40:2 (NIV)
“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!”
“When you know how to keep the universe together, then you can question how I run things.” from https://awaitingredemption.blogspot.com/2010/08/theology-of-jobs-friends-right-or-wrong.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawLbyAhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFuMWtsOEZLTFdmSG55NldmAR5OpitE7lFjeP8EBmQPkbPYTZ0qaBYSiIDqvaMXIcXLuxopigVA9q8hhj5qgA_aem_DlDL4ZtoyxMYSadGX9CnbQ
Job is an example of the reality: Even the righteous suffers. It is also a lesson that we do not have God all figured out. God is God, we cannot, do not and will not fully understand Him in His total nature. He does not fit in our box.
