When You Want to Yell at God: The Book of Job

Transformative Word

by Craig G. Bartholomew

Experience the book of Job through a different set of eyes. In When You Want to Yell at God, Craig Bartholomew asks us to let go of the Job we think we know so we can get to know the real man. Job's story refutes the idea that what goes around comes around. Suffering is not always the result of wrong behavior, and right behavior does not always guarantee blessing. But God is always faithful. Looking at Job as the height of biblical poetry, Bartholomew helps us see just how beautiful and touching this man's struggle with God really is.

In the Transformative Word Series, you'll read the Bible with a global cast of church leaders and scholars. Contributors from around the world write in their native language, and their volumes are then translated and published in multiple languages. In conversational tone, each author explains the importance of a biblical book, showing how it can transform your life.

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2014

About the author

Craig G. Bartholomew (PhD, University of Bristol) is the H. Evan Runner Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and the principal of the Paideia Centre for Public Theology. He founded the internationally recognized Scripture and Hermeneutics seminar and is coauthor of Living at the Crossroads and Christian Philosophy.

Reviews

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this small book to be an excellent introduction to the Book of Job and to the topic of Suffering. This would be a good place to start if considering a Bible study on Job or on Suffering. Quite reasonable references to other materials allows the reader to dive in deeper.

Given that this is a small book, I did think the amount of material spent on Psychology seemed out of place and probably would've preferred to see a little more development in the other chapters.

The 2 appendices are good to have.

[Neil Kruger · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 reads: #23
Rating: 4 Stars

A short, but helpful commentary on the book of Job. The length dictates that much of the focus is on the primary themes of Job: the wisdom and sovereignty of God, spiritual formation through trials, and the folly of mechanical wisdom. Two appendices on the 'fear of the Lord' in the OT, and Satan in the OT are also helpful, but very brief. The space devoted to a psychological reading of Job would have been better spent further developing the themes and threads in Job through biblical categories.

Still, this was very readable and in turn will help its reader makes sense of Job and perhaps even cultivate an affection for the beauty of biblical poetry.

[Ricardo Cifuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nunca había leído un comentario de Job, ya que este libro no es tan popular, pero este libro de Bartholomew realmente llega a lo profundo, se cuestiona el tema del sufrimiento desde diferentes puntos de vista y me ha mostrado una riqueza, belleza y gracia en el dolor, un texto confrontativo para una iglesia actual muy triunfalista y conquistadora.

[Miroslav Balint-Feudvarski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book is a mix of good and kinda unrelated

[Mundy Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

We're studying Job in church at the moment, and it's a big book, with a big theme. There is a lot to try and take in. I found "When you want to yell" to be extremely valuable in giving a birds-eye view on the book of Job, and dealing with some of the main themes in a way which has made me feel like I have more of a handle on what happens, and what it could mean.

I valued particularly the chapters on poetry, Job's transformation, and the reader's transformation. There is a lot of material's teaching helpfully summarised in this book.

I'd recommend it to those who want to read through Job, or who are doing it in church (or Bible study). It's a great place to start as you look to gain a deeper understanding on what is a valuable part of Scripture

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.