How's everyone doing? We're nearly four weeks into Job - only two more to go! We've just started Job's closing speech, then we have a few chapters of Elihu, and finally God's response.

Just in case you're feeling lost, here's my original overview of Job. I wrote it ten years ago, in a much more colloquial style. There are a few points where I think I probably took liberties with the text, but hopefully it will help you catch up with the conversation to date.

I've only just stumbled upon the Word project - right as it's finishing!

Graphic designer Jim LePage was looking for a way to discipline his Bible reading (sounds familiar!) and hit upon the idea of producing an original design for each book of the Bible - one a week for 66 weeks. He's only got Revelation left to go!

It's great work, and well worth a look.

I've finished the History books! That always feels like a very significant step on the journey through Scripture.

Next come the Wisdom books, which are probably my favourite in the Old Testament. I've been looking forward to starting Job for weeks!

Perhaps that sounds strange? Job has a pretty gloomy reputation. But the raw honesty of books like Job, Ecclesiastes and the Psalms has been life and death to me in dark times over the years. I've never been content with a faith that shies away from those realities.

The Wisdom books take the reality of the human condition very seriously. And they also take God very seriously. There's a spring of life in the coming together of the two.

So, on to Job...

The first time I read the book of Job - about twelve years ago - I was expecting it to be only a couple of chapters long. I had assumed that the children's version was all there was to it. I was bewildered as chapter after chapter of poetic dialogue sailed over my head.

In fact, that bewilderment partly accounts for this whole project!

In an attempt to get to grips with the arguments of Job, I condensed the book into a two-page script. That summary was one of the first things I ever published on the internet!

I'll have a head-start as I get underway tomorrow...