Those 13 are excellent points..
However I would like to ask you this..
I believe with perfect faith that G-d rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress Him
So why did G-d Punish JOB?
That’s an interesting question. Myself, I must admit I never thought God was punishing Job, but teaching him a lesson.
“I believe with perfect faith that G-d rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress Him”
Why did my 9 year old son get Type 1 diabetes? He was innocent. Why do infants get brain cancer? Why was my daughter born with deformed feet? Why were so many lost in the Holocaust? Why do babies starve in Africa?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
I call it G-d’s Will. Everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t understand it.
It’s nothing more than superstition to think that if you live a perfectly good life, bad things will never happen to you.
EVERYONE dies. The most pious, perfect person will die. It’s called ‘life’.
I think that G-d does *generally* reward good behavior with good outcomes. If you manage your money well, you’ll have no debt and be able to more easily handle the storms. You’ll appear ‘blessed’.
In a way, you are.
And if you’re a criminal, you’ll eventually be led to ruin.
But there are no promises.
BTW, this wrong-thinking led me to a serious crisis of faith when my son received his diagnosis. I couldn’t see where he, my husband or I did anything to deserve this hell. I read Job a hundred times, looking for comfort.
Finally, I found peace in prayer. G-d wasn’t punishing anyone. He had a reason and I just couldn’t understand it. My son’s illness was G-d’s Will. G-d’s Will can never be wrong or evil - only good.
Thus, my son’s disease must be good. (In some way.)