Job 11:1-20

It's not possible to read the Bible from cover to cover and never find anything that might admonish you or reprove you or rebuke you.  Let's face it: we sin.  We mess up.  And we can do better, with the Lord's help.  It would have been foolish to think that after two years of reading I would never have anything to say or think in regards to myself.  This blog isn't a commentary, though it would be tempting to make it so.  It's my thoughts and reactions.  So here is what I've learned from this passage:

Zophar is the third friend to address Job, and he shows Job no mercy.  He is angry with Job's harsh words and complaints.  He asks, "Should a man full of talk be judged right?  Should your babble silence men?"  He longs for God to address Job and give Job his just desserts!  He says, "Know that God exacts less of you than your guilt deserves!" (v. 6).  He goes on to remind Job that the Almighty is above all men, beyond our understanding, and that he does not let the wicked go unnoticed, emphasizing his points with the proverb that as stupid man will become wise when a donkey bears a man.  (Like that's gonna happen.)  Ouch!  He sums up by telling Job, again, as his friends had before him, that if he would just admit to his sin and put it away from him, things would start to get better.

Zophar's response is an impassioned one.  He's angry with the things Job has said.  He's indignant that Job would dare to question God on His sovereign choice to bring Job into the world and treat Job in any way He sees fit.  (And if you think such a statement depicts God as an ant-bully, you have entirely misunderstood God's character as well as His role as Creator.)  Sadly, I know what it is like to feel such an anger.  Dispute is always an easy place to get your passions roused, but when it refers to God, whether you're a firm believer or not, somehow we earthly beings get even more riled up.  I have a friend who in difficult circumstances will begin to ask hard questions; she can be, in many ways, like Job, never forgetting that Job was blameless and upright.  Nothing made me angrier than to hear a suggestion that God was less than gracious and loving because circumstances were difficult.  At times, in my ire, I was sharp.  And I think I made some fatal mistakes that Zophar did:

1. He spoke in anger.  Never do that.  Becuase inevitably, the ugliness of the tongue will raise it's hideous head, and the tongue doesn't need such arousal.  Don't believe me?  Read James 3.
2. Zophar forgot the character of Job, which he should have known well.  He was his friend: he should have known that he was blameless and upright.  Remembering who your friend is will help you keep perspective on their mood.  He accuses Job of being a great talker, a slanderer, and even stupid.  But Job was known for his blamelessness.  He was known for his uprightness, and sadly his friends should have been the first to remember that.  In my alarm at what was said, I began to wonder if my friend was changing.  And she was, but the end result was that she put to rests any attacks from the enemy against her faith and answered those hard questions.

I'm humbled by such a comparison.  It has been some time since I've had such a conversation with any friend, as I began learning this lesson awhile ago.  In fact, even the last time this friend asked hard questions, I knew she was trying to work through some things and that her faith was firmly intact.  And indeed, her faith continues to grow.  And should another such conversation come up, I hope I will do even better.  Thankfully, there are a few other mistakes Zophar makes that I hope I will also be mindful of in the future:

1. He charges Job with things he's never said.  Job never said he was completely perfect, but he does remind his friends that they knew his character from before (10:7).  They should know him better.  But Zophar twists his words.
2. He wishes that God would punish Job further, because he clearly thinks Job got off too easy!  Far be it from me to ever hope my friends' would have a harder time!  That would make me no friend, indeed.

 Let's face it: faith is not easy.  It's not a crutch for us to lean on in hard times because hard times test our faith.  And, as it says, trials of many kinds will refine and purify our faith, our character.  Check out 1 Peter 1:3-11.  You should really read this for yourself, even if you're familiar with it.  It will be a good reminder.

Tomorrow's Reading: Job 12:1-14:22