Job's friends have been accusing him of sin and wrongdoing as the reason for his downfall. Job, understandably, is growing less and less patient with his friends as they continue their speeches. Zophar has said that the wicked may prosper for a time but will ultimately meet their doom. Job, in returns, counters that if they will only listen to him, let him speak his piece, he'll then be silent and they are free to mock on (Zophar in particular). Job contends that the wicked prosper without impunity, not for a time, but even until death they are happy in their sin, refuse to give God any due, and go to the grave in peace (what comes after is another matter). But, in v.16, Job makes an important point: however well off the wicked are, their prosperity is not in their own hands! Instead, it comes from God, whom they reject, and Job sees the folly of this. In fact, here he says that the counsel of the wicked is far from him; he'll have nothing to do with it.
In this instance Job perhaps sees further than his friends. We could name numerous accounts of people who scorn God and yet lived fully and wealthy lives (how many believers are in the Fortune 500, I wonder?). Many never see any reason to turn to the Lord. And many die very rich, though happy may be a completely different story. Happy or not, they don't experience the trials Job has faced. Still, Job knows better than to take their counsels or try to mimic their decisions. He knows good or bad, God is sovereign. Truth is, some die young, some die old; some die rich, some die poor. But they all die: all meet the same end, and after that Judgement. There is where we will see God take the true measure of a man, not before. God, as inscrutable and difficult to understand to us humans as He is, does as He sees fit with our lives on earth. How long did God allow wickedness to reign before the Flood? And then, when He deemed the time right, He wiped it out.
In the end, Job tells his friends to their faces that their consolation has been bitter and fruitless. They are neither friends nor sympathizers. They've been feeding him lies about the nature of suffering and he gains nothing from them.
I don't know about you, but it seems to me that so far the Book of Job has been pounding the theme that God's sovereignty is at work whether good men prosper or fail, whether evil men prosper or fail. I know we've used this term "prosper" several times, but that really seems to be the issue here: wealth and good fortune. Job really seems to fly in the face of those who would preach the Gospel of Riches: be a good person, be a good Christian, and you will have wealth coming to you. It will be your due. If anyone is due wealth and riches, it was Job: a blameless and upright man! But Job had these things only for a time. It was God's sovereign choice to allow Job to experience suffering, pain, and destitution. And horrible friends on top of that. We as believers are guaranteed only this much for our faith: inheritance in the Kingdom of God in the next life and help to endure this one. If you don't think that is very much, I can't agree with you. In the end, that delivers riches far beyond just monetary value! I'd rather have the true gospel than that preached by some televangelists.
Tomorrow's Reading: Job 22:1-30
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