Tag Archives: job

The friends of Job

This is, in my estimation, the most withering of Job’s comebacks to those miserable comforters introduced to us as his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (2:11).  The statement is made by Job in Job 12:2 at the end of the first cycle of speeches by these friends, in all of which are accusations and insinuations that Job was suffering due to sins he had committed.  They were wrong, but they were certain they were right.

Aren’t there more than a few Eliphazes, Bildads, and Zophars today?  There are those who act as though they believe civilization has been holding its collective, bated breath in great anticipation of their arrival.  So many complexities, mysteries, and intellectual quagmires have sat stubbornly, mystifying their forebears, but pliably come forward as mere child’s play for them.  Or perhaps they purport themselves to be experts, demonstrating academic or professional credentials in support of such.  They may even move or speak with the air of unmistakeable confidence.  It might be that they have substantial followings and impressive venues to spout their philosophical triumphs.

But, as the case was for Job, the proof is in the pudding.  God’s Word proved these men wrong.  Job 42 shows that their claims and theories, however confidently asserted, were at odds with His mind.  They spoke words of man’s wisdom.  It may have sounded right on the surface, but it wasn’t right.

Consider Paul’s message to Corinth.  He speaks of preaching, the foolishness of God, coming in the wake of men’s inability to grasp His wisdom.  Then he writes, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,  so that no man may boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:25-29).

Humility, teachability, and submission are three indispensable quality traits we must possess when it comes to the Bible and spiritual matters.  Our theology must be formed by the latter and our character is formed by the former.  Let us forever be less concerned with being judged right by others and be consumed with a desire to be right with God.

–Neal Pollard

Job 11:6

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This statement was not made regarding the final judgment of man.  Instead, a grieving Job is responding to the poor perceptions and assumptions of an arrogant man, Zophar the Naamathite.  Zophar had rashly said such things as, “Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves” (Job 11:6).  Job lost every dollar and asset he owned, as it were, all ten of his children died in the same accident, he was an outcast from society, and he had a painful, extremely aggravating infirmity, and he had to cope with the sorrowful feelings that his God had abandoned him.  Yet, Zophar says, in essence, “Job, you deserve worse.”  Zophar concludes that Job is deceitful, wicked, and empty-headed (12, cf. 20).  The miserable friend urges Job to repent so that he could have God’s favor restored (14ff).  Can you imagine what Job felt to have a “friend” making such presumptions and judgments about him, how that must have compounded his trials?

Amid his masterful answer, Job makes the statement of the above caption.  Job is saying, “If that view is right, how are you going to fare when God picks your life apart like you say he has picked apart mine?” (cf. 13:9).  Let’s consider an important principle borne out by this suffering servant of God.  It is so easy for us to smugly sit back and make judgments about people’s situations, why they lost their job, why their child has left the Lord, why they are embroiled in a lengthy series of setbacks or trials, or the like.  Yet, we had better be careful that we are not pulling a Zophar, rashly concluding and assuming without benefit of the whole picture.  Remember, in Job the whole picture is the Satan’s desire to test Job’s faithfulness.  All of that is going on “behind the scenes.”  Even Job was unaware of it.

What is called for in our dealings with each other is empathy, the benefit of the doubt, that loving cloak that hides rather than searches for faults, patience, and a love that does not think evil of others.  We need that humility that causes us to consider the question Job raises here before we snap to hasty assumptions about the unfortunate circumstances of others.   Almost always, we are not privy to the whole picture.  Instead of gossip or harsh judgment, may our response be one of desiring to help, encourage, and show love.  By taking such an approach to life, we can be assured that it “will be well when He searches us out.”

–Neal Pollard

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB?

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You may or may not be familiar with the book of Job in the Old Testament. It’s a story of a man of resolute faith in the face of terrible trials. Job is an example to us as in one day all of his children were killed and he went from being one of the richest men in the nation to living in abject poverty. Job 1 and 2 relate a conversation between God and Satan and in chapter 1, verse 8 we read: “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

Job is an example of faith that I admire and seek to be like; even while I often fail miserablely. I am reminded of a story from the old West. It seems a young cowboy was riding out through the dessert and came across an old prospector riding on a mule. The young cowboy thought he would have some fun, so he draws his sixgun and orders the old man off the mule and asked him if he had ever danced. He then proceeds to shoot six shots at the old mans feet causing him to jump around and stands there laughing with an empty gun in his hand. The old man slowly reaches over the back of his mule and pulls out a shotgun and points it at the young man and says, “Have you ever kissed a mule?” Without batting an eye, the young man said, “No, but I have always wanted to!”

Now I’ve never kissed a mule, (yet), but then I’ve never had the faith that Job exhibited, but I’ve always wanted to.

How strong is your faith? What kind of discouragements are you facing? In Job 2:9-10, Job’s wife, his helpmate, says to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Think about your life, what have you lost, who is whispering to you that you should quit, give up, and forget God?

You see, just as in the book of Job, Satan is “going to and fro on the face of the earth” seeking those whom he can destroy. The apostle James however gives us another way to look at the difficulties coming upon us. James writes in James 1:2-4, “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

What made the difference between Job and his wife? She was ready to quit, while the thought never occurred to Job? I believe it was that Job truly understood that God is in control of our world and that our life is only temporary here on earth. He knew that it is after our death that we really start to live.

How about you, are you living only for today or making plans for your eternal future?

Russ Lawson