In a shocking conclusion, we read that God confronts Job’s three friends and declares their counseling of Job to be folly. He then requires them to offer a sacrifice, asking Job to pray for them. Job has indeed prayed, interceded really, for them so that God would not deal with them according to their folly. We then read the following in this epilogue:
An Accepted Prayer: Job prayed for his friends (did he include Elihu?), the Lord restored his fortunes (v. 10). The Lord gives him twice as much as he had before. If my calculations are correct, that means Job became the proud owner of 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 donkeys (cp. 1:3)! A “yoke” of oxen really means two oxen, so Job now has 23,000 animals in his possession!
A Re-Established Home: We then read that a great feast was held in his home with all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before attending. And they comforted and consoled him “over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him” (v. 11). Job’s wealth is restored from the gifts of silver and gold they bring to him.
Apart from his doubled livestock (v. 12), Job and his wife bring into the world seven sons and three daughters (the same number as he had at the beginning) (v. 13). Unlike the succinct account of his first set of children, here his three daughters’ names are given: Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch. I wonder why the daughters are named? And why are the names of the seven sons not given? We are also informed that “nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters.” (v. 15). And, in what appears to be counter-cultural, we read that “their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.”
There is also no mention of Job’s wife. Is this the same wife as the one who told Job to curse God and die? Has she repented of her folly?
We then read that “after this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.” (vv. 16-17).
Tags: repentance, silence, unworthiness
We now come to the conclusion of the Job saga. He has suffered greatly. But he has also engaged in lengthy debates with his friends about the problem of evil and suffering. He has also had an audience with the Almighty Himself. And has been put in his place by the Lord. But how does this story end?
We first notice that the Lord is not done speaking. He now addresses Eliphaz, the first friend who rebuked Job, the one who had claimed that he had had a vision from God (ch. 4).
God’s Anger: Unlike His addressing Job, God describes His stance toward Eliphaz as anger. “I am angry with you . . .” (v. 7). What a shock those words must have been! Eliphaz and his friends were certain they were speaking the truth on God’s behalf. And instead of commendation, he receives censure.
The Objects of God’s Anger: Notice that God singles out Eliphaz “and your two friends” (v. 7). God doesn’t name Bildad and Zophar by name. And He completely leaves out Elihu!
The Reason for God’s Anger: God tells Eliphaz specifically why He is angry. He says it is “because you have not spoken the truth about me” (v. 7). Not speaking the truth about God — is there a greater sin?
And as if being rebuked by God for not speaking the truth about Him isn’t enough, the Lord uses a comparative statement in his chastising of the Three: “you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has (v. 7)! What an incredible statement by the Lord! Has Job spoken only truth about the Lord? Of course not. He has accused the Lord of unfairness, of not dealing with the wicked, of making Job His target. But God’s estimation of Job is that he has spoken the truth about God and his circumstances, and the friends haven’t!
The Requirements of God’s Anger: God’s anger needs to be propitiated (satisfied). And the way to do that is to offer a sacrifice. So the Lord tells Eliphaz to take seven bulls and seven rams and go . . . “to my servant Job”! (v. 8). We were introduced to Job in 1:2 where we read, “2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants.” These seven bulls and seven rams are not being given to Job who, as far as we know, is bereft of any livestock. These fourteen animals are to be offered as a burnt offering. DETAILS ON A BURNT OFFERING? SAME AS HE OFFERED FOR HIS CHILDREN?
The Lord then declares, “My servant Job will pray for you . . .” (v. 8). This is the Lord’s second reference to Job as “my servant.” And the Three needed Job to pray for them! This is the one the Three described as under God’s judgment, as facing the same fate as the wicked, as guilty of numerous social sins, as obviously estranged from the Lord. The Three now require Job to intercede for them.
What will be the result of Job’s praying for them? God says, “and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly” (v. 8). So some prayers are accepted — and others — aren’t!
What a shock those words must have been! These three friends had spent nine chapters lecturing Job about his estrangement from the Lord. [This isn’t counting the six chapters of the bombastic badgering of Elihu]. How upsetting to hear from the Almighty that their advice had been “folly”!
We read in Proverbs 11:14 says “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (KJV). There has been precious little safety in the multitude of counselors who have given Job their best therapy. In fact, it isn’t too strong to say that in that multitude of counselors there has been folly!
WORD STUDY ON “FOLLY!” God Himself defines what He means by “folly” when He declares: “You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” (v. 8). This is God’s second statement that Eliphaz and his two friends haven’t spoken the truth about me, “as my servant Job has.” Isn’t this one definition of BLASPHEMY — not speaking the truth about God and professing to do so when one is speaking?
The Response to God’s Anger: The Three do exactly what God told them to do. They are specified by their full titles: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. And we are told that they “did what the Lord told them” (v. 9). We are then informed that “the Lord accepted Job’s prayer” (v. 9). Some prayers are accepted and some aren’t. I wonder if Job was surprised that the Three asked him to pray for them. I wonder if Job forgave his friends before he prayed for them. [It’s hard to pray for someone you’ve not forgiven].
Tags: folly, intercession, prayer, repentance
Job has been taken on an extremely fascinating nature tour by the Creator. And God’s multiple questions seem to have a double goal: to humble Job and to eradicate his desire to prosecute God for His actions in Job’s life. God hasn’t given Job any explanation for the trials. But Job gets one last opportunity to respond to the Lord. And he does so in six verses.
In his response, Job acknowledges God’s omnipotence in bringing about His purposes (42:2). He confesses that he has been guilty of obscuring the plans of God (42:3) and speaking of things of which he had no understanding.
God told Job to listen — and he did. Job refers to two of his senses when he says, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (42:5). This overwhelming vision of God drives Job to one and only one conclusion: “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (42:6). Repent of what? His insolence? His charging God with allowing the wicked to prosper and the righteous to suffer? Repent of condemning God’s silence in the face of his friends’ accusatory and condemning speeches? Has Job been disrespectful, irreverent, even blasphemous toward the Lord? Job has certainly charged the Lord with wrongdoing, with unfairly making Job His target, with callously refusing to give Job his day in court.
Tags: repentance, silence, unworthiness
But the Lord’s speech to Job is not finished. The Almighty continues His challenge of Job in the rest of chapter 40 and all of chapter 41. Let’s notice a few things that the Lord says.
Chapter 40: The Lord directly confronts Job with piercing questions such as “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (v. 8).
If Job wants to play God, God says he must adorn himself with glory and splendor, cover himself with honor and majesty, unleash the fury of his wrath, bring down the wicked (vv. 10-13). If he can do those things, then the Lord will admit to Job that his own right hand can save him (v. 14).
We then receive an extended discussion of “Behemoth” (vv. 15-24). It is a beast, God says, “which I made along with you” (v. 15). Marked by incredible strength, it “ranks first among the works of God” (v. 19). It is unable to be captured by man (v. 24).
Chapter 41: In chapter 41 God describes “Leviathan.” Is Leviathan another name for Behemoth? At any rate, this beast is a further example of man’s impotence. In great sarcasm, God asks if Job can make this creature his slave or a pet for the young women in your house? (vv. 4-5) It can’t be captured with harpoons or fishing spears. “If you lay a hand on it, you will remember the struggle and never do it again!” (v. 8).
God says, if you are unable to capture Leviathan, “Who then is able to stand against me?” (v. 10). God asks, “Who has a claim against me that I must pay?” (v. 11). God is no man’s debtor.
God continues to speak of Leviathan’s strength, double coat of armor, and fearsome teeth, rows of shields on its back (vv. 12-17). Its snorting “throws out flashes of light”; “flames stream from its mouth”; “smoke pours from its nostrils”; “flames dart from its mouth” (vv. 18-21). Sure sounds like a dragon, doesn’t it?
This creature terrifies the mighty. Iron swords have no effect on it; arrows are useless; slingstones are like chaff to it (vv. 25-28). Clubs and lances are laughable to it (v. 29).
It appears to dwell in the sea (v. 31). “Nothing on earth is its equal — a creature without fear” (v. 33). “It is king over all that are proud” (v. 34).
Tags: silence, unworthiness
Job has unceremoniously been put in his place by the Lord who grilled him on his complete ignorance of the natural world. How does Job respond to this devastating and overwhelming attack from the Lord? We read in 40:3-5 the following:
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
4 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more.”
The Lord’s long-awaited response to Job causes him to confess his unworthiness and complete inability to say anything to the Lord. He is overwhelmed. He physically shuts his mouth. He also admits that he had spoken once, but now has no answer to the Lord. He even was bold to speak a second time, but now determines he will say no more.
What are we to conclude from such a one-sided discussion? Is it fair to say that Job had forgotten who God was — and that he needed to be reminded of his own createdness? In his demands for an audience with the Almighty, had Job missed the point of these trials?
God’s words in 40:1-2 silenced Job. Was that the Creator’s intent? But the Lord is not done. Chapter 40 continues with God’s rebuke of Job. We will examine what else the Lord says to Job in our next post.
Tags: silence, unworthiness
Thirty-seven chapters — and the Lord has been silent. The only conversations the Lord has conducted have been those with Satan in volunteering His servant Job to be victimized (Job’s perspective) by the enemy of God. Now, the Lord speaks.
What do we see in Chapter 38?
First, the Lord takes the offensive against Job, asking “Who is this that obscures my plans?” (v. 2) This is an important point: God’s work in Job’s life was planned. It was not haphazard. It was not without meaning.
Second, the Lord challenges Job’s ignorance of the earth’s foundations, the boundaries of the seas, whether he has given orders to the morning or the dawn. Does he have the power to shake the wicked out of the earth (v. 13)? The gates of death have not been shown to Job (v. 17). He doesn’t know the abode of light or where darkness resides (v. 19). In great sarcasm God says, “Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!” (v. 21).
Continuing, the Lord queries Job about the storehouses of the snow and hail, the lightning, thunderstorms, the rain, ice, the constellations, and God’s dominion over the earth (vv. 22-38).
The Lord then moves to the category of the animal kingdom. By His questions the Lord indicates that Job has no role in satisfying the hunger of the lions (v. 39) or providing food for the ravens (v. 41).
Chapter 39: God continues His grilling of Job and his non-involvement in when the mountain goats give birth or when the doe bears her fawn (vv. 1-4). He has nothing to do with the freedom of the wild donkey or power over the wild ox (vv. 5-13). He has no power over the foolish, yet speedy, ostrich (vv. 13-18). He is not the one who gives strength or courage to the horse (vv. 19-25). The flight of the hawk or the eagle did not come about by Job’s wisdom (vv. 26-30).
The Lord abruptly ends His lecture to Job in chapter 40 by asking, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” (vv. 1-2).
Tentative Conclusions about the Lord’s Response: What are we to conclude about this final speaking of the Lord? He has been silent throughout the book. Does He come to Job with words of consolation, sympathizing with him in his suffering? Does He console Job and let him in on the secret challenges God has issued to man’s archenemy Satan? No!
Instead we see that the Lord overwhelms Job with a series of questions related to creation. It is fascinating what the Lord does not say. He does not side with Job’s “friends” in accusing him of sin. He does not say that Job’s calamities have come as acts of discipline to keep Job from going down to the pit like the wicked do. Instead, He puts Job in his place, reminding him that he is the creature and God is the Creator. He is under no obligation to explain the whys of Job’s troubles. Confrontation, not consolation, is God’s response to His servant. How will Job respond to the Lord’s devastating questions?
Tags: confession, creation, defense, providence
A new character is now introduced into the Job saga: Elihu. Where has he been? He is not listed as one of the friends who mourns with Job at the beginning of the book. In fact, when God finally rebukes Eliphaz in chapter 42 (as we will see), the Lord says that He is angry with Eliphaz “and your two friends” (42:7). Are the Elihu lectures an addition to the biblical text? Or is Elihu’s counsel so pathetic that he is ignored by God? Or, could it be, that Elihu is right whereas the other friends have been terribly ineffective and mostly wrong?
To answer some of the questions we must look carefully at the text — six chapters in total! Let’s begin with chapter 32.
Chapter 32: Job’s three friends, we are told, stopped answering Job “because he was righteous in his own eyes” (v. 1). They have failed to persuade him of his sinful life. But another steps into the ring whose outrage at Job and at the inability of the Three to make any progress in the debate compel him to speak.
Elihu is no fictional character for his family lineage is listed. He was a real person, as real as Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Job. He is motivated by anger at Job for justifying himself and at the Three for failing to refute Job while condemning him (v. 3).
As the younger of the four, Elihu had respectfully waited his turn. Now his anger — and the Three’s silence — drive him to speak. And speak he does, for six chapters!
Although Elihu respects his elders, he argues that wisdom does not reside with the aged alone (v. 9). He says he has patiently waited his turn while the Three “were searching for words” (v. 11). He himself minces no words in saying “not one of you has proved Job wrong” (v. 12). I, on the other hand, says Elihu, have not been the object of Job’s objections, so “I will not answer him with your arguments” (v. 14). So, Elihu believes that his argument will be new and more persuasive.
Elihu describes himself as “full of words”; “like bottled-up wine” ready to burst. He will find relief only when he, without flattery, offers his reply to Job (vv. 19-22). And if he fails to be impartial, Elihu believes that “my Maker would soon take me away” (v. 22).
Chapter 33: Elihu bids Job to listen to his words, for they are sincere and come from an upright heart (v. 3). Job’s claim, Elihu says, is that he is pure and free from sin and that God has found fault with him and considers Job His enemy (vv. 8-10).
Elihu bluntly says, “Job, you are wrong!” He argues that God’s greatness exceeds mortal man (v. 12) and that He indeed does speak (in dreams, visions, etc.) (vv. 14-17). God also speaks through redemptive pain, causing one’s body to waste away to “spare them from going down to the pit” (v. 24). Elihu seems to be saying, “Job, be thankful for your physical suffering, for God wants you to find favor with Him!” (v. 26). Responding rightly, Elihu says, will allow you to pray to God, see God’s face, and shout for joy (v. 26). And then He will restore you to full well-being. You will then have a testimony to others that though you sinned, you did not get what you deserved and God has delivered you (vv. 27-28). God’s desire is to turn you back from the pit, “that the light of life may shine [on you]” (v. 30). “Be silent, Job, and I will teach you wisdom” (v. 33).
Chapter 34: Elihu accuses Job of scorning the ways of God in claiming to be denied justice by God (vv. 5-7), and associating with the wicked (v. 8). He even says Job declares, “There is no profit in trying to please God.’ (v. 9). Where does Job actually say that?
Elihu then defends God as One who can’t do wrong, never would pervert justice, and repays everyone for what they have done (vv. 10-12). So, Elihu believes that Job is receiving his just deserts. But Job is guilty of condemning “the just and mighty One” (v. 17). God will not reward Job for his refusal to repent (v. 33), for Job answers like a wicked man (v. 36) and “to his sin he adds rebellion” (v. 37).
Chapter 35: Elihu says that Job is actually saying to the Lord, “What do I gain by not sinning?” (v. 3). We then are told that Elihu wants to respond to Job “and to your friends with you” (v. 4). Apparently he is referring to others who are privy to these conversations, some who might have been siding with Job.
Elihu seems to be arguing for what medieval theologians called the impassibility of God (that God does not experience emotions). One’s wickedness only affects other humans (v. 8). The bottom line for Elihu is that God doesn’t answer the wicked, especially when people like Job say that God’s anger never punishes evil (vv. 13-15). Elihu’s conclusion at this point? “Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.” (v. 16).
Chapter 36: Believing he is speaking “in God’s behalf” (v. 2), Elihu describes himself as “one who has perfect knowledge is with you” (v. 4). Despite the evidence that Job has provided, Elihu argues that God “does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights” (v. 6).
Elihu’s bottom line is that “if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, he tells them what they have done — that they have sinned arrogantly” (vv. 8-9). God “commands them to repent of their evil” (v. 10). Repentance will bring prosperity; the godless will die like the male prostitutes of the shrines (v. 14). What a comparison!
God is wooing you, Job, Elihu says. But you seem to prefer turning to evil instead of responding to God-given affliction (v. 21).
Elihu then extols God in His power over creation, as if his theology proper (his doctrine of God) is the final answer to Job’s dilemma (vv. 22-33).
Chapter 37: In this last chapter of his exasperation, Elihu speaks of God’s thundering voice and His power over the weather. “He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love” (vv. 2-13). Job’s ignorance of the ways of God — “those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge” — should humble him, causing him to cease seeking to draw up his case against the Lord (vv. 14-19). Job, says Elihu, you are wrong. God does not oppress in his justice and great righteousness (v. 23).
Tags: confession, defense, Elihu, Elihu speeches
In these three chapters (29-31), Job continues his desperate discourse on the ways of God as he understands Him. Job has endured numerous sessions with his friends who have provoked more pain than promise.
Chapter 29: Job first of all laments his days gone by when “God watched over me” (v. 2). He reflects on “his prime” when the friendship of the Lord blessed his house, his children were around him, and his public presence was respected by all (vv. 7-10). Those were the days when Job rescued the poor, assisted the fatherless, made the widow’s heart sink (vv. 12-13).
He matter-of-factly states that he “was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame . . . a father to the needy.” And he was one who stood up to the wicked, snatching victims from their teeth (v. 17).
He had believed that he would die in his own house (not on an ash heap) and that his glory would not fade (vv. 18-20). People sought his wisdom and were overwhelmed when he smiled at them (v. 24). Perhaps as a criticism of his friends, Job says he was “like one who comforts mourners” (v. 25).
Chapter 30: But now young men mock him, avoid him, and spit in his face (vv. 1-10). They join the God who has “unstrung my bow and afflicted me” in attacking Job (vv. 11-14).
Job has lost all sense of safety and security; his life “ebbs away” (v. 16). God has reduced Job to dust and ashes (v. 19). And God answers Job only with ruthless silence, tossing him into the storm (vv. 20-22).
God shows no mercy in laying His hand on this broken man who has wept for those in trouble and grieved for the poor (vv. 24-25). Hoping for good, evil came; looking for light he received only darkness (v. 26). His suffering has blackened him; his body burns with fever. His singing has been turned to wailing (vv. 28-31).
Chapter 31: Continuing his defense of his life, Job declares that he has remained sexually pure in his marriage: “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (v 1).
Job’s expectation is that God’s judgment will bring ruin on the wicked (v. 3). He challenges the Lord to “weigh” him and see that he is blameless and not guilty of lust, or of denying justice to others, or of not sharing his food with the poor and the orphans (vv. 6-17). Job makes a wonderful pro-life statement when he asks, “Did not he who made me in the womb make them [his servants]? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?” (v. 15).
In fact, Job asks for God’s swift judgment upon himself if he has been guilty of sinning against the fatherless or the widow (vv. 16-23).
He grants that he would have been unfaithful to God on high if he had trusted in his wealth (vv. 24-25) or engaged in worshiping the sun or the moon (v. 26), or rejoiced at his enemy’s misfortune (v. 29). He states bluntly: “I have not allowed my mouth to sin” (v. 30); “I have [not] concealed my sin as people do” (v. 33).
Lastly, Job pleads with the Lord to answer him, to allow him to give an account of his every step (vv. 35-37). And then we read, “The words of Job are ended” (v. 40).
But they aren’t ended, as we will soon see.
Tags: confession, defense
So, the debates between Job and his friends appear to be over. They aren’t. Shortly we will hear from a fourth friend, Elihu. But before he begins his theological rebuke of Job, we have Job’s speech on where wisdom is found.
Job’s speech begins by referring to the superhuman efforts men exert to mine for silver and gold and copper. “Mortals put an end to darkness” as they search for ore (v. 3). They cut shafts and “dangle and sway” as they transform the earth below.
The animal world — birds and beasts — have nothing to do with such an underground quest. People assault the flinty rock as their eyes see all the mountains’ treasures. They search the rivers and “bring hidden things to light” (v. 11).
But what about wisdom? Its worth is beyond understanding. Wisdom cannot be found in the land of the living, Job says (v. 13). Creation testifies that wisdom “is not with me” (v. 14). The precious treasures of gold and silver can’t buy wisdom (vv. 15-16), nor can they compare with it, for “the price of wisdom is beyond rubies” (v. 18).
Where does wisdom come from? It is “hidden from the eyes of every living thing” (v. 21). God alone knows where wisdom dwells (v. 23). He sees everything under the heavens (v. 24). As He established the wind, measured out the waters, decreed the rain, made a path for the thunderstorm, He “looked at wisdom and appraised it” (v. 27). And, Job says, “he said to the human race, ‘The fear of the Lord — that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'” (v. 28).
It is interesting that Job does not say that wisdom is found in his friends, for the Lord Himself later describes their words of counsel as “folly” (42:8). He sarcastically says that wisdom will die with them (12:2). They have not made his life better. Their words have wounded, not healed. Their counsel has been “of no help” (6:21). They are “worthless physicians, all of you!” (13:4). Their maxims are “proverbs of ashes” (13:12). “You are miserable comforters, all of you!” Job says in 16:2. “How long will you torment me and crush me with words?”, Job asks (19:2). He describes their words as mocking (21:3). The friends need to “get out more” and see the reality of the wicked prospering (21:30). Their counsel is nonsense and nothing but falsehood (21:34).
But wisdom, true wisdom, is found with the Lord. As Job will soon learn.
Tags: wisdom
Bildad’s third round asked the question, “Can a mortal be righteous before God?” (25:4). He not only extols the greatness of God, but he then demeans the human person as a maggot, a worm (25:6).
XVII. Job’s Response to Bildad – Ch. 26)
Job’s sarcastic response mocks the three friends’ unhelpfulness. Their advice has been void of wisdom. It has been so poor, in Job’s estimation, that they must have had some kind of spirit assist them in their counsel! (vv. 1-4).
Job then refers to the dead being “in deep anguish” (v. 5). What does he mean by his statement that “the realm of the dead is naked before God” (v. 6)? Perhaps Job’s point is that his friends have referred quite a bit to the death of the wicked, and Job knows that he does not deserve their fate.
He then speaks about “the outer fringe of [God’s] works” in which he mentions God’s power over the realm of the dead (v. 6), over the northern skies and the very suspension of the earth (v. 7), and over the clouds and the horizon (vv. 8-10). He speaks of God’s power over the sea (v. 12) and His judgment on Rahab (!) (v. 12). Then Job says, “And these are but the outer fringe of his works” (v. 14).
But, in light of God’s magnificent works in His world, Job laments, “how faint the whisper we hear of him!” (v. 14). In contrast to such acts of God’s power, Job is grieved at His silence. And he certainly isn’t buying the premise that God is speaking to him through his “friends”!
XVII. Job’s Response to Bildad – Ch. 27)
In his second chapter of responding to Bildad’s round three, we notice that the NIV translation has the inscription “Job’s Final Word to His Friends.” Whether this chapter is a specific response to Bildad or a general address to the three friends, we don’t know. Here’s what we do know:
We know of Job’s conviction that God has denied him justice and has made his life bitter (v. 2). We know that Job is determined to say nothing wicked as long as the breath of God is in his nostrils (v. 4). And we know that he is resolute in maintaining his innocence and will never admit that his friends are right (vv. 5-6). His conscience simply won’t allow it (v. 6).
Tags: death, God's works, judgment, rebellion, rejection, suffering, the fate of the wicked, the wicked, worm theology
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 