What kind of friend torments a profoundly suffering person, crushing him with words? These men were firm in their convictions that they were being faithful friends to point out Job’s obvious wickedness to him, presumably with the end that he would repent and be saved from the ultimate fate of the wicked. But these friends were wrong – incorrect in their assumptions about Job’s wickedness, incorrect in their assessment of God’s ways, and morally wrong to presume to make such assessments and to beat suffering, blameless Job over the head in judgment. We need to be careful we don’t do the same with people in the name of friendship. These men truly didn’t care for Job, to respond as they did – they descended like carrion birds to lord it over Job in his fallen state, to enjoy their position of superiority over such a man of prominence.
Zophar was angry in his self-righteousness. Again, his anger shows that he didn’t care about Job. He now responds in anger, when he supposedly is there to offer consolation to a suffering man. Then he blathers on and on self-righteously, burying Job even deeper than he already is, as if he wishes upon Job the dark catastrophes about which he speaks. Job’s response is correct. How often do you see the prosperous wicked cut down to utter despair in this life? Not often. That justice is not a given in this life. Zophar is nattering words that sound correct, but in fact are not. We must be careful that we don’t offer the same. For because of such behavior, Christians have alienated enough people, that now Christians are perceived as intolerant, and no one wants to listen to a Christian.
How can I possibly know that God has allowed this catastrophe or that tragedy because He is judging sin? The truth is, we may be as far off the mark as Job’s friends were in making such assessments. That’s why we are instructed to “let our speech be full of grace, seasoned with salt.”
Job says that God has wronged him. He is incorrect in his understanding of the situation also. The difference is that he does not set himself up in the place of God. He speaks with the humility of one bowing in submission to sovereign God, who knows who his Redeemer is. This is the example we are given of the attitude we must take when questioning God. When we assert our innocence, can we do so with the prospect before us of standing before God?
But his situation is not the end of the story. He longs for his words to be recorded, and look how long they have been preserved – and how many people they have helped over the years.