Job
4
Job's heart has been crying out in anger against the awfulness of real life. Why is life so hard? Why do people suffer? Job's mood must have fluctuated several times a day between humble submission to God's will, as in chapter 1 and 2, and anger at the seeming injustice of his suffering. Utter despair and then living faith - a roller coaster ride. Job really wants to put God in the dock. His personal dilemma is his own innocence and God's apparently unjust treatment of him. It doesn't make sense.
In chapter 11 Job's third friend joins the debate. His name is Zophar, which means 'a sparrow'. He twitters and he has a mean tongue. Zophar is a legalist and he reckons he's on the inside track with God and knows all the answers. He is candid and hurtful. In verses 5-6 Zophar says, "Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that He would open His lips against you and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin." Zophar is insinuating that Job is being let off lightly. He even suggests that Job is lying when he says he's innocent. "Surely God recognises deceitful men?" (verse11) Zophar's problem is that he thinks you can pour life into a test tube and it will always come out a certain way. He's very dogmatic and provokes a sarcastic response from Job.
Job replies, "Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things?" Job has been stung by the attacks of his friends and their insults. Eliphaz called him 'a fool'; Bildad called him 'godless' and Zophar said he had no more sense than a donkey (chapter 11 verse 12). The effect of their hostile counselling is that instead of leading Job to self-judging, he keeps on vindicating himself. As soon as he becomes defensive and justifies himself, he is not justifying God.
Job says he has become a mere laughing stock, though righteous and blameless' (chapter 12 verse 4). He's fed up with the religious guesswork of his three colleagues, as is clear from chapter 13 verses 3-5. Job says, 'I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. You, however, smear me with lies! You are worthless physicians all of you! If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom." Job instinctively knows that God's not like the picture his friends are painting.
He may not know what is going on or why, but he does know they are wrong. Job says, "Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for Him?" (chapter 13 verse 7).
From Job, every now and then, comes a great flash of faith. His circumstances are appalling, his skin is broken and festering, his friends wind him up, but suddenly he declares, "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him; I will surely defend my ways to His face" (verse 15). This is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faith. This is Job's response under enormous pressure. God is still my only hope.
Job says he'll go into the presence of God and defend himself there. He'll lose his case. But he's not the only person who has wanted to tell God a thing or two in a personal encounter. How arrogant we people of the world are. One can understand Job's frustration, when he asks for a showdown with God, but this isn't the wisest move. Job is angry, hurting and frightened by the terrible things he has experienced. He wants to know 'Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy?' (verse 24) He asks God, "Will You torment a wind-blown leaf?" (verse 25). He senses that God is stalking him (verse 27).
Here's the curious thing. At the very time Job feels abandoned by God and heaven is silent, he was actually getting direct, almost microscopic scrutiny from Him. He was, in Philip Yancey's words, 'participating in a trial of cosmic significance, not as the prosecuting attorney, but as the main witness in a test of faith.'
Chapter 14 begins with Job's classic remark, "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." His feelings are all over the place. At times he wishes he were dead: "If only You would hide me in the grave" (verse13) - the pain is so unbearable. At other times faith rises and he wonders, "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer You; You will long for the creature Your hands have made" (verses 14-15). Then, his mood changes, and he accuses God of destroying man's hope (verse 19). Self-pity resurfaces as he feels the pain of his own body and mourns for himself (verse 22). He's like a boxer who is punch-drunk. He's been in the ring with Satan and he's had three rounds with his friends whom he had expected would be on his side. But, against all the odds, he still believes God is a good God. That's the truth, though the facts cry out. 'How can He be?' What a paradox! No wonder Job's story still speaks volumes worldwide 3,000 or 4,000 years after it was written.