The defenses of Job
“True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”
Job’s defense texts are legendary. He was defending himself, believe it not, from his friends. Job’s friends had heard of the awful circumstances of his grief and suffering and they had come to comfort him. It all begin very well. At first they sat in silence, probably tending to his basic needs for food, water fresh cloths to wrap up his wounds. It is very likely they did a number of things to try to ease their friends suffering as would any dear friend.
Alas Job’s friends grew weary of listening to him complain and watching his prolonged suffering. We are not patience with long-term suffering, we want to pray a prayer and see results right away. We don’t like to hang out for the long haul when someone is suffering deeply. That is human nature. Eliphaz, was the first of his friends to suggest that Job was suffering because of his own sin. Soon the others chimed in with their expert opinions. Surely Job was blind to his sin. A righteous man of God would never experience such suffering and grief.
Looking at Job through their own experiences and perspective they surmized Job must be on God’s naughty list. God was on the warpath and Job was in His crosshairs. One of the things I love about Job was He was settled in his convictions about God and he was certain God was up to something more than a human mind could imagine. Job was not privy to the early conversation in the opening chapter, between God and satan concerning jobs life, family and earthly holdings. He had no idea that what he was experiencing now was the result of God’s trust and confidence in Jobs deeply held convictions about the goodness of God. The other thing I really love about Job was his ability to defend himself from false accusations. Job chapter 13 is a great example…
“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4 But you forgers of lies,
You are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh, that you would be silent,
And it would be your wisdom!
6 Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 “Hold your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be vindicated.
19 Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Now it wasn’t funny to Job at the time but you have to smile when you read “you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians. Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!” Now that is classic Job speak: “forgers of lies, worthless physicians, Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be wisdom. Try those words the next time you are defending yourself from wrongful accusations. In Chapter 12 after hearing his friend Zophar spend an entire chapter calling on Job to repent and dragging his righteous reputation through the mud, Job begins with “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!”. You just can’t beat an opening like that.
Your honor I have no defense because these are the people with whom all wisdom reside, we should take advantage of gathering their vast wisdom in every way we can because, when they die, so too will wisdom. The deep conviction of Job about God is also revealed in his defense. About God Job states: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job was not perfect but he did know enough about God to reject the premise that his suffering was the result of God punishing him because of his sin. Sinners will stand before the righteous Judge at the end of days. God will deliver judgement and the sinner will face the consequences of his/her refusal to repent of sin and surrender their life to God.
Job knew God was good and God alone is worthy of worship and honor. Knowing God, made Job certain that God was not plaguing him for sport. Job had “why” questions about his suffering but he was confident God was righteous, good, loving, kind and just. Job knew God was true and faithful. This is what secured Him. Job lived long before Paul the Apostle but they had this belief in common “Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”
I encourage you to read the book of Job not to discover Job but to discover what Job wanted all along, an encounter with God. Once Job has that encounter with God, all of his “why” questions seem small and insignificant. Job’s world view is expanded from a narrow view of this life on earth to an eternal view of life with God. In the end God questions Job and each question reveals the majesty and sovereignty of God. What was lost to Job is restored and what Job believed about the goodness, wisdom and justice of God is proven true.
Job final confession is our confession as believers:
“I know that you can do everything and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”… I have heard you by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees you, Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.
The book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible, although we are not certain of the time period, clues from he book indicate it was written sometime shorty after the flood of Noah’s day and long before the time of Moses. It is amazing to read through in light of that understanding. Job did not have the Psalms to comfort him. Job did not have the ten commandments to guide him. Job did have a relationship with God and lived a life that reflected what it means to be a believer and follower.
What happened to the friends of Job? I won’t give that away, you will have to read it for yourself. God addresses them in the end as well. Read and enjoy the book of Job.