Date: 0101-01-01 00:00:00+00:00

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Trusting When It Hurts

Lessons from the Book of Job

Grant Stevens

2001

Introduction

Life is full of good times and hard times.

The story of Job is a story about hard times. It would be hard to imagine someone experiencing more loss, all at once, than Job experienced in the first two chapters of the book named for him.

How we conduct ourselves when hardship strikes is something that God watches with great interest. What is He looking for? I believe that when we suffer, God's loving eyes are focussed on one small pearl, one eternal treasure, one seed that He is nursing to maturity: our faith. We will look at this in detail.

Job is more than a story about hardship—it is also a story about hardship that is undeserved. One of the major points made in the book of Job, as we shall see, is that Job did nothing to deserve all the bad things that happened to him.

And yet, bad things happened.

Maybe you've heard someone say, "if only you [had more faith; prayed more sincerely; fill in the blank], God would solve your problems; you wouldn't have these troubles."

The story of Job combats a very common wrong belief: if we are going through hard times, we did something to deserve it. Although sometimes true, it isn't necessarily true; and if we don't know why someone is hurting, it is wrong to assume.

Historical Background

Scholars are not sure when Job lived, but internal evidence, so they say, suggests the period around 1000 BC; around the time of David and Solomon.

Unlike most Bible heroes, Job was not a Jew. He is described as one of "the people of the East" (Job 1:3); that is, his home was east of the land of Israel. But even though he was, as Ephesians 2:12 says of Gentiles, "excluded from citizenship in Israel and [a foreigner] to the covenants", Job was a man of God. He worshipped God with integrity and diligence. He practiced what he preached. Fairness, compassion, and charity characterized his life. In chapter 31, as we shall see, Job describes at length his godly life style; and his friends, in spite of their determination to find fault, are unable to answer his defense. Job is such a good man that the writer describes him as "blameless" (Job 1:1).

Job was the patriarch of a large tribe, and he was rich. His livestock holdings amounted to some 11,500 animals (detailed in Job 1:2). We can imagine the size of the community that derived their livelihood caring for these huge herds. Job is described as "the greatest man" in his region (Job 1:3), suggesting that of all the nearby tribes, Job's was "the greatest" in some sense; wealth, perhaps, or population.

At the time of this story, Job was younger than the typical tribal chief. He and his wife had ten adult children before this story begins, and ten more children afterward, placing them firmly in the middle of their childbearing years.

Job's youthful ascension suggests that his father had died at a young age. In this patriarchal culture, if Job's father were still alive and capable, he would have been the leader instead of Job. So even before the story opens, Job has experienced personal tragedy.

And then the troubles began.

Chapter 1 — Job's Hardship

The book of Job begins with a simple introduction to the man.

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1)

How many people do you know, who you would call "blameless"? If you were writing someone's biography, would your opening summary of their life read like Job's? This is an exceptional characterization!

Next we have brief comments about Job's family and wealth.

He had seven sons and three daughters, 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. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. (Job 1:2-3)

But there's more to say about Job's family life.

His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (Job 1:4)

The inclusion of his daughters reflects Job's progressive attitude regarding the role of women in a society that would normally exclude them.

When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom. (Job 1:5)

Though his children were clearly grown, Job still took his responsibility as a father seriously. Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children; and it is natural to believe he involved them in the practice. To think that a tribal chief performed these sacrifices alone makes no sense—he must certainly have mentored his children through this repeated ritual of purification.

Professional Development Seminars

Job's troubles begin after a "staff meeting" between God and angels, a meeting which Satan apparently crashed. You've probably heard the account, which we'll cover soon—Satan demanded, and God granted, permission to hurt Job.

This seems unfair, doesn't it? Why should we be victims of a heavenly feud, pawns in another race's jockeyings for position? Because this is so troublesome, let's talk about this first, before moving on to Job's hardships.

We don't know much about heavenly meetings among angels, but we do have one clue. In the early part of Ephesians 3, Paul discusses God's decision to extend salvation to the Gentiles, joining Gentile believers to the community of Jewish believers (v 6). He points out that this extension of salvation to Gentiles was unknown in the past, but was revealed by God in Paul's day (v 5), and that God gave Paul the job of reaching the Gentiles (v 8).

Why did God do all this? Paul explains at least one of God's reasons:

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 3:10)

In other words, God did this to teach his wisdom to angels. To paraphrase verse 10: God did this so that today, using the church, the leading angels would learn the multi-layered wisdom of God.

Did you know that angels attend professional development seminars? It's true! Managing affairs in the vast kingdom of heaven requires great wisdom, and angels need to learn. God himself teaches the classes. And He prepares the teaching materials, which, this verse says, include the church. That's you and me—the teaching materials.

Now we won't carry this idea to extremes: you do not exist to be an object lesson in some angelic classroom. And yet, among the many things that God is managing, one is that He arranges circumstances in this world in order to teach angels.

I believe it was just such a teaching setting that is described next in Job's story:

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. (Job 1:6)

After some introductory small talk, God, in full view of possibly millions of angels, directs the discussion this way:

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 1:8)

Did you know God brags about you? Yes, that's what's happening here! In the course of teaching angels, God says, "Have you noticed my servant Harry?" "Have you seen my servant Eva?" Fill in your own name. God has invested a lot of effort in you. He is proud of what He has accomplished in you, and He isn't shy talking about it.

But Satan, "the accuser" (as Revelation 12:10 calls him), is sure Job has an ulterior motive for his faithfulness to God.

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." (Job 1:9-11)

"Job doesn't really love You," Satan tells God. "He's just in it for the benefits. If you take away the big payoff you're giving Job, he'll quickly drop his religion."

What's At Stake Here?

Why should God care what Satan says about Job? God knew it wasn't true. Couldn't He just ignore it? Why did He have to involve Job in the painful way He did?

The problem here was that Satan's comments were not harmless—they affected someone. In this angelic "professional development seminar", God was teaching His wisdom to angels. In front of everyone, Satan stood up and said, "God's wisdom doesn't really work—it's just an illusion, propped up by tricks and payoffs." If God failed to answer this charge, many angels would be affected; their faith would be affected. (Oh yes, we can speak of the faith of angels—James 2:19 speaks of the faith of demons!)

God has invested a lot in your faith. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). If you came to Jesus, God took steps to make that happen. And just as God works to build your faith, God works to build the faith of angels. Just as God stands guard against things that affect your faith, God guards against attacks on angels' faith. Just as God "is able to keep you from falling" (Jude 24), He works for angels.

But not only does God work to build your faith. God was also hurt in the struggle to rescue you. God the Son was rejected and alone; He was wrongly criticized; in the end He was tortured and killed—all this to make your faith possible.

God goes to great lengths to protect His people. And yet, just as God was hurt for us, He asks us to be willing to be hurt for others. Many scriptures say this. "To this [suffering] you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21) "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him" (Phillipians 1:29). "… we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings" (Romans 8:17).

And so, in order to build the faith of possibly millions of angels—not to mention us who read his book—God "shared" His suffering with Job.

The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:12)

The First Round Of Losses

Satan's attacks, and Job's losses, were sudden, and severe beyond words.

One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" (Job 1:13-19)

Imagine! Job has lost nearly everything that matters to a man. If we cast this into modern terms, Job lost his children, his job, his car(s), his house; he and his wife—he hasn't lost her, yet—have moved to a run-down apartment in a poor neighborhood, with nothing.

Yet Job's handling of this horrible loss proves, in the sight of all those watching angels, that God was right and Satan was wrong.

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Job 1:20-22)

Job's relationship with God was not benefits-driven. He loved God when he was rich, and he loved God when he was poor. As the Apostle Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Phillipians 4:12)

All those angels could see that God's wisdom was true wisdom.

"I Demand A Retrial"

The time came for the next training seminar.

On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. (Job 2:1)

This was the time to review the evidence that followed from Job's time of hardship. Here's what should have happened: God presents the evidence, and all agree on the finding; God was right; God's wisdom is true wisdom; Job's faithfulness to God is real, and not a way to manipulate wealth from God; God's effort to convert sinful mankind is successful, right to the core of man's being.

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. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." (Job 2:3)

But Satan refused to buy it.

"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." (Job 2:4-5)

To everyone's astonishment, Satan replies, "You haven't proven your case yet, God. Job's faith is still a good bargain. Even though the benefits are reduced, he still worships you for those benefits. If You want to find out if Job really loves You, You have to be harder on him."

What is it worth to God to build an angel's faith? How much is He willing to invest in it? How far should He go to teach them His wisdom?

Well — how far did He go to build your faith? What trouble has He taken to teach you His wisdom?

Although it's obvious God knew Job's faith was real, the faith of many others—angels—hung in the balance. And though Job didn't deserve the pain he was going through, those angels had a need. And once again, God called on Job to suffer, as God Himself has suffered, to meet their need.

The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." (Job 2:6)

The Second Round Of Losses

The next thing Job lost was his health.

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. (Job 2:7-8)

Then his marriage became unhappy; the stress was too much for his wife.

His wife said 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. (Job 2:9-10)

"Your religion isn't paying off any more," she told Job. "Give it up. Why worship a God who doesn't deliver benefits?" But Job's faith didn't depend on benefits. It was real.

Next was the loss of the friendship of his three infamous friends, who came ostensibly to comfort him, but in fact caused him much emotional pain. We'll see more about this later.

There were more losses, that weren't spelled out in these early verses, but were felt sharply by Job. One that must have galled him was the loss of public respect. Job describes his standing in the community:

When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet… Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me … Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. (Job 29:7-8, 11, 21-22)

But when Job's troubles began, his fickle public turned on him:

But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs … And now their sons mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face … my dignity is driven away as by the wind (Job 30:1, 9-10, 15b)

The Happy Ending

Before we move into the dialog between Job and his three friends, which occupies the bulk of the book of Job, let's glance ahead to the end of the story. Job regained his wealth and his public standing, and had a second family:

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters … After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years. (Job 42:10-13, 16-17)

But there was a lot of heartache before the better times came.

Chapter 2 — Job's Complaint

What would you say if you were Job?

You've lost everything—all your wealth, your children, your health, your happy marriage—and three of your best friends come a long distance to visit you. What do you say to them? "Hi, fellas. Glad you could make it. How was the trip?"

But Job's culture was not big on small talk. In Job's world, people didn't "shoot from the hip" when speaking. Instead, they thought very carefully about what they would say. And the listeners paid attention. When someone spoke, people listened so closely that, when it was all done, all the lengthy dialogs could be recorded from memory.

So when Job's friends arrived, no one spoke for a long time—far too long for people of our day to be comfortable.

When Job's three friends arrived and saw Job's terrible condition, their culture demanded that they observe a certain protocol. Part of the protocol was that no one had the right to speak until Job spoke.

When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. (Job 2:12-13)

Their manners were quite different from ours! Their custom required them to keep silent, waiting for Job to speak first. When Job spoke, they all listened without interrupting, until Job finished.

Again, their culture was very different from ours. Job, having the right to speak first, was in no hurry. His friends would stay as long as necessary. If they didn't show up for work Monday, someone would cover for them. And so they waited seven days. And then Job spoke.

If you were Job, what would you say? Every word counts. You have the full attention of every listener, and they will take your words home with them. Your exact words will be repeated around campfires and in tents all across the land.

What do you say?

Job's first words were a beautiful but morbid bit of verse, that can be summarized this way: "I'm so miserable I wish I was never born!"

He said: "May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, 'A boy is born!'" (Job 3:2-3)

On the night a child was born, the whole community would throw a party. Job wishes the party had never happened:

May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. (Job 3:7)

He adds:

May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. (Job 3:8)

Are there dates that have an especially painful meaning to you? My youngest brother, whose birthday was December 6, died when he was 25. Now every year on his birthday, the loss feels more painful than it did the rest of the year. In a sense, I "curse that day".

Some people experience grief in a richer, more painful way than I do. For these people, even the mention of a painful date brings fresh waves of pain. To remind them of their loss is to "rouse Leviathan" (a monster).

So when Job says, "May those who curse days curse that day …", what he's really saying is "I wish that every year on my birthday, my parents experienced grief instead of joy, because I died at birth."

He says the same thing more clearly a few verses later:

Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? … For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest (Job 3:11, 13)

And so Job's first words to his friends were an eloquent expression of his pain and hopelessness.

But Isn't Complaining A Sin?

Well, yes and no.

Yes, complaining is sin. Many scriptures point to this fact. Notable examples come from the time of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness:

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. (Numbers 11:1a)

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites." (Numbers 14:26-27)

(God speaking:) "I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites." (Numbers 17:5b)

Other examples come from the New Testament:

And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. (1 Corinthians 10:10)

Do everything without complaining or arguing (Phillipians 2:14)

At the same time, no, Job's complaint was not a sin. Three times, the book specifically says that Job is not guilty of wrongful speech.

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Job 1:22)

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. (Job 2:10b)

(God speaking to Eliphaz:) "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has … You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42:7b, 8b)

So What's Different About Job's Complaint?

Why does God find no fault with Job's complaint, while finding serious fault with other complaints?

The difference is this: Job's complaint is accompanied by faith; the complaints of the Israelites in the wilderness are expressions of their lack of faith. God doesn't seem to have a problem with our honest expression of our troubles; but our lack of faith is a serious problem.

Observe the lack of faith expressed in the Israelites' complaint; they wished they had never gotten involved with God in the first place:

The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." (Exodus 16:3)

Contrast that with the expression of faith that stands tall in the middle of Job's complaint:

[Job] said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:21)

When the Israelites had a problem, they assumed God had plotted against them:

But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" (Exodus 17:3)

When Job had a problem, he believed God still deserved his trust:

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him (Job 13:15a)

The Israelites' complaint showed that they refused to follow God:

All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert!" … And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." (Numbers 14:2,4)

Job's complaint expressed his intention to follow God all his days:

As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit. (Job 27:2-4)

Is This Example One-Of-A-Kind?

Or are there other examples of complaint united with faith? Is God offended by all complaining, or does He consider complaint together with faith a legitimate human expression?

Psalm 6 was written by King David, the "man after God's own heart". Notice how it alternates between complaint and faith.

Faith:

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. (Psalm 6:2)

Complaint:

My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? (Psalm 6:3)

Faith:

Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 6:4)

Complaint:

I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. (Psalm 6:6-7)

Faith:

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. (Psalm 6:9)

See the interaction? God isn't upset because we recognize our troubles. He is upset by lack of faith. If we have faith, it's OK to have troubles too.

We see this same idea—alternating complaint and faith—in Psalm 22, the famous Messianic Psalm, from which Jesus quoted while he was dying.

Complaint:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. (Psalm 22:1-2)

Faith:

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. (Psalm 22:3-5)

Complaint:

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." (Psalm 22:6-8)

Faith:

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. (Psalm 22:9-11)

And so on.

The idea is simple: God isn't hurt by our complaints alone; He is hurt if our complaints express lack of faith. Complaints that express our faith in Him are music (or psalms) to His ears!

Chapter 3 — Horrible Advice

Do you believe everything the Bible says is true? Everything? Are there any exceptions?

The Bible is true, yes; but there is a difference between what the Bible says and what the Bible teaches as true. There are many statements in the Bible, that the Bible does not represent as true. Some statements in the Bible are true records of error.

For example: did you know the Bible says there is no God?

Yes, it's true. The Bible says, "There is no God".

Here is the complete quote:

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1a)

You see, the Bible says, "There is no God"; but the Bible does not teach that as truth. Instead, this statement is a true record of error. If you read the whole sentence, you find what it really means is that there is a God, and you're foolish if you think otherwise!

This simple example illustrates one of the basic principles of understanding the Bible: always consider the context of a statement.

The statement "there is no God", taken by itself, means one thing. But when we consider the context—the surrounding words—we find that it really means exactly the opposite.

Let's say the same thing differently: if we take a statement "out of context", we may end up believing, and living by, something that the Bible doesn't teach as true. The Bible may teach exactly the opposite of our out-of-context understanding.

Let's take another example. This example involves a controversial topic, speaking in tongues. So if your understanding of tongues differs from mine, please bear with me. I'm not intending to make any point about tongues; the point is that we must observe the context of any statement in the Bible.

Taken out of context, these statements seem to say that every Christian should speak in tongues, because it strengthens the speaker:

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself … I would like every one of you to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:4a, 5a)

But when we look at the context, we see something different:

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. (1 Corinthians 14:4-5)

When we read the context, the meaning of the two statements we quoted first changes dramatically. He who speaks in a tongue strengthens himself, yes — but a nobler goal is to strengthen others in the church, and prophecy accomplishes that. If all of you spoke in tongues that would be good, yes — but it wouldn't be the best, because all the tongues would squeeze out the better gift, prophecy.

What the Apostle Paul is saying here is something like this: tongues is a good, legitimate gift, and we should not silence it; but you Corinthians are focusing on tongues so much that you are excluding better gifts; stop doing that.

Well, enough about tongues. As I said before, the point I'm driving at isn't about tongues; the point is that to rightly understand the Bible, we must read its statements in context.

So Why Did You Bring That Up?

Why am I going to so much trouble talking about context? This is a discussion about the book of Job! What does context have to do with it?

The problem is that the book of Job has a special context challenge. To see certain passages in context, you have to read, not just the surrounding verse or two, or even several chapters. You have to read the entire book. Here's why.

Near the end of the book, God talks to Job's friend Eliphaz. He tells Eliphaz that much of what he and his friends have said is wrong:

I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. (Job 42:7b)

What this means is that the portions of Job that were spoken by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—many entire chapters—are not truth, but true records of these men's error. These chapters of the Bible are heresy!

This is so important that it bears repeating. As you read the book of Job, you must observe who is speaking. If it is one of Job's three friends, you are reading something so false that God was angry with them for saying those things. Yet we don't see that fact until the final chapter, when God scolds the friends.

And if you and I believe and act on what Job's friends said, we will be committing an error so significant that God said to Eliphaz, "I am angry with you" over it.

What Is The Heresy Here?

The error that Job's three friends believed, translated into more modern language, can be expressed in any of these ways:

"You must have done something wrong, or God wouldn't be punishing you like this."

"If you had more faith, you wouldn't have these problems."

"If you get right with God, your troubles will go away."

Job's friends haven't said this—yet. The way things worked in Job's culture, Job had the right to speak first. He did speak, as we saw. After Job spoke, the friends took turns speaking, and Job had the right to answer each speaker. As before, when it was someone's turn to talk, everyone else listened carefully.

Because folks in Job's day assumed that someone who was older should be wiser, the turns to speak were assigned in order of age, oldest first.

So Eliphaz, the oldest, had the unenviable job of being the first to speak to Job. He did a terrible job!

Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: "If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?" (Job 4:1-2a)

Right off the bat, Eliphaz says, "you're not going to like what I have to say." Boy, was he right!

After some preliminary polite words to Job, Eliphaz states his main argument. This is the basis of what he and the other two friends will argue throughout the book:

Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7-8)

Eliphaz says this: good things always happen to good people, and bad things always happen to bad people. The corollary is: bad things happened to you, Job, so you must be a bad person.

And that is the heresy that pervades the book of Job. It simply isn't true. Eliphaz is wrong.

Like Job, Eliphaz isn't shooting from the hip; he is speaking carefully considered thoughts; he has crafted his words with skill.

Eliphaz even believes God has given him his message. It came to him in a dream. He describes being terrified when, in his dream, a spirit speaks to him:

Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end. It stopped, but I could not tell what it was. A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice: (Job 4:13-16)

This is what spirit said to him:

Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? (Job 4:17)

Eliphaz' interpretation of his dream was this: if God always rewards good and punishes evil, and if Job is being punished, then Job must be guilty of evil. If Job denies it, he is accusing God of punishing the innocent. He is saying he is innocent and God is faulty in recognizing his innocence, and so he is claiming to be "more righteous than God".

Eliphaz continues:

But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. (Job 5:8)

Eliphaz says, in effect: "If I were you, I would get right with God; I would confess my sins." If you do, he says, your troubles will end:

The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. (Job 5:11)

Eliphaz, a well-meaning but mistaken friend, believes whenever God's people suffer, God is disciplining them for their sins; and if Job would just repent, God would reward him:

Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. (Job 5:17-18)

Eliphaz continues with several statements about the benefits that will accrue to Job if he repents, and then concludes tersely:

We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself. (Job 5:27)

As we said before, Eliphaz is not speaking lightly. He and his friends have thought carefully before coming to this conclusion.

Then Why Do You Say Eliphaz Is Wrong?

Because God says so. At the end of the story, God tells Eliphaz:

I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. (Job 42:7b)

God reflects back on the long argument between Job and his friends, and says, "Job was right, you guys were wrong."

Now we have to admit that in some cases, Eliphaz is right. The Bible is full of examples of God using hardship to correct His people's sins.

… the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:12)

"I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord. (Amos 4:6)

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? (Hebrews 12:7)

… hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:5)

Eliphaz' error isn't in seeing that God uses hardship to discipline his people; his error is assuming that all hardship is God's discipline.

Because, you see, the Bible also shows us that suffering can come for other reasons.

Sometimes we are hurt because we do what is right, not wrong:

… everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12)

Sometimes we are hurt because of someone else's sin, when we ourselves are innocent; we are the victim:

You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. (James 5:6)

And sometimes we are hurt for no reason we can discern; life is just that way:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

The lesson here is clear: if you don't know why someone is hurting, don't assume.

Now, sometimes we do know why someone is hurting. We can see the connection between a foolish choice and a hurtful outcome.

But in other cases, we see someone who is hurting, and we don't see any clear reason for it.

In those cases, don't assume the person who is hurting is at fault.

That was Eliphaz' error.

That was why God was angry with Eliphaz.

Let's say it again: if you don't know why someone is hurting, don't assume.

Chapter 4 — Job's Defense

Job has bared the anguish of his soul. His friends, who traveled far to see him, and should have offered comfort, have been no comfort. Instead, in shock and panic over Job's condition, they have said, "We're sure this must somehow be your own fault!"

Job is surprised and frustrated by his friends' callused comments. Job responds by emphasizing that he is not at fault here, he is the victim of external circumstances over which he had no control. He begins this way:

Then Job replied: "If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—[that's why] my words have been impetuous." (Job 6:1-3)

This isn't just a minor problem that I could have easily handled, Job says.

Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder? (Job 6:5)

Now, I don't know anything about donkeys or oxen. But Job did. Animals were his livelihood. And Job says, "I can tell by the sound an animal makes what he needs; and you should be able to tell by my grief the nature of my problem. If all I had to do is repent, I would have done it by now!"

In an ironic verse, Job expresses both his hopelessness and his innocence:

Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off! Then I would still have this consolation—my joy in unrelenting pain—that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. (Job 6:8-10)

Earlier Job wished he had never been born; now he wishes God would end his suffering by ending his life. And, he says, another good thing would result from this outcome: he would die innocent of the things Eliphaz has accused him of.

"I am innocent," Job says, "and if I die now I will die innocent. But the pressure is intense—I don't know how long I can maintain my innocence. So I wish God would end my life now, while I'm still innocent."

We know the end of the story, how Job's good fortunes are restored. But Job doesn't know that yet; he doesn't believe any good future can come to him:

What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? (Job 6:11)

Often people who are hurting feel there is no hope. They may think things will never get better. Although, in our more peaceful times, we know that isn't true, it's easy to feel hopeless. And that is how Job feels.

Next Job lays out a fundamental principle in dealing with other people's troubles:

A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. (Job 6:14)

Job says to Eliphaz, "Even if you're right—even if I have abandoned God—you should still act with devotion and friendship, instead of hassling me with accusations."

What a simple, basic truth of human relations!

Job goes on to suggest a reason for Eliphaz' theology. If bad things only happen to bad people, Eliphaz can think himself safe—he certainly isn't a bad person. But if what happened to Job can happen to anybody, Eliphaz may be vulnerable. So maybe Eliphaz has chosen beliefs that accommodate his fears, rather than the truth.

Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid. (Job 6:21)

But Job isn't too proud to learn:

Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove? (Job 6:24-25)

"Don't accuse me in generalities," Job says. "Tell me specifically what I've done wrong." Eliphaz believes Job knows his sin, and is hiding it. Job replies:

But now be so kind as to look at me. Would I lie to your face? (Job 6:28)

"I am not hiding any sin, and I'm not lying about it," Job tells Eliphaz. Instead, Job has another explanation for his troubles:

Does not man have hard service on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired man? Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages, so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. (Job 7:1-3)

"Life is hard," Job says. "Bad things happen. That's why I'm having these troubles." He says the same thing again a few chapters later:

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. (Job 14:1-2)

The Accusations Continue

The next speaker is Bildad. Remember Eliphaz' opening words, something like, "you're not going to like what I have to say?" Bildad begins by saying, "I don't like what you said!"

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: "How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind." (Job 8:1-2)

Bildad agrees with Eliphaz, and he's offended that Job doesn't agree. Bildad repeats the ideas Eliphaz has stated:

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? (Job 8:3)

This is an echo of Eliphaz' belief that good things always happen to good people. This is what they believe about God's justice.

Bildad builds upon Eliphaz' idea in the most extremely unsympathetic way:

When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. (Job 8:4)

In the absence of any evidence, Bildad says, "Your children caused their own deaths by sinning." What a brazen thing to say to a bereaved father!

But, he says, it's not too late to get right with God. Do it, and everything will be OK:

But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. (Job 8:5-7)

Bildad repeats the error at the foundation of the friends' shared arguments:

Surely God does not reject a blameless man or strengthen the hands of evildoers. (Job 8:20)

It's simple, Job! Quit sinning and everything will be OK.

Job's Awesome God

After Bildad's first monologue, Job's reply takes a different tack. It seems to me that Job says to himself, "They think I'm trifling with God. They think I see God as unimportant or powerless."

So in Job's reply, he goes to great lengths to show the high respect he has for God. He begins by acknowledging his own limitations:

Then Job replied: "Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?" (Job 9:1-2)

"All have sinned," Job seems to say, centuries before the Apostle Paul penned the famous phrase. "I know I'm not innocent in the absolute sense. I have sinned." But Job maintains that he is innocent in the sense that he is not continuing or hiding any current sin. He has repented of all the sins he knows of.

Yet he knows that does not make him righteous in God's eyes, because God is innocent in the more absolute sense. We can never compare with God; our innocence can never equal His. If God accuses, we have no defense.

Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand. (Job 9:3)

Job agrees with his friends that God is truly great; for Job to maintain a life of sin would be dangerous:

His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? (Job 9:4)

Job would like to talk with God about his troubles; but God isn't answering Job.

When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him … Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. (Job 9:11, 16)

Job wishes there were someone he could appeal to, to make God talk to him. In Job's position of leadership, he must have arbitrated between people frequently. But Job rightly understands God's position, and realizes there is no one higher to whom he might appeal.

He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us … Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (Job 9:32-33a, 35)

If Job could talk to God, what would he say?

I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me. (Job 10:2)

This is the same thing he said to Eliphaz earlier: don't criticize me in generalities, tell me specifically what I've done wrong.

Eliphaz and Bildad think Job is sinning and trying to keep his sin secret. Job knows he can't get away with sin, because God is always watching; but Job's innocence has not brought him relief.

If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished. If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction. (Job 10:14-15)

Job repeats his earlier wish for death:

If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! (Job 10:19)

But since that didn't happen, Job now wishes for a more present relief:

Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy (Job 10:20)

Job says, "Leave me alone! Go away and stop bothering me. Let me suffer in peace."

More Of The Same

Now Zophar, the third friend, has the turn to speak. His comments add no new light to the discussion; he merely agrees with what Eliphaz and Bildad have said.

Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: "Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? Will your idle talk reduce men to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock?" (Job 11:1-3)

Zophar goes on and on saying, to put it in modern terms, "You think you're so smart, do you?" Then he repeats the sentiment that Job must repent of his sin, and everything will be OK:

… if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. (Job 11:14-15)

But if Job fails to repent, he can expect no good to come:

But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp. (Job 11:20)

Zophar has added no new evidence, made no reasonable arguments; he has only repeated the prejudice of his friends.

At this, Job becomes impatient. This conversation is going nowhere!

Then Job replied: "Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!" (Job 12:1-2)

Do you hear the sarcasm in his voice?

Job's friends "don't get it". They aren't thinking clearly, just reacting:

Men at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. (Job 12:5)

"You haven't walked in my shoes," Job says. "So you don't take my troubles seriously."

And just to emphasize again that Job doesn't trivialize God, he speaks a beautiful verse about God's greatness. Here is just a sampling:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; … To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man he imprisons cannot be released. … To him belong strength and victory; both deceived and deceiver are his. … He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. (Job 12:7, 13-14, 16, 23)

Job's God is not like the gods of the pagans, a god who can be fooled or trifled with. And Job, in respect for his God, lives in integrity, and hides no sin. Job gladly bares his heart to his God.

But Job's friends, with their accusations, have been no help to him:

You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! (Job 13:4)

And he adds a bit of humor that accurately expresses the value of their misguided speech:

If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom. (Job 13:5)

Job is determined to maintain his faith in God, regardless of the circumstances:

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him (Job 13:15a)

Then Job interrupts his speech to his friends, to speak to God; Job has two requests:

Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from you: Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply. How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin. (Job 13:20-23)

Yet again, Job says, "tell me specifically what my sin is". As far as he knows—and he is correct—he is innocent of the accusations against him.

Rounds Two And Three

Well, every guest has spoken, and Job has answered each one. Protocol at this point returns the floor to the oldest guest, Eliphaz, and the rotation from oldest to youngest continues, with Job answering each monologue, until no one has anything left to say.

Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot of new content in the next several go-arounds. They are mostly repetitions of what has already been said.

Perhaps the most amusing thing about these sections is Job's sarcasm. Here are some samples:

Then Job replied: "Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me. Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on." (Job 21:1-3)

Then Job replied: "How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the arm that is feeble! What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed!" (Job 26:1-3)

And maybe you thought sarcasm was a modern invention of English-speaking peoples!

Job's friends claim they know the reason for Job's troubles. But in chapter 28, Job speaks a beautiful verse, the moral of which is "we don't know all we wish we knew". Job wants to know why all these hardships have come to him, but he doesn't know, and he can't find out.

In this poem, Job says that wisdom cannot be found. The "wisdom" he refers to here is the specific information about his troubles. Today we are fond of saying wisdom can always be found, in God; and that is true; but Job is talking about something different. Job had no way of knowing about the factors that led to his own catastrophes. There was no prayer, no Bible reading, no insight that would have given him the information about the meetings between God and Satan, until God chose to reveal it later.

Here are some excerpts from Job's discourse:

There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. (Job 28:1)

… a place where we can mine iron, a place for copper, a place we can find sapphires; but there's no place we can find information on demand:

But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? (Job 28:12)

He lists many places wisdom can't be found:

The deep says, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.' It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed in silver. (Job 28:14-15)

He asks again:

Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? (Job 28:20)

And he answers his question:

God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells (Job 28:23)

"There are some things," Job says, "that only God knows. We can never know all we wish we knew." God doesn't let us know everything. Instead, God tells us to trust Him even in the absence of compete understanding:

And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.' (Job 28:28)

"So," Job says, "we may never know why these tragedies happened to me."

Job's Final Defense

Job wants to put a stop to the accusations. His friends have proven they're not going to stop just because he asks them to. How can he silence them?

Job decides that he will openly examine his life, point by point, showing his innocence at every point.

This must have been humiliating for Job. Until recently, he was above suspicion. If any accusation arose, everyone would assume Job was innocent. But now, he is reduced to answering every conceivable charge, because "everyone" assumes he must be guilty of something.

And so, in chapter 31, Job reviews one area of his life after another, showing in each case his innocence. He begins by declaring his sexual purity. Job knows God is watching, so he won't flirt with lust:

I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl … Does he not see my ways and count my every step? (Job 31:1,4)

What a standard!

The normal thing for his accusers to do, when they get their turn to speak, is to answer Job's claim of innocence with specific accusations. "Job, you said you never look at a girl that way, but I remember the time …" But in fact, his friends never replied to his claims of innocence; and by their silence, they admit that they can't refute his claims.

Next Job discusses his honesty. He uses the "if I'm lying, may lightning strike me" paradigm to emphasize his claim of innocence:

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit … then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted. (Job 31:5, 8)

Job doesn't take advantage of his employees, recognizing that God will hold him responsible:

If I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservants when they had a grievance against me, what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? (Job 31:14)

Job has always helped people in need:

If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless … if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep … then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. (Job 31:16-17, 19-20, 22)

In spite of Job's wealth, he is not guilty of "the love of money":

If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security,' then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. (Job 31:24, 28)

Job treats even his enemies well:

If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life— … (Job 31:29-30)

Some masters cut costs by reducing the food they supply to their servants, but Job made sure all his servants were well fed:

… if the men of my household have never said, 'Who has not had his fill of Job's meat?' (Job 31:31)

Job practiced hospitality, a needed practice in a world that hadn't yet franchised motel chains:

… but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler (Job 31:32)

Job treated his tenant farmers with justice. Cheating tenant farmers has been a common practice from Job's day right down till our own.

if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers come up instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley. (Job 31:38-40a)

So, Job has bared his life. Since the "friends" won't make any specific accusations, but insist on a "guilty until proven innocent" posture, Job has laid his life in front of them. He has shown, in one area after another, how he habitually acts with integrity.

Now the expected response—if the accusations are legitimate—is for his friends to say, "Not true! You say you're innocent, but here are the specific charges." In the tribal culture of the middle east, Job's life was visible to his whole community, and any guilt would have many witnesses—witnesses who would be glad to testify, now that Job was powerless.

But instead of countering Job's defense—silence!

So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. (Job 32:1)

… in other words, because they couldn't come up with any concrete accusations.

Young Elihu Speaks

There was a fifth man there while Job and his three friends had their long conversation.

Elihu was at that awkward age—old enough to be included peripherally in the discussions of "mature" men, but too young to fully participate. Their culture assumed old people were wise and young people were not; and so their protocol dictated that young people listen and learn, but not speak in the forum of their elders.

It must have been frustrating for Elihu to listen to all the arguments, accusations, defenses, and opinions, unable to voice his own thoughts.

So when it was clear the older men were done speaking, and it would no longer be a breach of protocol, Elihu carefully began his own monologue. We will not cover in any detail the six chapters that contain the artful words of this sharp young man. But a brief summary:

Elihu's frustration centered on two points:

First, Elihu was frustrated with Job. Unlike the three friends, Elihu didn't assume Job was guilty. Yet Elihu believed Job should be able to provide a satisfying explanation for his hardships. Life should be neat and tidy. If something happens, our theology should be able to explain it. But no one could explain it, and Elihu's first frustration went unanswered.

Second, Elihu was frustrated with the three friends because they could find no fault with Job, yet insisted he was guilty.

But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments. (Job 32:12b)

And so they should have relented and declared Job innocent; but they wouldn't, and Elihu thought that was wrong. (Elihu was right.)

I believe Elihu took some of his inspiration from nature; as Elihu is speaking, a storm is brewing. And toward the end of Elihu's speech, as he is talking about how great God is, he uses the imagery of the approaching storm. Notice the emphasized words:

He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach. At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' (Job 36:27-37:6; italics added)

But it was no ordinary storm that was coming.

Chapter 5 — What God Told Job

The earlier parts of this book have been very sympathetic toward Job, and harsh in their judgment toward the three "friends", with their presumptuous and self-serving accusations.

But this last section is harsh against Job, the one who is suffering.

In this section, God speaks to Job. His message is: quit second-guessing Me; I know what I'm doing; trust Me.

Throughout the dialog recorded in the book of Job, Job has often said he wishes God would talk to him about his troubles. And he doesn't just mean talk—he doesn't understand why he has to suffer, and he wants God to justify his actions to Job's satisfaction. Here are some of the things Job has said:

How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? (Job 9:14)

He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both (Job 9:32-33)

I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me. (Job 10:2)

But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. (Job 13:3)

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say. (Job 23:3-5)

I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. (Job 30:20)

As the men were talking, a storm was brewing. When the storm arrived, they found it was no ordinary storm; when the thunder sounded, God spoke to Job:

Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" (Job 38:1-2)

God says to Job, "Why are you second-guessing Me? Do you think I can do a better job by taking your advice? Your advice doesn't improve my counsel, it darkens it."

Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. (Job 38:3)

"Stand up and look me in the eye!" God says. "Let's find out if you're wise enough that I need your advice." And God asked Job a series of questions.

Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone (Job 38:4-6)

"Where were you when I needed you?" God asks Job. "Creating the universe—now that was hard! If I could handle that, I can do a good job managing your life!"

Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place (Job 38:12)

"For thousands of years, I've made the sun rise every morning," God tells Job. "How 'bout if you make it rise tomorrow? Then I'll know we're equals, and I can use your advice!"

Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? (Job 38:16)

"There's this beautiful place, Job. It's six miles off the coast, twelve hundred feet deep. An underwater spring flows into the sea, and because of the spring there are lots of unique creatures. It's lovely! Have you seen it?" But of course Job can't even dream about seeing it. Only God can go there—at least in Job's day.

Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? (Job 38:31)

"Hey Job! Look at the beautiful star clusters in the southern sky. I made them. Now show me some of your artwork!"

Do you see God being a little hard on Job? God's message to Job is: trust Me; stop second-guessing Me.

God continues the questions:

Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? (Job 38:35)

Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? (Job 38:37a)

Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? (Job 39:1-2)

"The whole cycle of birth—" God says to Job, "I invented it. I designed each creature's gestation cycle. Show me some of your inventions!" And He adds, without words, "Do I need your help in arranging the circumstances of your life?"

Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south? (Job 39:26)

Man has always been fascinated by flight. God perfected it, centuries before the Wright Brothers.

God wraps up his arguments:

The Lord said to Job: "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" (Job 40:1-2)

God says to Job, "You wanted to tell me how to run your life? To show me you are wise enough for the job, answer some of those questions!"

But of course, Job realizes that, even though his suffering is intense, God is far wiser than Job, and far more capable of managing Job's life.

Then Job answered the Lord: "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer—twice, but I will say no more." (Job 40:3-5)

Round Two

God has made His point—but He's not done yet. And so He begins His second discourse:

Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. (Job 40:7)

Again God says to Job, "Stand up and look me in the eye! You made some demands, now prove you're wise enough to justify them!"

Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? (Job 40:8)

Here's the rub! Job has been saying, "If I were God, I would do things differently!" It's about the same as saying "God isn't doing a very good job". And God is telling Job, "I am wise enough and loving enough and strong enough to do exactly what is best for you, even if you aren't wise enough to understand it. Trust Me!"

Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his? (Job 40:9)

He means, "Do you think you can do better than I am doing?"

Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand. (Job 40:10-12)

"If you think you can do better than I am doing," God says, "then solve all the world's problems! Put a stop to evil, set injustice right. If you can do that —"

Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you. (Job 40:14)

Or, "— then I will agree that you don't need me, I need you."

But rather than expect Job to really accomplish all that, God gives Job a simpler task. If Job can do this simpler job, God will agree to take Job's advice in managing Job's life.

Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook or tie down his tongue with a rope? (Job 41:1)

Bible translators don't know what animal the "leviathan" is. No known animal fully fits the description in the next several verses. But just to be able to discuss this passage rationally, I'm going to adopt one commentator's opinion and guess that "leviathan" is the crocodile. If that's wrong, some specifics will change, but the general meaning of this passage remains the same.

So God says to Job, "Can you tame a crocodile?" Job was an expert with sheep, camels, donkeys, and other domestic animals; but taming a crocodile was completely beyond his ken.

God toys with Job on this theme:

Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? (Job 41:2)

We can imagine the humorous scenes a cartoonist would make of this attempt!

Will he keep begging you for mercy? Will he speak to you with gentle words? (Job 41:3)

… the way a lamb or a playful puppy might?

Will he make an agreement with you for you to take him as your slave for life? Can you make a pet of him like a bird or put him on a leash for your girls? (Job 41:4-5)

Not likely! A crocodile can be captured, but never tamed.

God interjects some humor:

If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle and never do it again! (Job 41:8)

Why has God been talking about a crocodile all this time? Here God draws his conclusion:

No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. (Job 41:10-11)

In effect, God says to Job, "If you can't even subdue that measly crocodile, what makes you think you can manage your life better than I can? Trust Me!"

Job Sees The Light

God has been telling Job, "Stop second-guessing Me. I know what I'm doing. Trust Me." And now Job sees God's point, and agrees.

Then Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:1-2)

"God," Job answers, "I'll do things Your way. I give up on the idea that You should do things my way."

Referring to God's first words to Job, back in Job 38:2, Job continues:

You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. (Job 42:3)

Job had obscured God's counsel by demanding that God's actions conform to Job's ideas and expectations. Now Job admits, "I can trust You, even if I don't understand why these tragedies have happened to me."

And that's the kind of faith God looks for!

The Beginnings Of Reconciliation

For months, Job has endured every kind of loss that can hurt a man: poverty, death of loved ones, marital stress, disease, social stigma. And for weeks his best friends, those who should have supported him, have blamed him for causing his own problems. Instead of consoling, they have accused, argued, dismissed his feelings; and even after he had successfully defended himself, and they couldn't justify their accusations, they maintained their accusing attitude.

Now, finally, God clears the air. God speaks to the oldest of Job's friends, the one assumed to be the wisest, the one who would speak for the group:

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42:7-8)

Any time we don't know why someone is hurting, and we assume they themselves are to blame, that's how God feels toward us. He is angry with us.

And yet, what was the goal of God's anger here? Did God lash out? Did He punish the friends? Did He "get even"?

None of the above.

God's words to Eliphaz display two goals. One is justice; the friends had to admit they were wrong. Although the friends could never un-say the words they had said, God demands that they ask Job to pray for their forgiveness. To do this, they have to admit that there was something to forgive. As the first step in fulfilling justice, God demands that we "confess [our] sins to each other" (James 5:16).

The other goal achieved by God's demand is reconciliation. The relationship between Job and his friends had been damaged by the stream of false accusations. God's desire that we live in love and unity was completely disrupted. By demanding that the friends and Job sacrifice together and pray together, God planted the seeds of a rebuilt relationship.

Conclusion

Suffering is inescapable.

You and I will experience good times and hard times. We may wish we could skip the hard times. And we may be able to skip some of them.

But no matter what we do, some hard times will come. We can't avoid them all.

What can we learn about hardship from this world champion in right handling of hardship?

Here are some of the lessons we can learn from Job.

The overriding lesson of the story of Job—if you only retain one thing from this book, retain this—is:

If you don't know why someone is hurting, don't assume.

Job's friends took a guess, based on the popular beliefs of their day, and based on their personal need to feel safe. But their guess was wrong. And when, based on their sincere but wrong belief, they attacked Job, God was angry with them.

What if it's not your loved one who is hurting, but it's you? These lessons stand out:

Trust God.

Job wanted God to end Job's suffering. Job wanted God to explain everything, so Job could feel more in control during his suffering. But God told Job, "Stop second-guessing Me. I know what I'm doing. Trust Me."

In faith, talk to God about your pain.

You can be open with God about your hurts. Your honesty doesn't hurt God's feelings. But complain the way Job did, not the way the Israelites in the wilderness did: use your complaint to express faith in God, and determination to follow Him to the end!

Table of Contents

- Title Page
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 — Job's Hardship
- Chapter 2 — Job's Complaint
- Chapter 3 — Horrible Advice
- Chapter 4 — Job's Defense
- Chapter 5 — What God Told Job
- Conclusion