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Introduction
Two cycles of the debate have concluded, and the friends have gotten nowhere in their arguments against Job. The third cycle, which we are examining in its entirety this morning, shows the effects of their fruitless efforts: Eliphaz provides a substantial third speech, but Bildad can manage only a brief argument, and we hear nothing at all from Zophar. By contrast, Job continues to defend his innocence and perhaps grows even more passionate.1
Because these speeches contain almost nothing new, this message will mostly sound like a review of what we’ve already covered and summary of Job chapters 3-26.
With this in mind, I’m going to take a bit of a different approach to this section. I want to read several sections of the speeches and pause for some comments as I go along.
Then I’ll highlight three of the main themes throughout the speeches which summarize what has been said throughout and help us as we move along into the rest of Job.
So, it will be helpful for you to have the text in front of you, which is why you have a printed copy in the bulletin. I printed it in the New Revised Standard Version.
22:2-5
“Can a mortal be of use to God? Can even the wisest be of service to him? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless? Is it for your piety that he reproves you, and enters into judgment with you? Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.
These are rhetorical questions. The first set are generic and the second set are directed at Job. Eliphaz cannot believe that Job is still holding on to his innocence.
Even if Job is as innocent as he claims, of what use is it anyway? Does Job think he has a special deal with God that God would even care about his piety and devotion?
He says that God receives no gain from a person being innocent. No human can even live holy enough to put God in their debt or get anything from him.
So, Job’s efforts are meaningless, hopeless, and not based on realistic expectations. Eliphaz is basically saying, “God couldn’t care less about your so-called piety.”
22:6-11
For you have exacted pledges from your family for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing. You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. The powerful possess the land, and the favored live in it. You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you have crushed. Therefore snares are around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you, or darkness so that you cannot see; a flood of water covers you.
Eliphaz has completely turned his attitude around concerning Job. In his first speech, he praised Job for his righteousness and piety.
Job 4:3–4 “Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.”
He thought at first that maybe Job was suffering only for a brief time while God was trying to get Job to repent of some unknown sin.
Now, he is accusing Job of things he couldn’t possibly have done given God’s commendation of Job at the beginning of the story.
It’s hard for us to understand how Eliphaz could make these claims. He is making them purely based on deductive reasoning, not on actual evidence.
The reasoning comes from his theological convictions. Job’s suffering is about as bad as it gets for humans and so he starts listing offences that could have led to such severe punishment.
We are meant to see the flaw in Eliphaz’s method. As I spoke about last week, we should be careful not to draw conclusions about what is true based only on our ideologies, doctrines, or beliefs.
Wisdom requires allowing circumstances to contribute to our understanding. We are not governed only by our convictions, nor only by our experiences.
Rather, we are governed by wisdom that considers all the available information, which includes experiences and insight that might be contrary to our previously held beliefs.
22:21-26
“Agree with God, and be at peace; in this way good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored, if you remove unrighteousness from your tents, if you treat gold like dust, and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed, and if the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.
Eliphaz now shows his true colours. Let’s take a look once more at the challenge presented to God by Satan at the beginning of the story.
Job 1:8–9, 11: 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.”
“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
If Eliphaz would have been in Job’s place, he probably would have done as Satan predicted. We know this because it’s what he’s instructing Job to do.
He’s assuming that, like himself, Job is only pious and devoted to God because then God will bless him.
The problem is, as we know from the beginning of the story, that Job has no evil to turn from. But Eliphaz doesn’t believe it.
He thinks Job puts his wealth above God, so he tells him to turn away from his love of gold and silver and see God as the true object of his desires.
This is generally good advice, but it is not Job’s problem. Have you ever been in a situation where something is going wrong and someone gives you advice that you have already done?
It drives me crazy when people do this. Not because their advice is bad, but because they are so quick to jump to conclusions about my situation.
22:29-30
When others are humiliated, you say it is pride; for he saves the humble. He will deliver even those who are guilty; they will escape because of the cleanness of your hands.”
The speech ends by describing the positive results of Job’s repentance. Right now, Job insists that God is humiliating him unfairly. He doesn’t deserve it.
But, once he repents and humbles himself, he will be saved. When he finally admits his wickedness and turns back to God, he will be able to help those who are facing troubles.
Once again, this is all generally true. It is wisdom that everyone should pay attention to. For Job, however, it does not apply.
The aim of Eliphaz’s final speech is to convince Job that he has sinned and needs to repent in order to restore his relationship with God. He resorts to false accusations to do this.
In the end, he is condemned by God and is himself in need of repentance because he spoke foolishly.
Our response is to ask how we can be better than Eliphaz. Not because his theology was wrong, but it was poorly applied. He assumed too much. He spoke harshly to Job with no interest in believing that Job was speaking truthfully.
What he could have done differently was to plead to God alongside Job for his restoration. To turn toward God in prayer and intercession. And to act compassionately toward Job instead of trying to get him to fit into a rigid, dogmatic mold.
23:1-6
Then Job answered: “Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me.
Job does not begin his speech directed at Eliphaz. In fact, he pretty much disregards everything he said. He begins by immediately expressing the desperation of his situation and his desire to face God directly with what is essentially a law suit.
He believes that if he could find an opportunity to present his case before God, he would be given a fair trial and his innocence restored.
He is yearning for something he doesn’t actually think is possible. But, what else can he do? He has no where else to turn. So, he continues to hope that God is still just and good.
23:11-15
My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth. But he stands alone and who can dissuade him? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me; and many such things are in his mind. Therefore I am terrified at his presence; when I consider, I am in dread of him.
Job remains confident in his innocence. He uses common phrases found in ancient wisdom literature.
Proverbs frequently uses the image of two paths, one representing the wise, godly path and the other representing the foolish, ungodly path.
The path of wisdom leads to life and the path of folly leads to death. But, Job’s experience seems to be opposite. He claims to have walked the good path and it has led him to death.
And, the implication is that God must know this fact. This gives him the boldness to keep going back to God. Surely, God knows that Job’s situation is backwards and all out of order.
He concludes that God does what he wants. He is accountable to no one. This is a good thing because it means we have a God who truly is worthy of the title.
But, it can also be a dreadful thing. It makes God unpredictable. Yet, Job maintains his desire to be in his presence. He doesn’t run away at this thought. He embraces the all-powerful God.
24:2-4
The wicked remove landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them. They drive away the donkey of the orphan; they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. They thrust the needy off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
Job is turning our attention to the fact that there are so many others who have not experienced the justice of God. So many unfair dealings, so much harsh treatment.
And where is God in all this? Where is the justice for the oppressed? Where is the judgment for their oppressors?
Let’s keep reading as Job cries out for justice for the vulnerable.
24:13-17
“There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths. The murderer rises at dusk to kill the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he disguises his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light. For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.
Though he does not say it in so many words, he is arguing that the prosperity of the wicked makes it looks like God has abandoned governing the world in justice.
The wicked can dispossess others of their livelihoods without consequence. Where is the retribution for them? Let’s keep reading.
24:22-25
Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life. He gives them security, and they are supported; his eyes are upon their ways. They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they wither and fade like the mallow; they are cut off like the heads of grain. If it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and show that there is nothing in what I say?”
Some scholars believe that verses 18-24 as well as part of chapter 27 actually belong to Zophar because it seems to support the Retribution Principle that the three friends have been trying to uphold throughout their speeches.
There’s a whole pile of notes about this in my commentaries and while I think it’s possible that this could be Zophar speaking, I’m not interested in going down that rabbit hole at this point. If you’re interested in it, I can send you some notes.
Part of the reason I think it’s okay with this still being the words of Job is that we can see throughout his speeches that he has not abandoned the Retribution Principle.
In fact, if the Retribution Principle is true, then Job still has hope because he knows he is righteous.
He wants God to execute his justice against the wicked as proof that he will act justly. If God would act justly toward others, then perhaps he will do the same for Job.
25:1-6
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered: “Dominion and fear are with God; he makes peace in his high heaven. Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise? How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his sight, how much less a mortal, who is a maggot, and a human being, who is a worm!”
This is the extent of Bildad’s speech. He is showing Job that his attempts to prove his innocence is hopeless because no one is truly innocent.
He is speaking with absolute black and white certainty. In doing so, he is essentially denying the goodness of anyone, even reducing humanity to worthless maggots and worms.
One commentator says that “by comparing humans to maggots and worms, Bildad is emphasizing that humans are corrupting and corrupted. Maggots and worms spoil the things that they consume, like the manna in the wilderness. Their association with the grave and with dead bodies also highlights the fragility and temporariness of life.” (Longman, 309)
While humans have marred our dignified status by our rebellion against God, we are still God’s image-bearers and are meant to reflect his goodness and glory.
So, Bildad’s dogmatic view of Job’s situation has not only been unhelfpul to Job, it has led Bildad to false and destructive views of humanity.
26:1-4
Then Job answered: [with sarcasm] “How you have helped one who has no power! How you have assisted the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled one who has no wisdom, and given much good advice! With whose help have you uttered words, and whose spirit has come forth from you?
Job is summing up the unhelpfulness of his friends. He is speaking sarcastically, highlighting Bildad’s and probably the other friends incapacity to rescue the oppressed and weak, such as Job, from their circumstance.
This opening rebuke is Job’s statement that he is rejecting the help Bildad and the others have offered.
26:5-7
The shades below tremble, the waters and their inhabitants. Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. He stretches out Zaphon over the void, and hangs the earth upon nothing.
There are a few words here I’ll quickly define so that this makes a bit more sense.
The word translated as “shades” in the copy you have in front of you, or in the NIV, translated as “the dead” is referring to something called Rephaim. The Israelites would have used this term to identify ghosts or departed spirits.
Then there is Sheol, which is the underworld, or the place of the dead. It can also mean ravine, chasm, wasteland, or void.
Abaddon is similar to Sheol, but can also be thought of as the place of destruction.
Finally, Zaphon is a reference to the northern skies. What Job is saying here is that God holds up the skies because there is nothing else holding it up.
The ancient people believed there was a physical canopy over the earth held in place by pillars in the mountains. But there is no centre pillar to hold it in place. God is the one who holds it up.
This language continues and he ends his speech describing God’s creative power with a profound statement.
26:11-14
The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astounded at his rebuke. By his power he stilled the Sea; by his understanding he struck down Rahab. By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways; and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
This is meant to show how all of creation demonstrates the power of God, which causes trembling and astonishment in all who witness it.
Job mentions Rahab, which is a reference to an ancient mythological creature associated with chaos. For the Israelites, who are the primary audience of this story, chaos is the opposite of everything God stands for.
God rules with wisdom and peace, which are both thought of as the proper ordering of things. Chaos and disorder are brought under control by the wisdom of God and it results in shalom, which is not only peace, but the right ordering of all things.
We will see this theme continue to come up more frequently, especially in God’s speech to Job.
Job ends this speech by saying, “this is just the tip of the iceberg!” We cannot begin to comprehend all that God has done.
What we see here is that despite Job’s struggle with God, he is still in awe of him. He still worships him and adores him. He has a posture of someone devoted to God.
The Justice of God
For us, God’s justice usually means that he will judge everyone in the end as worthy of entering his kingdom or unworthy and cast out of his kingdom. And this worthiness only comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
Job and his friends had a slightly different view of justice because their view of death was that it was the end of everything. No after-death judgment. Just nothingness.
So, whatever justice God executed was done in this life through punishing the wicked and blessing the righteous.
Because they held this view, they would usually reverse the logic and work backwards to assess whether someone was righteous or not.
If they were prospering, they were righteous. If they were suffering, they were wicked.
This view is flawed, however, because it would imply that God is subject to some system that is outside himself. But, the fact is that justice doesn’t exist outside of God, rather justice emanates from God.
Whatever justice exists in the world does so because God wants it to exist. But, what we as humans tend to do is come to a conclusion about how some system of God works and then say that if something is happening contrary to that system, it can’t be from God.
This is how the Retribution Principle came about. God communicates throughout his instruction to the Israelites that he will punish the wicked and bless the righteous.
This is true. But, it’s not the full scope and limit of how he executes his justice. He is not bound by the human understanding of justice. He executes justice with wisdom that is beyond human understanding.
So, while we affirm that God does punish the wicked, we also affirm that if he decides not to punish the wicked, it doesn’t mean he is no longer a just God.
This is a key lesson in the book of Job. That God is good and can be trusted even though he doesn’t always behave within the parameters of our understanding of him.
The problem with Job’s suffering
The main problem in the book is the tension between Job’s innocence and his suffering.
For Job, who knows he is innocent, this is a problem because all his life he has lived with the belief that only the guilty suffer in the way he is suffering.
The only explanation, then, is that God has rejected him for no good reason other than he simply doesn’t like him.
For Job’s friends, who have come to the conclusion that Job must have committed some wicked act, the problem is that their dear friend is unrepentant and destined for destruction.
The solution for them is to convince Job to repent so that he can have his relationship with God restored and his blessings returned to him.
The truth is, both Job and the friends are wrong. But God is less concerned about how right or wrong they are in their theology. As we will see later, God is more concerned about how they approached the issue.
Job sought God. The friends relied on their own understanding. All of them were wrong in their understanding of what was really going on, but Job was considered by God as the one who spoke rightly.
The wisdom we gain
We are not through with Job yet. But there is an important lesson in this series of speeches. We will be wise if we allow this lesson to transform how respond in times of suffering, both our own and the suffering of others.
The lesson is that in times of suffering, it is better to focus on the God’s goodness than on the cause of the suffering.
The friends kept looking backward, trying to figure out what Job did wrong.
Job kept looking forward, hoping that God, in his goodness, would restore their relationship.
There is a significant difference between people who complain about how things have changed and long for the good ol’ days and people who focus their energy on ensuring a better future.
We do not ignore the mistakes or the good memories of the past, but our hope is not back there.
Our hope is in a future secured by God through Jesus Christ. In good times and in bad times, this perspective will carry us through.
Looking forward with confident trust in God’s goodness will prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by our circumstances.
It will help keep our eyes lifted higher, focused on the promises of God fulfilled through Christ.
While Job didn’t have the same source of hope we did, he longed for what we have. Let’s be grateful for that.
- Tremper Longman III, ed., Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Job (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 283. ↩︎