Job and His “Friends”

Many know the story of Job, how Satan inflicted great pain and suffering on Him to try to show God that He only praised Him for His blessings. It was a test. This is a hard read, and I am sure I will not do it justice, but I will try.

As with all of us, He didn’t pass all of the test, but He kept his integrity and faith, even through his doubt and questioning. Job lost his children, his house, his wealth, his friends and family more or less abandoned him, even his wife told him to curse God and die. He was inflicted with disease, pain, and great suffering, but in the end, He stayed strong in his faith in God and eventually repented of his pride. But he had some so-called friends that came to him to explain why he was suffering based on their own experience and short-sighted knowledge. From the end of chapter 1 through chapter 31, the author writes of the debate between Job and his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, as well as Job’s complaints against God. You should read through this on your own, but I will give some of the highlights. In another post I will write about God’s reply and the encounter between God and Job, and God and Job’s 3 friends. Between these events, another person comes into the scene, Elihu, and reveals some flaws in the arguments of both Job and his friends. So this younger man, after listening and respecting his elders, gave his opinion which contradicted the other men, explaining the character of God and the shortcomings of their argument. God does not rebuke Elihu as He does his 3 , but reminds everyone who He is and His power and righteousness, and sets them straight.

Job has been through a lot. He lost his children, his home, his possessions and his health. His wife and family turned their backs on him. Then there were his “friends” who came to “comfort” and “encourage” him. Instead of doing that, though, they decided to judge him to tell him what he did wrong to cause all the suffering. Job responded to each of his friends, but I will leave that reading to you.

Friend #1: ELIPHAZ

Job 4:7-9

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of His anger they are consumed.”

Job’s first friend basically told him that he is suffering because he was not righteous or has sinned. Nice way to comfort someone when they are down. He didn’t give any specific examples, he just assumed (based on his own experiences) that if people are suffering it is because they did something wrong. Apparently Job’s friends did not know him very well. Job 1:1 says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” Sometimes God does discipline someone at times to set them straight or bring them back on the right path and sometimes we suffer the consequences of our own sins and mistakes, but sometimes our troubles are because of this fallen world or the evil within it. We don’t know why things happen or where people’s hearts are, especially when it comes to someone else.

Friend #2: Bildad

Job 8:1-7

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: “How long will you speak these things, and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful dwelling place. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

Bildad is saying that calamity came to Job and his family because He is judging them and if he would be right with God he would prosper. This sounds a lot like some of the false teachings going around today. They say if you follow God, you will prosper. God never promised riches. He promises you love and provision. He promises salvation and eternal life for those who believe in Jesus Christ, God the Son. God does judge, in His own time. And there will be a day when the unrighteous will be judged, and when believers will be rewarded. Jesus paid the price for our iniquity and has declared us righteous through His blood. Those who do not accept His grace will be judged by their works, and none of us are good enough to meet God’s standards. Thank God that He sent His Son to redeem us.

Again, Bildad had it all wrong. Jesus would agree.

John 9:1-3

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

Friend #3: ZOPHAR:

Job 11:13-20

“If you would prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward Him; if iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, and would not let wickedness dwell in your tents; then surely you could lift up your face without spot; yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; because you would forget your misery, and remember it as waters that have passed away, and your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning. And you would be secure, because there is hope; yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety. You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid; yes, many would court your favor. But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope—loss of life!”

Another friend who offers such warm comforting words to one who is struggling! So often people take things out of context. If someone were to read only these verses, they would have a warped view of God and how to deal with trials. It is my hope that anyone who reads my bog posts, read more than what I post. Read the paragraphs and chapters before and after; perhaps the entire book to gain context and really understand what the writer of the scripture is trying to say. Don’t rely on someone’s opinion based on a verse here and a verse there, don’t rely on just experiences, but really study God’s word. If you read on in the book of Job, God rebukes these 3 friends. They don’t know the whole story and they try to judge Job by their own understanding and experiences. Reading through this book makes me think of the “prosperity gospel” and the “name it and claim it” theologies, which seems to be the mindset of Job’s friends and in the end (spoiler alert!) we find out how wrong they are.

JOB’S RESPONSE:

Job 16:1-5

Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.”

Job 27:1-6

Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Far be it from me that I should say you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

Even through his suffering and bashing by his friends, Job held on to his integrity and faith in God, though he seemed to have somewhat of a pride issue as we will find out in the next posts. He was as righteous as they come, but none of us are perfect; only God is. But his friends should have been more compassionate and should have been giving him encouragement and comforting, instead of judging him, which it seems like they just assumed that Job was living in sin and needing repentance with no basis.

1 Corinthians 12:25-26

…that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

As fellow believers, we should be there to encourage one another, not bring them down. If we know for a fact that someone is living in sin, it is our job to lead them back to the Lord, but we must also look at ourselves and not be doing it out of pride or self-righteousness, but out of love and compassion, which these 3 friends lacked.

Galatians 6:1-4

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Suffering is a part of life, unfortunately. But it is not because God is punishing us or that we did something bad. Sometimes our actions do cause consequences. But often it is the opposite. Sin in the world and the evil around us can cause suffering because of our faith. But the good news is that we win in the end and God will reward us.

Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.