Zophar Makes His Debut

“If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward Him; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear.”  Job 11:13-15

It is finally Zophar’s opportunity to put in his two cents worth into what has already been judgmental, accusatory, and defaming words aimed at Job from Eliphaz and Bildad.  If Job was hoping for a little compassion from at least one of his friends, it wasn’t going to happen.  Zophar seemed to be more hostile to Job because Zophar was angry.  Why should Job be allowed to run his mouth without being challenged by the calmer heads, namely Job’s three so-called friends?  How could Job justify his belief that he was being punished for nothing by complaining about his situation?   Zophar knew that Job needed to shup up, and Zophar, was the man to put Job in his place, at least that’s what he thought.

Zophar accused Job of being a liar.  Even though Job spoke truth about the sovereignty of God and His prerogative to do whatever He desired, Zophar didn’t believe a word of it.  When Job felt that he deserved an explanation for his terrible troubles or at least for God to put an end to it, Zophar was incensed that Job expected his friends to agree with him.  According to Zophar, Job’s words were mocking God, thus, all the more reason for Zophar to call Job out.  Zophar actually put words in Job’s mouth that he didn’t say.  Job never said that he was pure and clean in God’s eyes as Zophar stated.  To the contrary, Job said that if he claimed to be “perfect,” God would prove him wrong (9:20).  What Job did say was that he was not wicked (10:7).  That’s a long shot from saying that one is perfect.  Job admitted that he had sinned (7:20), but he didn’t feel as if the sins that he committed rose to the level of the punishment that he received.

Zophar desired for God to speak directly to Job, believing that God would back up what he had said to Job.  He was so sure that his analysis of Job’s situation and of Job’s unfounded complaints would be justified if only God would issue His analysis of Job’s words.  Zophar never considered that his analysis could be wrong, or that he misjudged Job because he believed that his measure of righteousness was in line with God’s standard of righteousness.  However, didn’t Job believe that about his own righteousness?  Thus, what we have are two individuals who believe they are right, but they both can’t be right, and neither one of them are 100 percent correct.

Zophar was on a roll.  Not only did he think God was on his side in Job’s case, but he also went as far as to claim that Job should have received an even harsher punishment than what he was now experiencing.  If anyone had an extremely judgmental attitude, it was Zophar.  He was right about one thing, though.  Since sin is such an egregious violation against God, our punishment on this earth is less than we deserve.  Zophar asked Job if he was smart and wise enough to assume he knew everything there was to know about God.  Compared to God, man is like a worm which slithers across the dirt.  When we consider our lowly position as compared to the holy and eternal God, we wonder, as the songwriter of the old hymn, “He Loves Me”, wrote, “would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?”  We can know God to the level by which He allows, but only if we truly and diligently look for Him in the pages of His word.

Zophar said that the only remedy for Job’s dire situation was to prepare his sinful heart to repent of all of his sins and reach out to God’s mercy for forgiveness, which was sound advice for not only Job, but for anyone who seeks to be right before God.  Because Zophar was certain that Job was covering up some great sin or sins that he had committed, he insisted that Job should follow his counsel.  Not only should he repent, but he must never allow himself or anyone in his household to commit sin.  God had heretofore described Job as a man who was upright and avoided all forms of evil (1:8), but Zophar was so narrow-minded, that it was “his way or the highway”.

Job, just own up to your sin and throw yourself on the mercy of God, then everything will be wonderful again. There would be nothing to fear, and everything will be nearly perfect, according to Zophar.  All “water under the bridge”.  Zophar, old friend, it doesn’t work that way exactly.  Yes, God forgives, but the hurt and pain will likely never be forgotten.  It can be accepted, and the memory may fade, but not obliterated from the mind.  Zophar was an idealist, not a realist.  Perhaps he had never experienced a severe trauma, and therefore, he didn’t really know what he was talking about.  According to Zophar, Job’s repentance would bring him a brightness like that of the noon day sun.  Everything would be lollipops and puppy dogs.  Job would be able to tiptoe through the tulips and cross the hills alive with the sound of music. Sit back, Job, and put your feet up.  Lie down at night and sleep like a baby.

But what if he didn’t repent?  According to Zophar, he would never escape God’s wrath.  Zophar painted an unrealistic picture of how the righteous and the wicked live.  Those who trust in God will have His provision, protection, and forgiveness, but life on the sin-cursed earth is not a bed of roses as Zophar claimed.  Those who do evil will face God’s wrath, but they may be prosperous while on this earth and not suffer like those who are righteous.  How would Job respond to Zophar’s cacophony of mean-spirited insults and innuendo mixed with truth?

Next week:  Job Explodes