Reflections on Job 11

 Job 11 (Contemporary English Version)

1. Zophar from Naamah said:
2. So much foolish talk cannot go unanswered.
3. Your words have silenced others and made them ashamed; now it is only right for you to be put to shame.
4. You claim to be innocent and argue that your beliefs are acceptable to God.
5. But I wish he would speak
6. and let you know that wisdom has many different sides. You would then discover that God has punished you less than you deserve.
7. Can you understand the mysteries surrounding God All-Powerful?
8. They are higher than the heavens and deeper than the grave. So what can you do when you know so little,
9. and these mysteries outreach the earth and the ocean?
10. If God puts you in prison or drags you to court, what can you do?
11. God has the wisdom to know when someone is worthless and sinful,
12. but it's easier to tame a wild donkey than to make a fool wise.
13. Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer,
14. and give up your sins-- even those you do in secret.
15. Then you won't be ashamed; you will be confident and fearless.
16. Your troubles will go away like water beneath a bridge,
17. and your darkest night will be brighter than noon.
18. You will rest safe and secure, filled with hope and emptied of worry.
19. You will sleep without fear and be greatly respected.
20. But those who are evil will go blind and lose their way. Their only escape is death!

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Job's third friend, Zophar, now entered the discussion. He had heard enough of Job's babbling, as he called it, and could not withhold speaking any longer. While the first two friends had not been kind to Job, Zophar was even less kind. According to Zophar, not only had Job sinned, his sin was greater than the suffering he was experiencing. "God," he said, "has chosen to overlook some of your sin." (11:6)

After telling Job his sin was greater than his punishment, Zophar went on to attack his intelligence, telling him he couldn't even "fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty." (11:7) Obviously, none of us can, but Zophar went on to imply that Job was a stupid man who would gain understanding only when a wild donkey gave birth to a man. Furthermore, he said, God knows a worthless person when He sees one and was making no mistake when He punished Job.

Zophar didn't leave Job without hope, but it was meaningless in light of his unjust condemnation. If only Job would "redirect your heart and lift up your hands to Him (God) in prayer," Zophar said, "if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don't allow injustice to dwell in your tents," then Job could hold his head high and be free from fault. If Job didn't reach out to God, his only hope was death.

While Zophar comments in these last verse might have been a word of hope to a guilty person, they were a stab to the heart for Job who was already reaching out to God and suffering just the same. Zophar only added to his suffering.