We explore how Zophar’s words in Job 11 confront us with the stark reality of human pride and the mystery of divine justice. Through a poignant narrative, Zophar paints a vivid picture of God’s omniscience and omnipotence. This episode encourages listeners to find their hope not in personal righteousness, but in the grace and mercy that God offers through an honest relationship with Him. An opportunity to ponder where true security and fulfillment can be found, despite life’s trials.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Alan J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
Today we are in Job chapter 11. His third friend, Zophar, speaks. He says Job deserves worse. Let’s listen in. The faith comes by hearing his reading of Job chapter 11. Job 11
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right? Should your babble silence men, and when you mock shall no one shame you? For you say, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes. But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you! that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom. For he is manifold in understanding. Know, then, that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven. What can you do? Deeper than Sheol. What can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If he passes through and imprisons and summons the court, who can turn him back? For he knows worthless men. When he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man. If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish. You will be secure and will not fear. You will forget your misery. You will remember it as waters that have passed away, and your life will be brighter than the noonday. Its darkness will be like the morning.” and you will feel secure because there is hope. You will look around and take your rest in security. You will lie down and none will make you afraid. Many will court your favor, but the eyes of the wicked will fail. All way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last.
In 1984, I read Job chapters 11 through 14 on the same day, and I’ll save that entry for a later day. In 1997, I read Job chapters 6 through 11 on the same day, and I didn’t make a note concerning this chapter. In 2015, I read Job chapters 10 and 11 on the same day, and concerning chapter 11, I wrote… Zophar believes if Job did get his audience before God, he would be condemned. Then I quoted verse 6. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. Then I wrote, true of all of us. Thank you, Lord. You’ve heard it said, with friends like these, who needs enemies? This friend, Zophar, comes down pretty hard on Job, doesn’t he? Let’s check out verses 2 and 3. Zophar says to Job, How would you like that kind of a response from one of your friends after you poured your heart out to them and to God? In verse 4, Zophar says to Job, And I am clean in God’s eyes. But oh, that the Lord would speak and open his lips to you. I don’t think so far abides Job’s innocence. He says in verse 6, So he’s pretty much declaring Job guilty, isn’t he? And then let’s take a look at verse 12. But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man. That’s an impossibility, isn’t it? A man is not going to be born to a donkey. So Zophar is really lighting up Job here. Zophar then encourages Job to go to God, to stretch out his hands before God. Verse 13, If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him. It’s the same advice all the friends are giving, right? Go to God. We understand that. Job understands that. And yes, it is an answer to all of us that are suffering or in anguish. It’s always important to go to God. He then outlines the benefits of doing so, starting with verse 14. And you will remember it as waters that have passed away, and your life will be brighter than the noonday. Its darkness will be like the morning, and you will feel secure because there is hope. You will look around and take your rest in security. You will lie down and none will make you afraid. Many will court your favor. Yes, those are the benefits of going to God. Yes, those are the benefits of God’s forgiveness. But Zophar doesn’t buy it for Job. He doesn’t buy his innocence, as he closes with the last verse of this chapter. But the eyes of the wicked will fail. All way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last. I like to share my English Standard Version Study Bible footnotes from time to time, and I want to do that on this chapter. My footnote says, Like Bildad, Zophar responds with a sharp challenge to what he sees as empty words and presumption in Job. He then calls Job to prayer and repentance, promising that God will transform Job’s circumstances if he will simply step back from his pride. Zophar’s indignant speech makes an implicit connection between moral standing and and knowledge of God. Since Job’s situation marks him out as morally corrupt, he cannot know God rightly. Zophar shares Job’s longing that Job might have a direct audience with God, but for exactly the opposite purpose. Job longs for vindication. Zophar is certain that Job would be condemned. Zophar’s final statement about the fate of the wicked stands in stark contrast to what he describes in verses 13 through 19 as the benefits God would bestow on Job if he will only repent. Zophar’s statement is meant to warn Job against continuing in his current path and the contrast relating to hope. That contrast related to hope is in the last few verses of the chapter. Basically, if you’re innocent, Job, then you will feel secure because there is hope and you will look around and take up your rest and security. But if you’re guilty, as Zophar certainly thinks, then, but the eyes of the wicked will fail, all the ways of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last. What a contrast of hope. So our application from Job chapter 11 is about hope. Is your hope in your goodness? Is your hope in the fact that you might think you’re blameless before a holy God? Or is your hope in that God? That He can make you blameless before Him because of Jesus Christ of the New Testament. Where is your hope? Father, we thank you that no matter what circumstance we’re in, no matter how desperate it gets, we can always hope in you. Holy Spirit, help us place our hope in the triune God and not in ourselves. We are hopeless, but you are hopeful. May we put our hope in you. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Maybe you wonder if Old Testament prophecy is true, came true already, or is coming true in the future. First, most prophets had a recurring theme. God loves us. Because he loves us so much, he gave us commandments, rules, statutes to live by. If we live by them, we can be blessed beyond what we can think or imagine. But when we choose to disregard, ignore, and set aside his rules, we are subject to his curses. We live under curses until things get so bad we cry out to God. He’s always there, waiting for our cry. Most often, but not always, He responds with grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. We get back in line, then the cycle repeats. The Old Testament prophets cover this cycle over and over. Sometimes we wonder how the Israelites could have been so foolish. Yet, in our day, we have the same choice. We know God loves us. We generally know the rules, and we’d know them a lot better if we were more consistent in our time in God’s Word. Yet we decide, like those in the Old Testament, to ignore them and live out our lives. Things don’t often go well, so we finally cry out to God. As we see in the Old Testament, prophecy comes true as God restores rebellious, disobedient people like us back into right relationship with Him. But it is not always the case. Sometimes he has enough and does not deliver them. So yes, Old Testament prophecies are true, they came true, and they will come true in the future as we cycle through the same life choices the Israelites made. Thus, the value of reading all the Old Testament prophets. Maybe we will learn what they tried to teach. God loves us. Keep his rules, love him back, and enjoy his blessings. AdBible is sponsored by the Ezra Project, connecting God’s people to God’s Word. We are financially supported by friends like you who believe we need to provide quality Bible reading resources to enhance Bible engagement in your community and across the world. We pray you will consider partnering with us to keep AdBible on the radio where you are listening and to expand our outreach to more listeners around the world. To do so, visit EzraProject.net and locate the Donate button. Or send your support to the Ezra Project, 1399 South Havana Street, Suite 201E, Aurora, Colorado, 80012. 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We explore how Zophar’s words in Job 11 confront us with the stark reality of human pride and the mystery of divine justice. Through a poignant narrative, Zophar paints a vivid picture of God’s omniscience and omnipotence. This episode encourages listeners to find their hope not in personal righteousness, but in the grace and mercy that God offers through an honest relationship with Him. An opportunity to ponder where true security and fulfillment can be found, despite life’s trials.
