Zophar and Job, Part 1

Job 11-14

            Zophar, the third friend to speak, has had it. He outright says that Job must have sinned. He says that Job has sinned so much, “God has even forgotten some of your sin!” On the one hand, this is orthodox; look at what Paul says in Romans 3, or what he says in 1 Timothy 1 when he calls himself the chief of sinners. Surely, we are born and conceived in sin. On the other hand, Jesus’ conversation in John 9 proves that suffering is not generally linked to specific sin. Sometimes, sure: eat poorly and never exercise, you’ll have health problems; talk badly about people and you’ll be lonely. But God doesn’t play those games.

            For Job’s part, he doesn’t need instruction in the greatness and power of His God. He knows (13:1). Job wants to speak with God, to understand his losses, but his friends insist on smearing him making his losses his fault. Job rebuts that his friends aren’t pure, either (13:9-10). Job provides a reason for wanting his day in court, namely, he hopes in Him (13:15). He also astutely notes that only one whose confidence is in the Lord can come before Him; if he, Job, was so fallen, he’d have no chance with the Almighty (13:16-19).

            Job recognizes the smallness of man before the Lord; he is but a leaf. Mankind is nothing, a few days, full of trouble. He dies and does not rise, at least not until the heavens are no more. Here, as in chapter 19, Job seems to anticipate the resurrection (14:12-17), even though his present condition has no hint of the future glory.