Job11: ZOPHAR'S ACCUSATIONS

Introduction. Read Job11

One must assume that Zophar was intimate with Job because he spoke his mind in a way that prompted a very forthright response from the sufferer. Job's three comforters did at least encourage him to get things of his chest. Zophar's speech is not without merit. It is succinct, well expressed and holds out some hope for Job. As against this it lacks sympathy and compassion.

Zophar accuses Job of verbosity, presumption and guilt. We will look at each in turn and assess the validity of Zophar's accusations.

(1) Job's verbosity. See11v1to6.

Zophar says that Job:

  • Has a lot to say for himself - "Are all these words to go unanswered?" v1.

  • Has little to say of real substance. "Will your idle talk reduce men to silence?" v3.

  • Makes false claims about himself. "You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless.'" v4.

  • Doesn't know the half of it. God may have already have forgiven some of his sins. v6.

I am afraid it is all too easy to trash those with whom we differ and to make all sorts of unfounded accusations against our opponents. I myself am tempted to do it of paedobaptists, creationists, Calvinists and the advocates of everlasting torment for unrepentant sinners. The representatives of these view points are tempted to do the same of me! Sadly we all have something of Zophar in us and Satan uses it to provoke bitter and unseemly comment among Christians.

Zophar was a 'know it all'. Dana Chau uses the following illustration to demonstrate how unlovely this characteristic is: A lady sarcastically remarked to her friend, “I knew I was marrying Mr. Right. I just didn’t know his first name is ‘Always’.” He has all the right answers, and he believes he is doing everything right, all the time. Even when he is wrong, he at least has right reasons for being wrong.

It is very difficult to live with a 'know it all' both in the home and in the church. I used to serve at a Christian camp for young people with old Albert. Now Albert was not without his virtues. He was a kind and faithful man - but he was never wrong. One evening he ventured to the perimeter of the field in which we were camped and fell in a deep and very muddy ditch. When he got back to the tent he shared with his wife in a thoroughly bedraggled state he swore blind that the ditch hadn't been there in the afternoon.

Pride in being right has been by far the greatest cause of church disunity. It has resulted in the proliferation of innumerable different Protestant churches all with their distinctive doctrinal basis. They can't all be right!!

Zophar reveals his arrogance when he says to Job: "Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you." v5. Zophar is in no doubt that God will agree with him! God is on his side! Many Christians down the centuries have been guilty of brutal, contemptuous treatment of fellow believers with whom they differ in the certain knowledge that God is on their side.

(2) Job's presumption. See 11v7to10.

Zophar asks Job who is he to question God? He says: "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?" v7. God exists on a higher plain than mortal man. He is not bound by the four dimensions like we are. It is impossible to put limits on his power or wisdom. God is free to do as he pleases. None can thwart his will. If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court who can oppose him?" v10.

The truth of Zophar's accusation seems to be born out by how God eventually answers Job. God appears to put Job in his place by pointing out the limits of his, Job's, knowledge, wisdom and power. We shall have to deal with God's approach when we get to it! However I believe Zophar's argument is flawed.

We are both made in God's image and since Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil capable of moral judgments. This means we are able to question the decisions God makes. Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah and Jeremiah all questioned God's policy. The example of Moses is particularly instructive. When God was angry with the children of Israel for worshipping the golden calf and threatened to destroy them and make of Moses a great nation Moses said: "O LORD, why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people." We read: Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. Ex32v9to14.

It is wrong to say that God's freedom is unlimited. It is limited by his nature. God cannot be false to himself. God cannot, for example, lie. He must keep his promises. This is something Moses pointed out when God threatened to destroy his people. He said: "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them and it will be their inheritance forever.'" Ex32v13.

So I feel entirely justified in opposing Calvinists who say that God of his good pleasure, and for no other reason, elects some to salvation and some to eternal destruction. The Calvinists argue God can do as he wishes and does not have to give reasons for his actions to me or anyone else. But I say God cannot act in such a way because it would be against his nature. To elect some unconditionally to eternal life and others to eternal death would be an act of monumental injustice of which God is incapable.

I also feel justified in opposing creationists who assert that the Genesis account of creation must be taken literally. They argue that God has the power and the wisdom to transform a formless, empty, dark and water covered earth into something like its present state in 6 days. But I say that God would not make the earth look old if in fact it was young. There is overwhelming geological evidence that the continents and oceans are old. The nature of the rocks, the arrangement of the rocks and the physical landscape all point to an ancient earth. I cannot believe that God has perpetrated a gigantic con-trick on mankind. What is the purpose of that? God is not silly! God must act true to himself - so he cannot do anything that is silly.

Job's guilt. See 11v11to20.

Zophar concludes that Job is:

  • Deceitful.

  • Evil.

  • Witless. He doubts Job can ever be wise anymore than a wild ass is capable of giving birth to a tame donkey.

This is a harsh judgment! Perhaps, Zophar feels the patient needs a painful diagnosis before being willing to accept his medicine. So let us look at Dr Zophar's prescription:

  • Job needs to change his attitude. He must become a supplicant - "Stretch out your hands to him," says Zophar. Then repent. "Put away the sin that is in your hand." v14.

  • God will consequently in his mercy restore Job. His troubles will be just water under the bridge. "Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like the morning." v17.

  • Job will be secure - he will be able to take his rest in safety. "You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid." v19.

  • Job will once again be respected. His reputation will be restored.

  • Failure to follow Zophar's prescription will end in disaster - hope will become a dying gasp. v20.

It is impossible to dismiss the beautifully expressed sentiments of Zophar. There is a good deal of truth in what he says. Several Bible characters acted in a deceitful, evil and witless way only to repent and be restored to God's favour. Examples include Jacob and David in the Old Testament and Peter in the New Testament.

In the 1960's John Profumo was Secretary of State for War when he had an affair with a model called Christine Keeler. She also had sexual relations with Yevgeni Ivanov the senior naval attaché at the Soviet Embassy. Eventually Profumo was accused of compromising national security because of his involvement with a prostitute. He denied there was any impropriety in his relationship with Keeler. Finally he had to admit that he lied to the House of Commons and resigned in disgrace. John Profumo's behaviour had been evil, deceitful and witless.

But that is not the end of the story! After his resignation, Profumo began to work as a volunteer cleaning toilets at Toynbee Hall, a charity based in the East End of London, and continued to work there for the rest of his life. Eventually, he volunteered as the charity's chief fundraiser. These charitable activities helped to restore the fallen politician's reputation; he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1975, and in 1995 was invited to Margaret Thatcher's 70th birthday dinner. His life perfectly illustrates the possibilities of restoration through repentance.

Gerald H Wilson in his commentary on Job writes: It is one of the chief mercies of God when former leaders, brought low by the consequences of their own sin, can be restored to significant service through the process of repentance, humility and accountability. God has a way of using those who have been so humbled by enabling them to use the understanding gained through their experiences to reach out effectively to others who suffer in similar ways. This was very true of the apostle Peter who learned humility through the disgrace of denying his master.

So where did Zophar go wrong?

  • He ignored the evidence. Job was not a conspicuous sinner. He was not guilty of any grave offence against God that would have warranted the series of disasters that befell him.

  • He questioned Job's integrity without providing reasons for doing so.

  • He presumed he was more righteous than Job because he was spared Job's calamities. There is a very real tendency for the successful and prosperous to look down on the down and outs, the failures of this world. Their attitude is nearly identical to the Pharisees of Christ's day. The successful man feels he has earned his success by working hard and maximising his abilities. He ascribes failure to idleness, shiftlessness, folly and self pity.

    It is remarkable how little sympathy successful church leaders have for those with nothing to show for their efforts. The pastor of the growing, well supported church is inclined to think the leader of the dwindling fellowship has only himself to blame. He says to himself, "If only brother X had followed my example and shown some initiative his church wouldn't be in the sorry state it is in today."

  • He reckoned that he knew how God acted. Zophar knew the mind of God! It is always dangerous to best guess God! It is just not true that God invariably punishes sin in this life. There are far too many exceptions to the rule.

    There are many different reasons why men and women suffer:

    To test and strengthen faith.

    To witness to the reality of faith.

    It is indispensable to great achievements. Great ballerinas experience severe pain to dance the way they do. Incredible hardship accompanied the conquest of Everest. Anyone who swims the English Channel does not accomplish it easily.

    It is the inevitable outcome of God's gift of freedom.

    To provide an opportunity for compassionate service.

  • He displayed no compassion. Zophar did not commiserate with Job. He offered no words of sympathy. Zophar had his Theology all worked out. He provided an explanation for Job's suffering that fitted his Theology. This made him feel a lot better and Job much worse.

    There are a lot of Zophar's around today. Their explanations owe far more to their Theology than experience. Even our experience can lead us astray. I was talking recently to a couple who worked in a church for many years. Eventually the church grew and great blessing was experienced. The wife said, "We worked very hard." But, of course, there are pastors and pastor's wives who work very hard and do not see the church grow. If faithfulness and commitment were the only prerequisites for church growth lots more churches would be full.

    Every church leader who is blessed with success needs to remember the words of Jesus to his disciples: "I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour." Jn4v35to48.

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