Last week I mentioned what Job’s friends did right- and I want to remind myself for those characteristics to be true in my own life - show up, empathize and stay. But what did they do wrong? And what did Job do right? And wrong? What else did you find in these chapters?
I see Job’s friends wrong in presuming they knew why Job suffered. Presumption is warned against in Scripture - Proverbs 13:10 says “through presumption comes nothing but strife but with those who receive counsel is wisdom”. Presumption - taking something as true without proof yet based on reasonable evidence. (Assumption is taking something for granted without proof). So presumption is more understandable because there is some evidence there and yet God says it is wrong). So what did Job’s friends presume? That they knew why God was doing what He did, that Job’s suffering was because he was sinful.
And they were wrong. Which we see when God speaks in chapters 38,39 and later in chapter 42.
Job declares his innocence especially in chapter 31. But first he tells his friends “you are no help at all” (26:1-4) That tells me that there is a time to be honest and transparent -when our friends have wronged us, it is appropriate to tell them! (OK so we are not supposed to wrong them back in the telling but with honesty and gentleness, we are to correct them!)The evidence of Job’s innocence - caring for the poor, the orphan, the widow (13-21), sexually purity (1,9), integrity with words (5), heart not set on riches (24), no vengeance (29,30), kindness to foreigners (32)
We also see that Job was wrong, too! The 4th friend, Elihu, rebukes him in chapters 32-37 and then God Himself reproves him(38,39). Elihu proves to be extremely wise in spite of his youth - my new favorite verse is 32:18!
We see scientific truth in these chapters as well- the explanation of rain (36:27,28) , 26:31 tells us the earth hangs on nothing (!!), the existence of mantle rock under the earth’s surface which was proven true thousands of years later ((38:6), and freshwater sources in the ocean (38:16). Even ecology morality - 31:38-40!
The Gospel is symbolized (38:29-41:34) in the fact that wild animals cannot change their nature yet God provides what they need. So it is with man. We cannot change ourselves to be good….so God provides our Redeemer!