Job 11:1-9,13-20
Zophar
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?
Is this talker to be vindicated?
3 Will your idle talk reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless
and I am pure in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.
7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.
13 “Yet if you devote your heart to him
and stretch out your hands to him,
14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
you will stand firm and without fear.
16 You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor.
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
and escape will elude them;
their hope will become a dying gasp.”
August 31st, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Doug’s thoughts from the Job Daily Guide:
In today’s reading, Job’s friend Zophar is responding to Job’s complaints in the previous two chapters. The main point is his criticism of Job’s ‘extravagant claims to righteousness.’ He’s bothered by Job’s claim that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. If you’ve been following our psalm readings, you’ll note that Job isn’t alone in pleading blamelessness; occasionally the psalmists make this claim as well. Zophar considers this kind of thing to be “idle talk” and thinks that God should correct Job on his righteous self-appraisal. He also says God is beyond human comprehension, which I imagine is his way of saying that arguing with God on anything is probably futile.
Do you agree or disagree with Zophar on the topic of claiming one’s own righteousness before God? Could you argue for or against him?
If what Zophar says is right, that we can’t fathom the mysteries of God, does that mean it’s not worthwhile to make an effort?