Zophar and Job converse

The Book of Job Chapters 11 & 12

In chapter 11, Zophar the Naamathite, and Job's friend replied to Job's lament by asking him if someone shouldn't answer his torrent of words? When you mock God, he asked, shouldn't someone make you ashamed? You claim your teaching is pure and you are clean in the sight of God. If only God would speak, Zophar says. If only God would tell you his secrets of wisdom. For surely, he says, God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve.

Can you solve the mysteries of God, or discover everything there is to know about the Almighty, Zophar asks? Who are you in comparison to God? His knowledge is higher than the heavens and deeper than the underworld. And if God comes along and puts somebody in prison, who is going to stop him? For God knows who is false and he takes note of their sins. Prepare your heart, Zophar says to Job, and lift your hands to God in prayer. When your sins leave, your face will brighten in innocence and you will forget your misery.You will have courage because you will have hope and you will be protected and rest safely. But the wicked lose hope and have no escape, so their hope becomes despair.

In chapter 12, Job answers Zophar and says Zophar thinks he knows everything and when he dies, wisdom will die. You are no better off than me, says Job. I am a just and blameless man, yet my friends laugh at me. People who are at ease mock those in trouble and give a push to those who stumble. But even robbers are left in peace, and those who provoke God and God has them in his power- live in peace. Go ahead, Job continues, ask the animals and they will tell you. They know the Lord has done this. Wisdom belongs to the aged and understanding to those who have lived many years. But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his. What he destroys cannot be rebuilt.

Yes, says Job, strength and wisdom are with God, and deceivers and deceived are both in his power. He can leave counselors stripped of good judgment, drive judges to madness and remove the robes of kings. He can lead priests stripped of status and overthrows the mighty. He pours disgrace upon princes and confiscates weapons from the strong. He floods the darkness with light, he brings the light to the deepest gloom. He raises nations, makes them expand and he abandons them. He takes away the understanding of kings and leaves them wandering without a path.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW:Zophar is the third friend to speak to Job and he lashes out angrily at him saying Job deserved more punishment, not less. He too figured that Job was being punished for sin. Zophar was the kind of person who had an answer for everything and was totally insensitive to Job's situation. By calling Job "false", he was accusing Job of hiding secret faults and sins. The only thing Zophar was right about, was that God knows and sees everything.

Job saw that his friends assumptions were wrong and so he appealed to God to give him an answer.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Job compared his friends to doctors who did not know what they were doing. Many of their ideas about God were true, but did not apply in Job's situation. Needless to say, they all failed to realize that Satan was behind Job's troubles.

When we look for guidance for our decisions, we must recognize that God's wisdom is superior to any the world has to offer. Don't let earthly advisors dampen your desire to know God better.


Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who made it six years with cancer but may now go home with hospice in her final days.
Pray for my cousin Diane who had total mastectomy surgery for breast cancer.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.