WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE …
JOB 4 –
“WE MIGHT THINK THE TESTING OF JOB IS OVER. BUT ALAS,
THERE IS ONE FINAL TEST, PERHAPS THE TOUGHEST. SATAN
SLITHER’S AWAY, WHILE JOB’S CLOSEST COMPANIONS COZY
UP.”
DOUGLAS O’CONNELL
“THE THEOLOGY THAT UNDERLIES ALL THREE FRIENDS IS
VERY SIMPLE AND CLEAR:
1.GOD IS IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL.
2. GOD IS ABSOLUTELY JUST.
3. THEREFORE, HE ALWAYS PUNISHES WICKEDNESS AND
BLESSES RIGHTEOUSNESS –
4. THEREFORE, IF I SUFFER AND AM BEING PUNISHED JUSTLY
FOR MY SIN. (AND PRESUMABLY, IF I AM BLESSED I MUST
HAVE BEEN GOOD).”
CHRISTORPHER ASH
JOB’S THREE FRIENDS:
ELIPHAZ THE ELITE,
ELIPHAZ VIEW, THE INNOCENT DON’T SUFFER THE
WICKED DO.
4:2, 3-4, 5
“THE FRIENDS MUST INFER FROM JOB’S SUFFERING THAT HE
HAS SINNED; JOB MUST INFER FROM HIS INNOCENCE THAT
GOD IS UNJUST.”
FRANCIS ANDERSON
4:7,8, 12-16
5:1,17
BILDAD THE BRUTAL,
BILDAD’S VIEW, THE WICKED ARE WITHOUT SUPPORT
8:2, 3, 4,
8:11-19
ZOPHAR THE ZEALOT,
ZOPHAR’S VIEW, JOB HAS RECEIVED LESS SUFFFERING
THAN HE DESERVES
11:1-6, 13-14
20:1-8
ELIPHAZ, (AGAIN)
22:5
JOB’S RESPONSE
12:1-4
16:2
19:2, 3
42:7,8 – GOD AGREES WITH JOB
LET’S CONSIDER THAT:
THEIR FAULT IS NOT FOUND IN THEIR DOCTRINE BUT IN
THEIR ASSUMPTIONS OF JOB AND THE APPLICATION OF
THEIR DOCTRINE TO JOB …
“THE BASIC ERROR OF JOB’S FRIENDS IS THAT THEY
OVERESTIMATE THEIR GRASP OF TRUTH, MISAPPLY THE
TRUTH THEY KNOW, AND CLOSE THEIR MINDS TO ANY
FACTS THAT CONTRADICT WHAT THEY ASSUME. THAT
BEING SO, IF THE BOOK IS ATTACKING ANYTHING ITS
TARGET IS NOT THE FAMILIAR DOCTRINES … SUCH AS GOD’S
JUSTICE AND BENEVOLENCE, HIS CARE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
AND PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED, OR GENERAL LAW THAT
WHAT ONE SOWS ONE REAPS. RATHER, IT ATTACKS THE
ARROGANCE OF PONTIFICATING ABOUT THE APPLICATION
OF THESE TRUTHS, AND THEREBY MISREPRESENTING GOD
AND MISJUDING ONE’S FELLOW MEN. TO PUT IT MORE
POSITIVELY, THE BOOK SHOWS (BY IT’S CONTEXT, THE
OPENING SCENE IN HEAVEN) HOW SMALL A PART OF ANY
SITUATION IS THE FRAGMENT WE SEE; HOW MUCH OF
WHAT WE DO SEE WE IGNORE OR DISTORT THROUGH
PRECONCEPTIONS; AND HOW UNWISE IT IS TO
EXTRAPOLATE FROM OUR ELEMENTARY GRASP OF TRUTH.”
DEREK KIDNER
“SO THE COMFORTERS MADE A BIG MISTAKE. JOB DOES NOT
NEED TO REPENT FOR ANY SIN THAT HAS LED TO HIS
SUFFERING. HE IS NOT BEING PUNISHED FOR SIN. TO SAY
THAT HE IS ADDS A CRUEL BURDEN TO HIS GRIEF. YET THE
COMFORTERS SAY EXACTLT THAT FOR NINE CHAPTERS.”
CHRISTOPHER ASH
“MEN SEEK AN EXPLANATION OF SUFFERING IN CAUSE AND
EFFECT. THEY LOOK BACKWARDS FOR A CONNECTION
BETWEEN PRIOR SIN AND PRESENT SUFFERING. THE BIBLE
LOOKS FORWARD IN HOPE AND SEEKS EXPLANATIONS, NOT
SO MUCH IN ORIGINS AS IN GOALS. THE PURPOSE OF
SUFFERING IS SEEN, NOT IN IT’S CAUSE BUT IT’S RESULT.”
FRANCIS ANDERSON
“WE CANNOT DEDUCE THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF A MAN OR A
WOMAN FROM THEIR CURRENT HAPPINESS OR PROSPERITY
OF THEIR PRESENT SUFFERINGS. THE FACT OF THIS
IGNORANCE NEEDS TO BE BURNED INTO OUR
CONSCIOUSNESS, LEST WE SLIP INTO THE ERRORS OF JOB’S
COMFORTERS.”
TIM KELLER
“IT IS NOT SUFFERING THAT DESTROYS A PERSON BUT
SUFFERING WITHOUT PURPOSE.”
CHRISTOPHER ASH
“THE REASON THE CAUSES ARE NOT THE ULTIMATE
EXPLANATION FOR THINGS IS THAT GOD IS NOT
ULTIMATELY A RESPONDER BUT ULTIMATELY A PLANNER.
IN OTHER WORDS WHEN GOD ORDAINS THAT SOMETHING
HAPPEN, GOD IS NOT AT THE BOTTOM RESPONDING TO
HUMAN CAUSES. HE IS AT THE BOTTOM PLANNING A
PURPOSE. THE IMPLICATION OF THIS FOR YOUR LIFE IS
PROFOUND. NO MATTER WHAT MESS YOU’RE IN OR WHAT
PAIN YOU’RE IN, THE CAUSE OF THAT MESS AND THAT PAIN
ARE NOT DECISIVE IN EXPLAINING IT. WHAT IS DECISIVE IN
EXPLAINING IT IS GOD’S PURPOSE. YES, THERE ARE CAUSES.
SOME OF THEM YOUR FAULT, PERHAPS, AND SOME OF THEM
ARE NOT. BUT THOSE CAUSES ARE NOT DECISIVE IN
DETERMINING THE MEANING OF YOUR MESS OR YOUR PAIN.
WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY DECISIVE IS GOD’S PURPOSE.”
JN. PIPER
APPLICATION:
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM JOB’S FRIENDS:
THEY WERE INTELLECTUAL BUT NOT PRACTICAL,
THEY TOOK A SUPERIOR POSITION
THEY IGNORE THE FACTS
THEY PRESUMED TO SPEAK FOR GOD
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM JOB:
GOD’S WAYS ARE INSCRUTABLE
(JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN’T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT GOD
DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GOD).
OUR SUFFERING CANNOT ALWAYS BE ASCRIBED TO OUR
SIN.
WE WILL NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE ANSWERS WE WANT
IN THIS LIFE. (THEODICY), 13:15; 19:25
JOB’S SUFFERING FORSHADOWS JESUS SUFFERING
