Kick to the Teeth – Job 11

In the creative world of role-playing gaming there is a character named Zophar whom fandom.com describes this way: Zophar is the God of Destruction whose only purpose is to spread evil across the universe. His normal appearance is a black mass with red eyes and tentacles. Surely that is not inspired by the biblical Zophar!

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right? Should your babble silence men, and when you mock, shall no one shame you? For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you, and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

“Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If he passes through and imprisons and summons the court, who can turn him back? For he knows worthless men; when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man!

“If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him. If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and will not fear. You will forget your misery; you will remember it as waters that have passed away. And your life will be brighter than the noonday; its darkness will be like the morning. And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security. You will lie down, and none will make you afraid; many will court your favor. But the eyes of the wicked will fail; all way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last.” (Job 11, ESV)

Zophar reacts strongly against Job, calling his words babble and mockery.  Contrary, he says, to Job’s assertion that Job’s doctrine and behavior are righteous, Job is actually being punished less than he deserves. [We might ask, what could be worse punishment than losing your children, your livelihood, and your health, living in constant pain until you die?]

Zophar mocks Job’s ability to understand the things of God and asserts that when Job is summoned to God’s court he will have to appear and God will examine all his iniquity.  Nevertheless, Job will not learn from this because he is hopelessly stupid, like a human donkey.

There is hope for Job, Zophar alleges, if he acknowledges his sin against God and puts it far away from him.  Then his life will be restored to him and he will have peace.  But he must be warned that the wicked will never escape their punishment.

What is it that makes those who are not suffering act so arrogantly toward those who are? Why is Zophar so desperate to rebut Job’s assertions of his innocence? When someone is self-righteous, that is, they believe it is their own will and energy that has made them righteous, of course they are arrogant. And if they believe that it is their righteousness that exempts them from tragedy, of course they must reject any evidence to the contrary.

Discussion Questions

1. Which of the following restrictions could you best tolerate: leaving the country permanently, or never leaving the state in which you now live?
2. What limited options does Zophar believe Job has?
3. How could Zophar have said what he said without being smearing Job?
4. Zophar says he believes that God is too deep to know.       Why then does he think he knows God’s will for Job?
5. When you see a family where the kids have acted poorly, what do you hope is the cause?
6. Do you desire a guarantee that God will never let anything tragic happen in your life?