“Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes. And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had accepted Job. And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:1-10).
Dear God and Father of the human race, please forgive us when we open our mouths to talk of things of which we have no real knowledge. Teach us how to be “swift to listen and slow to speak.” We pray in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Well, today we are having our last conversation in this series. This is the second time in these fourteen years of having this website that I have attempted to study the story of Job. We have barely skimmed the surface of Job’s experience. As individuals we are all unique, and tend to see things from our own perspective. I am almost sure that we were all dealing with the speeches of every character in the story differently. That is acceptable. When by God’s grace. we are saved in God’s kingdom, and if we remember anything about these conversations (we most likely will not), we can talk to both God and Job, and get the facts!
Until then, let us be faithful to the One Friend, who sticks closer than any relative or friend – Jesus!
After listening to God, Job acknowledges that he really knows nothing, ” ‘ “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? ‘ ” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” ‘ ” (Job 42:3, emphasis supplied).
This is very common of the human race, we tend to pass erroneous judgment on topics that are out of the range of understanding of our finite minds. And in times of grief, when our entire being is reacting to pain, this is even more possible. God knows this!
So our Wonderful Savior allows His child to vent, before responding to him. When He finally answers him, He introduces Himself to Job, by showing Job who He really is. Job had heard of Him. Now Job sees God for himself, and what He sees of God makes him see himself, as he really is! And repentance takes place! “I am not at all, who I thought I was, when I see myself, as You God, see me!”
What an epiphany! Of himself, and of the Creator, the great, Sovereign God of the universe!
Now God deals with Job’s “friends” and vindicates His child! “Job was right. You were wrong. Your concept of me was not accurate, as was Job’s. Now go and offer an offering of atonement before Job, and Job will pray for you, because I have accepted him, lest I deal with you as you deserve.”
Perhaps many are surprised at how the story ends. If you are, remember one thing; God sees hearts, and knows exactly where our words are coming from!
Job complained out of his pain, and asked for an audience with God to prove his innocence. God saw and heard, Job’s sincerity. His friends acted as if they were defending God, while they were actually judging Job. God also saw this, and the source of their words, and in His justice, they were all judged accordingly.
Sacred Scripture warns us: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit… Therefore by their fruits you will know them (Matthew 7:15-20, emphasis supplied).