With Friends Like These (Part 3): Zophar

It’s not pleasant to think about is it? Dr. Paul Brand wrote an entire book on pain calling it, “the gift nobody wants.” We often think of pain as physical pain but we know it can take on various forms: physical, mental, emotional. When referring to getting through our pain we speak of enduring, and suffering.

Suffering. If there’s one word that can describe the main character in the book of Job, it’s suffering, and on an exponential level. He’s lost his oxen, his donkeys, his camels, his sheep, most of his servants, his seven sons, his three daughters, he’s covered with sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and he’s seeing his wife suffer along with him. It had to be overwhelming. And, as if that wasn’t enough…

Then come three friends. When they first see him they too share in his grief, they tear their robes and sob with him. And then… In their attempts to understand they only seem to add to his grief.

Though the three friends mean well, they begin to speak to Job to try and understand “why” all this is happening. They get some things right - God is righteous, God is in control, and they get a whole lot wrong - God must be punishing Job, Job must be secretly hiding some evil in his life, clearly Job’s children were doing evil. All of course, wrong.

Today we meet Zophar the Naamathite, the third friend. Unlike the other friends he only has two speeches, but believe me, that’s enough. We’ll be focusing on the first one in chapter 11 of Job which Drew has already read for us. The second speech you can find in chapter 20.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Suffering

Throughout the book of Job the pattern has repeated itself that a friend delivers a speech, and then Job responds to that friend and pleads his case. At the point when we first hear from Zophar in the book of Job, Eliphaz challenged Job in chapters 4 & 5; followed by Job’s reply in chapters 6 & 7. Then in Chapter 8, Bildad takes his turn. Followed by Job’s complaint in chapters 9 and 10.

So here come’s Zophar challenging Job’s complaints about his suffering.

1. Recognizing God's Wisdom

Job 11:1–6

Zophar begins with a call for Job to recognize God’s wisdom. At once Zophar is both rebuking Job, because he sees Job’s argument that he has done nothing wrong as impossible.

Job 11:4 ESV

For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes.’

Zophar believes that though Job’s doctrine may be pure in Job’s eyes, and he may think that he is clean in God’s eyes… but, he has to have done something wrong for all of this calamity to have fallen upon him.

When you’re going through a time of suffering, how do you understand it? Do you see it as punishment? Do you see it as there must be something wrong in your life?

Though it is true that we may suffer consequences for our actions in this life. Just because we suffer does not mean that God is punishing us. We may be confused an truly struggle to understand our suffering but we are invited to trust God’s infinite understanding.

Even when life is confusing, humility opens our hearts to God's mysterious but loving purposes. And so the question arises:

How does the concept of God’s wisdom in Job 11 challenge our understanding of suffering?

We’ve been taught to always see our suffering as something to be avoided at all costs. Yet our suffering is again from our perspective. What might there be to learn in the midst of our suffering?

Like an athlete or artist who endures the hardship of challenging workouts, practices, and rehearsals - in the end it does produce fruit when it becomes time to perform.

Imagine if there was a superhero who never faced any real challenges. His powers would be impressive, but they wouldn't come with a story. In the same way, our spiritual growth often comes from navigating life’s challenges. James 1:2-3 teaches us that trials produce perseverance, which is what makes our faith truly heroic.

2. Respecting Divine Mystery

Job 11:7-12

Within the book of Job you and I have been given a glimpse behind the curtain in the prologue of chapters one and two. We have a view that none of Job’s friends have. Not even Job nor his wife know what we know from those opening chapters.

Zophar in the next section of his first speech asks the questions:

Job 11:7–8 (ESV)

“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?

Again, Zophar gets some things right. We cannot in our humanness fully grasp God’s plans - God’s ways are not our ways.

Perhaps highlight the mystery of God's ways and our incapacity to fully grasp His plans. Encourage listeners to accept their limited perspective and seek comfort in the fact that God's wisdom and power are greater than we can imagine. This trust restores hope.

In what ways can acknowledging our own limitations help deepen our relationship with God during times of suffering?

In the midst of suffering we’re given an opportunity to once again recognize that our perspective is not all that there is. Then, we can seek comfort in the fact that God’s wisdom and power are greater than we can imagine. As we lean into this, and lean into God, this trust restores our hope.

3. Return to Hope

Job 11:13-20

As Zophar comes to the end of this speech he does remind us to turn back to God. While his understanding and suggestion is imperfect, he does point us to the truth that faith and repentance lead to renewed hope and peace, reflecting how Jesus offers us redemption.

Job 11:13–15 (ESV)

“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.”

So our question here for reflection is:

How does Job's suffering reflect the broader theme of redemption found in the New Testament through Christ?

The suffering of Job foreshadows the ultimate suffering of Christ, who endured for our redemption. Just as Job is called to trust God's wisdom, we are called to look to Jesus, who understands our pain and offers hope and salvation even amidst trials.

People read the Old Testament and often see God as the punishing God - that’s how Job’s friends saw God. We’ve discussed many times that God is the same, yesterday today and tomorrow. This means that the God we see in the New Testament through Jesus, is the same God of the Old Testament. So if we think the God of the OT is a vengeful, wrathful God, and the God of the NT is a loving, graceful God, clearly we have not understood correctly.

The God of the NT that we see in Jesus is the same God. I was reminded this week of this from a quote from Brian Zahnd:

God is like Jesus. God has always been like Jesus. There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus. We have not always known what God is like — But now we do.

Think about that for a moment. The God that Job knew, the God his friends thought they knew is the same God we encounter in the Gospels through Jesus. So how do we apply all this? Even in our most painful moments, we can find hope and strength through a deepened relationship with God.Be encouraged to confront your suffering not with bitterness but with a renewed trust in God's ultimate plan.

A young boy often plays with a kite, but one day it gets tangled high in a tree. He tries and fails to retrieve it, feeling frustration and despair. His wise father comes alongside him, teaching him to let out more line first before trying to pull it down gently. This reflects our journey with God; sometimes, we need to release control and trust that God is working things out behind the scenes, teaching us patience and reliance on Him.

In closing, let me say,

When facing discouragement, or anxiety in life, like during political or social discussions, it’s easy to lose heart. In these moments, remind yourself of God's sovereignty. Take a device-free break, find a quiet spot, and pray for both your own heart and the wisdom to engage effectively with others. Consider reading 1 Peter 5:7, reminding you to cast all your cares on Him. Use these insights as a foundation when discussing sensitive topics, enabling you to maintain a calm demeanor while expressing love and truth amidst disagreements.