BibleProject | One Story That Leads to Jesusਨਮੂਨਾ

Zophar wants his turn at attempting to “correct” Job. Scandalized by Job’s speeches, Zophar elbows his way to the mic. He wants to take a shot at Job this time.

Like Bildad, Zophar gives another long speech about the terrible fate of wicked people. But where Bildad spoke in general terms about evil and schemes, Zophar has a more specific brand of sin in mind.

Do you know what happens to people who oppress the poor, Job? They benefit from injustice to the point that it tastes sweet on their tongue. However, it then sours their stomachs until they vomit back every unjustly gained dollar. That seems to be what’s happening to you, so maybe you're the problem?

Eliphaz pushes Zophar’s insinuations even further in his third speech: Look, Job, we all know that your suffering is due to sin. If you weren’t a bad guy, this wouldn’t have happened.

Job resists the oversimplification: You’re convinced I deserve my suffering, that it proves I’ve done wrong. What about people who don’t get what they deserve? Or the opposite—what about murderers or tyrants who gain power and profits they do not deserve?

Job’s questions invite his three friends, and all of us, to wrestle honestly with the injustice running rampant through the world. What does it look like to live well in relationship with others who assume that all suffering is a form of divine punishment? Even more, if it’s not divine punishment, then why is Job suffering?

The story of Job is memorable because it engages the universal human experience of wrestling with the problem of evil. How can a good creator make a world with so much bad in it?

Reflection Questions

• Look closely at Job 20:6. Can you think of any other stories in the Bible about someone’s pride reaching to the heavens? (Turn to Genesis 11 or Jeremiah 51 if you need a hint.) What biblical theme is Zophar activating with this comment? Why do you think Zophar hyperlinked these stories in his speech?
• Compare Job 21:22-26 to Ecclesiastes 2:14-17. What common themes do you notice between these two passages? What does Ecclesiastes 2 show you about the futility Job describes in his speech?