Chapters 21—31
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Scripture Reading: Job 26; Job 27; Job 28
In this message we will begin to consider, from chapters twenty-six through twenty-eight, Job's final speaking to his three friends.
In 26:1-4 Job rebuked Bildad sarcastically, saying, "How you have helped him who is without power!/How you have saved the arm of him who is without strength!/How you have counseled him who is without wisdom/And have plentifully declared sound knowledge!/To whom have you uttered words?/And whose spirit has come forth from you?" This surely was not a friendly word. Job's three friends had come to visit him for the purpose of comforting and supporting him, but eventually Job and his friends got into a debate, contending and even fighting with one another. Their words had no spiritual light or reality. Instead, their speaking was according to the principle of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Job's friends only had the knowledge about such matters as being good in order to please God and to receive prosperity.
After rebuking Bildad, Job spoke to his friends regarding God's power as seen in His creation. Job's speaking here indicates that he had a superiority complex. In verses 5 through 14 Job showed off his superior knowledge concerning the unlimited power of God. Job said that Sheol is naked before God, that He hangs the earth upon nothing, that He spread His cloud over the face of His throne, that by His power He stilled the sea and by His understanding He struck down Rahab (a sea monster spoken of in ancient narratives), and that by His Spirit the heavens became beauty. Then Job concluded by saying, "Behold, these are but the fringes of His ways;/And how small a whisper do we hear of Him!/But as for the thundering of His mightiness, who can comprehend it?" (v. 14).
There was no need for Job to show off his superior knowledge or to speak to his friends in this way. The conversation between Job and his friends is not what we would expect from friends who care for each other. No one among them suggested that they pray and look to the Lord.
Job's discourse in 27:1-7 shows us that he held fast insistently to his righteousness and integrity. He declared that as God lives and as long as his breath was in him, his lips would not speak anything wrong nor would his tongue utter deceit. Then he said to his friends, "Far be it from me to declare you righteous!" (v. 5a). Here Job was saying that he would never admit that his friends were right. Following this, Job spoke a strong word about his integrity and righteousness: "Until I die, I will not put away my integrity from me./To my righteousness I will hold fast, I will not let it go;/My heart does not reproach me for any of my days" (vv. 5b-6). He finished this part of his discourse with a word regarding his enemy: "May my enemy be like a wicked man, /And may he who rises up against me be like someone unjust" (v. 7). Job's thought was that, unlike others, he would never be unjust.
In verses 8 through 23 Job continued by teaching his friends high-mindedly concerning the hope of the profane man. First, Job asked about the hope of the profane man when God cuts him off, taking away his soul and not hearing his cry. Then Job, having a superiority complex, said to his friends, "I will teach you about the hand of God;/What is with the Almighty I will not conceal" (v. 11). After this, Job went on to instruct his friends regarding the portion which the wicked man would receive from the Almighty. Concerning the wicked, Job claimed that his children will be multiplied for the sword, that those who remain of him will be buried in death, that the righteous will wear his garments and that the innocent will divide his silver, that terrors will overtake him like waters, that God will hurl at him and not spare, and that men will hiss him out of his place.
There was no need for Job to speak a word such as this. This was a word with no light, life, love, or kindness. At best, this was a teaching as a kind of warning. However, none of his friends needed this teaching; they already knew these things and could have taught concerning them. Nevertheless, due to his superiority complex, he taught his friends in a high-minded manner.
In chapter twenty-eight Job went on to show off his high-pitched knowledge concerning the way to find wisdom and understanding. Job twice asked where wisdom can be found and where the place of understanding is (vv. 12, 20). Then he said that God, who sees to the ends of the earth and beholds all that is under heaven, knows the place of wisdom and the way to it (vv. 23-24). Thus, God said to man, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;/And to depart from evil is understanding" (v. 28). Surely Job's friends already knew about fearing the Lord and departing from evil. Every godly person knew this; there was no need for Job to repeat it. However, Job spoke in this way because he was high-minded and thought that in knowledge he was superior to his friends.
