7-6-14.  Job 11:1-20. People Need Wise Counselors- my devotional

Job 11:1-20                                                                                      Kevin E. Jesmer

Key verse   11: 7-8                                                                                7-6-14

“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?”

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that you are Lord of all the world. All people of faith, in every land, are your children and will spend eternity together in the Kingdom of God. Thank you that the church is meant to be a mixture of all types of different people, coming together to worship, love, adore and praise you and love one another as brothers and sisters. I was amazed as we went hiking in a canyon where there were literally hundreds of  people. There were people from other countries and different races. We were all together, enjoying the day and having fun navigating the mud and the water at the bottom of the canyon. This is small taste of the Kingdom of God. This is a glimpse of heaven. Help us all to be filled with God’s mercy and grace and help us love one another, overcoming our differences. May the realities of the Kingdom of God be reflected in the way we relate to one another in our communities. Lord, illumine my heart with your word today. I pray all of this in the name that has power to unite all people in caring communities, the name of Jesus Christ.

Part 1: Zophar Needed To Become A Better Counselor  (1-12)

Verses 1-11, “Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: 2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?  Is this talker to be vindicated? 3 Will your idle talk reduce others to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? 4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.’ 5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you 6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. 7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth    and wider than the sea. 10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? 11 Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note? 12 But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.

Zophar was the third of Job’s friends to speak and his speech was the most arrogant. He is very harsh, insensitive to Job’s unique situation. He calls Job a “talker” and his words “idle talk”. He infers that Job is a “deceiver” and “witless.” He even shares his wish that “God would speak, that he would open his lips against” Job. Zophar knew nothing of Job’s life, and yet he felt perfectly free to claim that Job was some kind of great sinner. (6) Full of anger, he lashed out at Job, saying that Job deserved more punishment from God than he was already receiving.

Zophar took the same position as Eliphaz (Chapter 4-5) and Bildad (chapter 8)- that Job was suffering because of sin –Zophar was the kind of person who has an answer for everything. Zophar’s words did contain some truth.  For example, Job is a sinner, for all people have sinned. God knows all people’s hearts. He explained accurately that God knows and sees everything and points out that no one can fathom the mysteries of God. (on his own, without the Lord’s help.)

Zophar confidently tells Job the solution to his troubles. He tells Job that if he devotes his heart to God and puts away sin, then all his troubles will be over. This is not true. Zophar ignores Satan’s schemes, nor does he understand the mysteries of God. This type of counseling will throw people into despair and depression, for it will force people to vainly try to fix themselves and when they find out they are helpless to do anything, they will fall into a dark hole with no one to help them out.

Zophar thinks that it is important for Job to give up seeking to know God. Look at verse 8, “They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Like Zophar, some people think that God is so great that even the most learned can not comprehend him. This is not true. While not many people can learn about God by scientific methods, people can definitely learn about God from his Word and by Revelation. We are all made in the image of God. God’s spirit can dwell in our hearts and impart his wisdom to us. He can reveal himself to anyone he chooses. Think about this…the Lord would not have given us his Word or sent the Messiah if we were not meant to comprehend and know him. Even the shepherds who were out watching their flocks were able to see the Messiah in the tiny baby in the manger.

All of Zophar’s counseling is useless in Job’s context and can even be damaging. Job understood everything as well as Zophar did, but it didn’t apply to his current dilemma and was not helpful. Zophar was sitting at ease while showing contempt for one who is suffering misfortune in life. He definitely needed to learn how to be a better counselor.

Part 2:  There Is A Glorious Reality When We Are Free From Sin (13-20)

Look at verses 13-20. “13 Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, 14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, 15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. 16 You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. 17 Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. 18 You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. 19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor. 20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp. ”

In these verses we find self righteous Zophar trying to tell a man, more righteous than himself, how to respond spiritually in this crisis. Zophar implies that Job can not lift up his face because of his own fault and sins. In verse 20, Zophar declares that Job must be wicked or he would not be suffering like the wicked and seems to be struck in his suffering. He is not helping at all.

Just because Zophar is making all kinds of mistakes in his counseling of Job, it doesn’t mean that we are not called to counsel and even correct someone. As Christians, what is our instruction from Paul as to how we are to correct another believer? See Galatians 6:1-2, “1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Christians must care about others. This means that we must listen and pray. But there are times when we must also engage in some forms of counseling that might touch on rebuking. There are times when we are called to lovingly exhort a fellow believer who sins. But we must be very careful when we do this, for we must be very aware of our own sins, shortcomings and weaknesses. We must relate to others as forgiven sinners and wisely help a fellow believer who is carrying a burden too heavy to carry, like Job.

In Job 11:16-19, I can see the glorious reality of what is like when  we are set free from our sins by Christ. “16 You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. 17 Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. 18 You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. 19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.” Then we can lift up our face to heaven and stand firm, without fear. Zophar was implying that if Job would repent and devote his heart to God and stretch out his hands to God, and put away the sin that is in his hand and allow no evil to dwell in his tent then things would change.

But Job was unable to take away his sin, by his own efforts. He was helpless. But for anyone who has their sins forgiven by God because of what the Savior, Jesus has done for them on the cross, this is what they will taste. This is the reality for those who have been set free from the power of sin, by the power of the Gospel. This is the results of being born again and delivered by the Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, help me to have the right heart and be equipped with your wisdom when I attempt to counsel others who are suffering.

One Word: Lead others to the only lasting and real solution…a relationship with Jesus.