Job: The Friends of Job Pursue the Will of the Devil to Find Fault with Job (3rd Round: Chs 21-31)

• Job wants his friends to bear with him till he has finished speaking; for his complaint is not against man. He asks that if their argument was right why do the wicked live and prosper though they care nothing about God. If someone says that God will punish the children for the father's sin; how reasonable would that be, because they won't mind what happens to others after them. (Ch21)


• Eliphaz is now very blunt and accusatory. He tells Job that his righteousness mean nothing because Job's wickedness is great. He accuses him of exploiting the poor, showing no compassion to the needy, and oppressing the widows and orphans.He interprets Job's questions as intending to say that God can't see the suffering of man. He calls Job to repentance. (Ch22)


• Job wishes to see God and talk with Him, because he believes He will hear him (Perhaps, expressing his discouragement as well that his friends couldn't understand him). He has faith in God and is sure that though he can't see Him, He holds him and after He has tested him, he shall come out like gold. Yet, that doesn't mean that Job is not terrified because of the present situation. He observes again that the wicked do prosper in this short life on earth. Somehow, the argument seems to indicate that a man's character cannot be judged by the conditions he falls into (or God allows) in this life. (Chs23-24)


• Bildad is very short this time. All he can say is that it is impossible for man to be righteous before God. Thus, in some way or the other, Job is not blameless. It is interesting that the friends of Job are doing the same thing that the devil wanted to do against Job - they try to find some fault with him. The irony is that the very suffering he is going to was not because he was blameworthy; but, because he was blameless and God wanted to prove that. (Ch25)


• Job makes the longest reply this time. He remarks about how powerless their counsel has been and responds in strong poetic words that the intricacies of divine design in nature exhibit merely the outskirts of God's ways. He says, "How small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?" Job makes some remarkable scientific statements in this discourse. Job affirms that he will not give in to their false condemnation of him- to their lies. His conscience is clear. Job knows about the final doom of the wicked. He also observes that true wisdom is found only in God; the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Job knows that and remembers that the fear of the Lord ruled his life and blessed his life in the former days. He recounts his days of kindness and mercy and how he was honored and esteemed by people. But, now his physical humiliation has led to rejection. He is shocked because he had not expected this to happen to him. He confesses his life of integrity, justice, and mercy. His practice was governed by the fear of the Lord. He would willingly submitted to a rightful indictment; but, he cannot submit to the false accusations of his friends. Chapter 31 ends with the words "The words of Job are ended." (Chs26-31)


• Zophar doesn't answer anymore.