Page 21 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

26
(8:3)? Job responded with “Can mere mortals prove their innocence [righteousness] before God (9:2)?”
For people who are serious about their relationship with God, these questions must be resolved. Can a
righteous God treat a human in an unrighteous manner? The problem of suffering involves the power
and justice and wisdom of God.

When he asks about proving his innocence before God, Job ponders God’s power (9:4-18). It is vast. He
moves mountains. He speaks to the sun. He stretches out the heavens, creating Orion, the Pleiades, and
the constellations of the south. He cannot be seen. He removes someone from the earth. With infinite
power he crushes, he overwhelms. “If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty (9:19a).”

Job also struggles with the justice of God, a topic to which we will
return in the next section. “If it is a matter of justice, who can Figure 11: Job on dunghill:
challenge him (9:19)?” If righteousness is the standard of right and Carrasco, 1881
wrong, then justice is the application of that standard in everyday life.
Job fears that in practice God is unjust. “He destroys both the
blameless and the wicked (9:22).” “When a land falls into the hands of
the wicked, he blindfolds its judges (9:24(.”

Forgetting about his friends, Job turns to address God. “Does it please
you to oppress me (10:3)? God really does not understand the
predicament of mortals. Even though he made Job, even though he
gave Job life and watched over him for a time, he is now destroying
Job, curdling him like cheese (10:3-12). As at the beginning, Job again
expresses the wish that he had never been born. He would prefer that
God would forget about him, “turn away…so I can have a moment’s
joy before I go to the place of no return (10:20-21).

The last friend is Zophar. His conversation is the shortest, perhaps because the others have said about
everything that can be said. Yet Zophar is even harsher than the first two friends. “Know this: God has
even forgotten some of your sin (11:6).” It is hard to imagine anything more devastating. After all the
discussion, this good friend of Job suggests that God should have punished him more. Zophar appeals to
the wisdom of God. God is smart enough to recognize deceivers (11:11).

Zophar is a bit evangelistic in his approach to Job, making a powerful appeal for repentance in an altar
call. “If you devote your heart to him…You will stand firm and without fear (11:13-15).” He promises that
Job would forget his troubles, life would be bright, and he would lie down unafraid (11:13-19). The
option is clear. Refusal to turn to God would result in ultimate failure. “[Your] hope will become a dying
gasp (11:20).”

Each of these men give personal advice. They are not just discussing theology. They are aware that if Job
is right they might experience the same suffering. “In his short rebuke and exhortation, we see the

26 Any reader of Job would be well repaid by noting every reference to righteousness, justice, and power
in the book. A careful study would also include descriptions of each as well as occurrences of the exact
word.
20