Job 11:1-20 (NLT)
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied to Job:
"Shouldn't someone answer this torrent of words? Is a person proved innocent just by talking a lot? Should I remain silent while you babble on? When you mock God, shouldn't someone make you ashamed? You claim, 'My teaching is pure,' and 'I am clean in the sight of God.' If only God would speak; if only he would tell you what he thinks! If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
"Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything there is to know about the Almighty? Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—but who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what can you know in comparison to him? It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea. If God comes along and puts a person in prison, or if he calls the court to order, who is going to stop him? For he knows those who are false, and he takes note of all their sins. An empty-headed person won't become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear human offspring!
"If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten in innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery. It will all be gone like water under the bridge. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Any darkness will be as bright as morning. You will have courage because you will have hope. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help. But the wicked will lose hope. They have no escape. Their hope becomes despair."
A well meaning friend sometimes is worse than having an enemy present;
Did you ever have that person in your life that automatically assumed the worst in your situation and when they finished speaking you felt more empty inside because of there lack of consideration and insight?
Some people immediately go to the sin factor, and while in some cases that may be true in this one it clearly wasn't and Zophar seems like he just wants to hear his own overly righteous voice.
Zophar is the third of Job’s friends to speak, and the least courteous. Full of anger, he lashed out at Job, saying that Job deserved more punishment, not less. Zophar took the same position as Eliphaz (Job 4-5) and Bildad (Job 8)—that Job was suffering because of sin—but his speech was by far the most arrogant. Zophar was the kind of person who has an answer for everything; he was totally insensitive to Job’s unique situation.
By calling Job “deceitful,” Zophar was accusing Job of hiding secret faults and sins. Although Zophar’s assumption was wrong, he explained quite accurately that God knows and sees everything. We are often tempted by the thought, “No one will ever know!” Perhaps we can hide some sin from others, but we can do nothing without God knowing about it. Because our very thoughts are known to God, of course he will notice our sins. Job understood this as well as Zophar did, but it didn’t apply to his current dilemma.
Best advice, if you are in a situation to give advice, let the Lord lead you and speak through you and if you cant hear what the Lord would say than its probably best to not say a word and just try to help instead of heap more pain on the person.
No comments:
Post a Comment