Day 153

With Friends Like These . . .

Read: Job 4-8

When they heard of his trouble, three of Job’s friends came to comfort him. And they surely did when they sat with him for seven days said nothing. But then they began to talk, and Job realized he had been doing better without them. With friends like these, who needs enemies? His “friends” were convinced that Job was suffering because he had committed a serious sin. If he would just confess his sin, then he would be healed. They did not know what transpired between God and Satan. When we visit suffering people, we need to be sensitive to their feelings.

Every word of the book of Job is inspired by God. That is, he has given us a faithful record of what was spoken. But we should realize that not everything Job and his friends spoke to each other was entirely correct. To accept the whole book as inspired is not to say that the ideas of the friends or even of Job are always theologically sound. We must measure such soundness in the light of the rest of Scripture.

Eliphaz begins the dialogue by chastising Job for being so good at giving advice to others and faulting him for now becoming impatient. He stated his thesis when he said, “Who that was innocent ever perished?” (4:7). The implication is that since Job is perishing he must not be innocent. After Job’s reply, Bildad stated the same thesis, “If you are pure and upright, surely then [God] will rouse himself for you” (8:5). The friends were so dogmatic—and so wrong!

PRAYER
Father, when we cannot understand your ways, assure us of your love. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.