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A Harsh Man

A Harsh Man
June 17, 2018

Scripture: Job 11

Colossians 3:19: “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”

Colossians 3:21: “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

I. Men can give accusations; strong men offer mercy.

A. The third of Job’s friends is Zophar the Naamathite (vs. 1). Immediately, we see Zophar’s harsh accusations. In verses 2 and 3 Zophar says to Job in four different ways: “You ought to shut up and listen to me!” Zophar’s accusations of Job in vs. 4 are not true. Job was wrestling with who God is while he grieved; he was not claiming to have pure doctrine. And Job did not claim to be sinless. Job was instead blameless, a man of integrity in his love for God.

B. Zophar wishes that God would speak and open his lips to Job (vs. 5). Why? Because Zophar knows exactly what God would say! God exacts of you Job less than your guilt deserves (vs. 6). Zophar is saying that Job has gotten off with a light sentence from God the judge. Job deserves much worse. But how much worse could it get? The harsh Zophar did not know the mercy of the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15).

II. Men can give challenges; strong men offer humility.

A. In vs. 7 and 8 Zophar offers Job a challenge. In vs. 7 Zophar asks Job, “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?” Zophar asks Job a good question. Might the all-wise, all-knowing God have reasons for bringing suffering into Job’s life that Job could not possibly understand? Yes. These words anticipate what God Himself will say to Job at the end of the book when God actually speaks to Job.

B. But then Zophar gets harsh. Since God knows more about humans than will ever be discovered, that means that God knows more about our sins than we can ever know. God must have discovered Job’s secret sins. That is why Job is suffering. So, Job is a worthless (vs. 11) and stupid (vs. 12) man. Job is a donkey (vs. 12). How harsh! Who did not take up the challenge to consider the wisdom of God? Zophar! Zophar says to Job, “You don’t understand God. But I, the great Zophar, do understand everything about God.” Really? Zophar lacked humility.

III. Men can make deceptive offers; strong men have integrity.

A. In vs. 13-15 Zophar makes Job an offer. If Job would just repent of his sin and pray and ask God for forgiveness, everything would be better for him. What a deal! But Job hadn’t sinned in the way Zophar had accused him. So, Zophar’s offer to repent was deceptive because Job had no sins that he needed to repent of. On the surface, it looked like Zophar wanted to help Job. But if Job took Zophar’s offer in order to get the riches and blessings of vs. 17-19, he would be serving Satan’s purposes and not God’s during Job’s season of suffering. He would be agreeing with Satan that he loved God’s gifts and blessings more than he loved God. 1 Corinthians 13:13: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The greatest blessing you can pass on to your children is love. And it is not even your love for your children that is the greatest blessing. It is a love for God that is the greatest blessing you can pass on.

Application:
Dads, don’t be harsh. Bless your children by giving them a love for God.

Sources:
The book of Job
Commentaries on Job by Christopher Ash, Francis Andersen and David Clines
“For the Love of God” by D.A. Carson