For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage : Job 11:1-10

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 ‘Are all these words to go unanswered?
    Is this talker to be vindicated?
3 Will your idle talk reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?
4 You say to God, “My beliefs are flawless
    and I am pure in your sight.”
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
    that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

7 ‘Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than the heavens above – what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below – what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea. 10 ‘If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?

A. Find Out

1. What does Zophar think about what Job has been saying? v.2,3
2. What does he object to in what Job had been saying? v.4
3. What does he wish God would do? v.5,6
4. What does he say that Job should know? v.6b
5. What does he imply you can’t do and why? v.7-9
6. How do we appear helpless before Him?  v.10

B. Think:

1. What of Job’s speech does Zophar think a waste of time?
2. Why?

C. Comment:

Zophar, the third of the three friends, now speaks (v.1). He clearly feels frustrated by Job and his opening words are words of rebuke as he speaks of what Job has said as ‘idle talk’ and ‘mockery’ (v.3). He chides Job for daring to say to God that he is blameless (v.4).

But then he expresses his desire that the Lord would speak to Job and reveal something of His wisdom (v.5,6a) because, he says, such wisdom has two sides to it (v.6b). It’s not only good news, but also bad news (implied) for God knows absolutely everything there is to know about Job and has even forgotten some of the things Job has done wrong (v.6c) because there are so many such things (implied)!

Look, he goes on, can you work out the great mysteries of God and how great He is? (v.7). They are greater than all of existence that we know – the heights of heaven, the depths of death (v.8) – bigger than anything you could use to compare them on earth (v.9). God’s power is so great that if He comes along and judges and imprisons you, what can you do? (v.10). No, you are helpless!

In this Zophar is right – we cannot challenge God’s greatness for it is like an ant in your garden standing up and challenging you! When he says “true wisdom has two sides” he is perhaps saying more than he realises for salvation is both bad news and good news – but he wouldn’t yet know the wonder of the good news!

D. Application:

1. Salvation is first about bad news – we are sinners condemned.
2. Salvation is also good news – we have been gloriously redeemed!

Passage : Job 11:10-20

10 ‘If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?
11 Surely he recognises deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.

13 ‘Yet if you devote your heart to him
    and stretch out your hands to him,
14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
    you will stand firm and without fear.
16 You will surely forget your trouble,
    recalling it only as waters gone by.
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
    and darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
    and many will court your favour.
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
    and escape will elude them;
    their hope will become a dying gasp.’

A. Find Out

1. What does God do but a ‘witless man’ cannot do? v.11,12
2. What 4 things does Zophar counsel Job to do? v.13,14
3. What 3 things will result? v.15,16
4. How will life change? v.17
5. How will that work in detail? v.18,19
6. What will happen to the wicked though? v.20

B. Think:

1. What point is being made in v.11 & 12?
2. Summarise Zophar’s counsel in v.13-14
3. Summarise his suggested outcomes in v.15-19

C. Comment:

Verse 11 is an implied outworking of verse 10. God puts people in ‘prison’ because he sees their wrong and acts against them. God sees and acts is what Zophar lays down. God knows and acts, he says, but a man who is lacking moral understanding (witless) has no hope of changing and becoming wise. Is there a subtle challenge to Job there?

Then he moves on to the main thrust of his argument: if you seek righteousness you can trust in that and expect changes. If you seek the Lord (v.13) and put away your present sin (v.14a) and then make sure no evil dwells in your home (v.14b) then you will be free of guilt and be without fear (v.15). Very soon you will forget your troubles (v.16) and life will seem a lot brighter (v.17). Your whole outlook will change and because you now have a new hope, you will feel secure (v.18) knowing no one is out to get you and in fact they will be coming to receive your wisdom now (v.19). How different that is (implied) from the wicked who want escape but can’t find it and will merely die (v.20).

Now as general counsel this may be reasonable. When a person turns to the Lord and repents, then the testimony of Scripture is that God’s blessing will come on them, but as an answer to Job’s specific situation, it is not an answer, for sin is not Job’s problem.

D. Application:

1. As a general principle, repentance does bring the blessing of God and if we are aware of any specific sin, we should repent of that.
2. Yet repentance is not always the thing needed. This needs wisdom.