Job’s Response to Zophar’s Wrongful Accusations

In Job, chapter 12, Job is ready to answer all of Zophar’s questions and accusations against him. He knew where he stood with God and what his friends were saying wrongfully against him was not going to change anything. With that being said, I wonder why Zophar thought he knew so much about Job when really everything he said to him was wrong? He thought he was a man of God when he did not once try to uplift Job or show him comfort and peace. What we see in Job, chapter 11, is a person who thought he was religious with no true love towards people in need. Now, with that being said, did Job get upset with him? No, he did not. Instead, he calmly ¹“answered and said, no doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.” (Job 12:1-4) What we learn is that Job put Zophar in his place in a righteous manner, while explaining that the proud will die in their own wisdom. Therefore, Job’s understanding of things is not less than Zophar’s. He told him that he felt like he was being mocked as his neighbour for calling upon God in his difficult circumstances. Although he is just in the sight of God, he is laughed at and scorned by his religious so-called friends. This is so sad that Job had to say something like this in order to stick up for himself. My friends, we are called to ²“love thy neighbour as thyself,” (Mark 12:31) as Jesus said. Belittling someone and causing them to feel worse is doing a work of the devil, not God.

After this did Job focus on God and the many things he does for mankind. He said, ¹“in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.” (Job 12:10-13) ¹“With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.” (Job 12:16-22) There is so much wisdom to grasp here. Truly, what you just read has no words to explain, because it is so clear to understand already. My friends, with God, we do gain wisdom and understanding that is beyond comprehension. Those that are made high on their will are made low, while those that trust in Jesus are lifted up. God can see everything that is done in secret. Nothing is hidden that is done in darkness. God has given us breath that we may live in this, but we will be judged by every wicked and righteous thing we do. Therefore, come clean before God and allow the blood of Jesus to cover you. Then, will you be made whole and learn to love others as he loves us. You will be ready to comfort those in need and not bring wrongful accusations to the table.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that every true believer in You will also obtain Your wisdom and understanding. That we will be able to know the differences between the wisdom of this world and Your wisdom from on high. Many times what is right and what is wrong is blurred and hard to distinguish. However, our minds are opened and made clear when You are leading us by the hand, not the opposite. Lord, it is Your love and desires that I want in my life at all times. I have experienced what the world offers and it is always temporary with guilt associated with it. Temptations seem so good on the outside, especially when it brings out the lusts of the flesh, but all this is evil on the inside. Every time we give ourselves over to our lusts there is always regret, especially for people that believe in You. Lord, I know that this life is hard, especially when our flesh desires things that our spirit does not. This war inside of us needs to be tamed and that is when Your armor and the Holy Spirit come into place. Your will power helps us fight the good fight and win the battle against the forces of the devil. It also helps us love others as You love us. It helps us forgive one another as You forgive us. It helps us show compassion, just as You have shown compassion towards us. If there is peace that comes from us and into other people’s lives in need, You have done it all. We are Your servants and can only do good if we are abiding in Your awesome presence. Lord, please help me and my fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. Lead us by the hand and safely carry us on Your righteous path. May our light so shine before men, that they may glorify You, who is in heaven. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.

Job 12

¹Job 12 (KJV)
1 And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Mark 12

²Mark 12 (KJV)
1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.’
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.