Job Replies to His Three Friends

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Sarcasm

All three of Job’s friends have spoken, and now it is his turn to speak again (v. l). Though he was in pain, he could still think. He opens with a sarcastic reference to the comments of all three visitors and accuses them of talking as if all wisdom began and ended with them (v. 2). He states that they didn’t need to explain God to him, because what they said was nothing that he didn’t know (v. 3). By doing so they grieved him and made him the “laughing stock” (v. 4). After all, he had called on God in the past, and God had responded. Job was convinced that it is easy for those who are not suffering to lose sight of the possibility of a righteous man suffering (vv. 5-6).

Job continues to chide his accusers by arguing that their knowledge was not a superior knowledge, but a knowledge anyone could gain (vv. 7-25). This is a position many people take today, even many Christian people. His friends never brought him to the place where he said as Paul said, “ For by the grace of God I am what I am” (I Cor. 15:10). The whole creation knew that life was in the hands of God (vv. 7-11). Job raises the issue of whether “wisdom and understanding may be with him as well as with the aged” (v. 12). He declared that wisdom is also with God (vv. 13-15). Not only did Job acknowledge God’s control over the natural realm, but, he states His sovereignty over men (vv. 16-21). This reflects the fact that God controls the destiny of all men (v.16), strips “counselors” of their wisdom, and denies “judges” the ability to make just decisions (v. 17). The religious and national leaders are made weak by Him (vv. 18-19). The understanding of the elder leader is taken away (vv. 20-21), No one can resist His power;  even the nations are subject to Him (vv. 22-25).

Application

I need to be careful about using sarcasm if it tears down the character of another person.

Job 12:1-25 (English Standard Version)


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