May 26, 2010 Job 12:13-16:10

Job continued speaking and told Zophar that God is the real source of wisdom and strength. He can hold back the rain or send a flood. He can bring the mighty low and confuse the wise. Job told them he understood what they understood. He told them they were useless doctors who treated him with lies. He told them the wisest thing they could do is listen and keep quiet; that if God were there He would correct them. Job told them he was responsible for what happened to him and that he would continue to trust God. He told them if they could prove him guilty, he would give up and die. Then he prayed, and asked two things of God. First he asked God to stop torturing him, second, he asked him to show him what he had done wrong. Job continued praying and in his prayer, he described the shortness of life. Job understood how fragile life is.

Then Eliphaz took another stab at an argument. Still trying to get Job to see that his real problem was that he sinned somehow, Eliphaz continued by describing the ways people fool themselves. He even asked him why he was angry at God. Then he continued with descriptions of dire consequences for shaking one's fist at God.

Then Job replied that he had heard many things such as those. He complained to his friends about their long-winded speeches. He told them he would be a better friend to them than they were being to him. He lamented that speaking didn't relieve his discomfort and remaining silent didn't help either. Job began to see his true opponent, Satan. Men jeered, slapped his face and gathered against him.

Tomorrow read Job 16:11-20:11