II. ZOPHAR’S BLIND ARGUMENT
In chapter eleven we have Zophar’s blind argument.
A. Zophar Being the Third One to Answer Job
in the First Round of Their Debates
Zophar was the third one to answer Job in the first round of their debates (v. 1).
B. Feeling That Job Was Too Vindictive
Zophar felt that Job was too vindictive, that his doctrine was not pure, that he was not clean in God’s eyes, and that God had forgotten some of his iniquity (vv. 2-6).
C. Teaching Job That
God the Almighty Is Unlimited
Zophar taught Job that God the Almighty is unlimited, higher than heaven, deeper than Sheol, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. No one can stop Him from judging the man of falsehood, iniquity, and the man empty of intelligence (vv. 7-12).
In verse 12 Zophar said, "An empty-headed man acquires intelligence/When the foal of a wild ass is born as a man." This surely was not a word of fellowship or of lovingkindness. Zophar was saying that Job was an empty-headed man, a person altogether lacking intelligence. In his despising and even sarcastic speaking here, Zophar went so far as to liken Job to a foal of a donkey without any intelligence. It is no wonder that Job blamed his friends for not showing any lovingkindness to him.
D. Teaching Job about Setting His Heart Right
and Stretching His Hands Out to God
Zophar also taught Job that if he would set his heart right and stretch his hands out to God, and if he put iniquity far away from his hand and did not let wrong dwell in his tents, then he would lift up his face without blemish and would be steadfast and not be afraid. He would forget misery, and his time would rise more brightly than the noonday, or, though dark, it would still be like the morning. He would be secure with hope and lie down without being terrified. But the eyes of the wicked will fail, the way to flee will be lost to them, and their hope will be to end their breathing (vv. 13-20). Such was the teaching that Zophar gave to Job.
Zophar was absolutely blind in the comprehension of man’s standing before God, and his argument was altogether based on man’s natural concept in the realm of ethics, without any enlightenment of the divine revelation regarding what man should be to God.
(Life-Study of Job, Chapter 8, by Witness Lee)
