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Chapter 11 .
Zophar Speaks;
“If no one will speak up and silence this talker, then I will. How can you dare to banter with God and tell him that you are pure in his sight.
How I wish God would speak,, and tell you something about wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. He could show you the other hidden side of the coin. Perhaps he would tell you about your sins which you obviously cannot see and therefore you think don’t exist. I guarantee that there are so many that God has forgotten some. “How can you understand why God has done this, indeed how can you understand any of his mysteries. They are higher than the heavens and deeper than the seas. Whatever He does to you, you can’t say it’s wrong. If He puts you in prison you can be sure you are guilty. So stretch out your hands to Him and ask forgiveness, He will surely change your situation and all this will be water under the bridge. This is your only hope, for the wicked who don’t repent, are without hope’’.
Chapters 12 - 14.
Job’s Fourth Speech.
When it comes to wisdom, you chaps take the biscuit. You’ve got the lot. So you seem to think. You talk as though you are the repository of wisdom. When you die, it sounds as though wisdom will die as well, for you have it all ! But I know all that you know. In fact everyone knows what you know. You look down on me, just as everyone looks down on me, simply because of my misfortune. That’s how life is, people always look down on the misfortunate, especially if they themselves are at ease. They laugh at me because I am the man who believes that God answers prayer, but I am the one who is suffering while the wicked are undisturbed as they go about their evil ways. Although you would think that what they do would provoke God into action against them. But it does not. Yet God in his wisdom and power has acted against me. You say that this is not true, but you could ask the birds or the fish, and they would tell you that everything that happens on this earth is done by the hand of God. In his hand is the life of every creature. (He’s got the tiny little baby in His hands.) If the dumb animals have such knowledge, then we who have lived so long with human intelligence surely have acquired equal wisdom, to know such things.
I have seen throughout my years, how helpless man has been against the acts of God. What He tears down, none can rebuild, He causes floods and droughts. No matter what position of power a man may have, God can reverse their position just as he wishes, Counsellors, Judges, Kings, Priests, Elders, and Nobles can all be humbled and made to look foolish by the hand of God. Nations also are subject to his power. Leaders of nations can be turned into mad men, groping about like drunks in the dark.
I know that God can do such things and I have seen him do such things throughout my life, and He has totally reversed my position of respect and authority. All I want to know is why he has done it to me. You reason the case for God by making false accusations against me. God knows what you are saying is false. (I am not saying that God hasn’t the right or power to do as He wishes, for He always does as He wishes, but I also believe that there must be a very good reason for Him doing such things to me and I simply desire to know why, in his infinite wisdom He has done this.)
If you are trying to comfort me then you are a joke. If you were doctors you would be quacks, with quack medicines. As for wisdom, the wisest thing you could do would be to shut up. (I’ve seen more wisdom on a toothbrush.)
When you speak for God, you show partiality. You know, I know and God knows that partiality is not just, and in God’s sight is wickedness. ( God does not thank you for defending Him, He does not need you to defend Him, especially with lies.)
Would that the tables were turned on you and God tried you. His legal splendour alone would terrify you. He would soon see through your lies and falsehoods. The things you say in defence against my arguments would prove to be defences of clay. I am so sure of my righteousness that I would willingly take my case before Him, for I know He is a just and righteous God. I know also that He has the power to wipe me out quite arbitrarily, but even then I believe I would still have a future hope..
In fact my desire to defend my case face to face may turn out to prove my innocence because no godless or guilty person would surely think he had a chance to fool God. I maintain that God can find no-one who can charge me with having done anything wrong. If He can then I will shut up and accept my penalty.
So I call upon you, O God and ask two things. Take away these terrors with which you are frightening me, and then call me to stand before you. Then show me what I have done wrong against you. Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?
You blow me about like a leaf in the wind, but why would you want to be bothered with the dead and dry. like chaff. Is it that you now are making me pay for the sins of my childhood? Have you been after me since then? Have you kept tags on me by placing marks on the soles of my feet? Why do you bother, for I am just like any other man. We grow old and waste away like rotten vegetables or like an old rag eaten by moths. We live lives full of trouble and though we have our days of flowering, we soon wither away like a passing shadow. Will you bring such a useless being before you for judgement. What do you expect of man? There’s no way he can be anything approaching what would satisfy you. You have already numbered his days, so you have him well under control, so why don’t you leave me alone. Count me as a boss looks on his worker. Wait till I have finished the job and have knocked off as it were, from this life. Then you can get me out of your way. For man has no hope after death. A tree cut down may sprout new branches, but when a man dies he is like a dried up river bed, with no hope of life.
If only I could hope for future life after death. If only the grave was a kind of temporary hiding place, then you could call me from the grave. Perhaps leaving me there for a set time and then remembering me. Is that possible ? Is that what you will do? Will man live again? Surely you will long to see your creatures again? ( Yes, in my spirit I believe you will.)
I will wait for you to revive and renew me. You will call me to yourself. You will remember my days without recalling my sins. My sins you will cover up by sealing them in a bag. (Man without sin in your presence) If that is not to be true, then man has nothing to live for, and you made him without purpose. At death you will destroy him once and for all and remove from his face this one glimmer of hope that he might hold on to. Otherwise he sees no plan or purpose in this life that you have created.
It is not sufficient for Him to think that his only purpose in life is to produce more life. For what if he leaves sons after him who are honoured, he won’t know anything about that will he? All he will have known is the life of pain that he has known. So, I don't see any great plan or purpose of life, in that.
Zophar Speaks;
“If no one will speak up and silence this talker, then I will. How can you dare to banter with God and tell him that you are pure in his sight.
How I wish God would speak,, and tell you something about wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. He could show you the other hidden side of the coin. Perhaps he would tell you about your sins which you obviously cannot see and therefore you think don’t exist. I guarantee that there are so many that God has forgotten some. “How can you understand why God has done this, indeed how can you understand any of his mysteries. They are higher than the heavens and deeper than the seas. Whatever He does to you, you can’t say it’s wrong. If He puts you in prison you can be sure you are guilty. So stretch out your hands to Him and ask forgiveness, He will surely change your situation and all this will be water under the bridge. This is your only hope, for the wicked who don’t repent, are without hope’’.
Chapters 12 - 14.
Job’s Fourth Speech.
When it comes to wisdom, you chaps take the biscuit. You’ve got the lot. So you seem to think. You talk as though you are the repository of wisdom. When you die, it sounds as though wisdom will die as well, for you have it all ! But I know all that you know. In fact everyone knows what you know. You look down on me, just as everyone looks down on me, simply because of my misfortune. That’s how life is, people always look down on the misfortunate, especially if they themselves are at ease. They laugh at me because I am the man who believes that God answers prayer, but I am the one who is suffering while the wicked are undisturbed as they go about their evil ways. Although you would think that what they do would provoke God into action against them. But it does not. Yet God in his wisdom and power has acted against me. You say that this is not true, but you could ask the birds or the fish, and they would tell you that everything that happens on this earth is done by the hand of God. In his hand is the life of every creature. (He’s got the tiny little baby in His hands.) If the dumb animals have such knowledge, then we who have lived so long with human intelligence surely have acquired equal wisdom, to know such things.
I have seen throughout my years, how helpless man has been against the acts of God. What He tears down, none can rebuild, He causes floods and droughts. No matter what position of power a man may have, God can reverse their position just as he wishes, Counsellors, Judges, Kings, Priests, Elders, and Nobles can all be humbled and made to look foolish by the hand of God. Nations also are subject to his power. Leaders of nations can be turned into mad men, groping about like drunks in the dark.
I know that God can do such things and I have seen him do such things throughout my life, and He has totally reversed my position of respect and authority. All I want to know is why he has done it to me. You reason the case for God by making false accusations against me. God knows what you are saying is false. (I am not saying that God hasn’t the right or power to do as He wishes, for He always does as He wishes, but I also believe that there must be a very good reason for Him doing such things to me and I simply desire to know why, in his infinite wisdom He has done this.)
If you are trying to comfort me then you are a joke. If you were doctors you would be quacks, with quack medicines. As for wisdom, the wisest thing you could do would be to shut up. (I’ve seen more wisdom on a toothbrush.)
When you speak for God, you show partiality. You know, I know and God knows that partiality is not just, and in God’s sight is wickedness. ( God does not thank you for defending Him, He does not need you to defend Him, especially with lies.)
Would that the tables were turned on you and God tried you. His legal splendour alone would terrify you. He would soon see through your lies and falsehoods. The things you say in defence against my arguments would prove to be defences of clay. I am so sure of my righteousness that I would willingly take my case before Him, for I know He is a just and righteous God. I know also that He has the power to wipe me out quite arbitrarily, but even then I believe I would still have a future hope..
In fact my desire to defend my case face to face may turn out to prove my innocence because no godless or guilty person would surely think he had a chance to fool God. I maintain that God can find no-one who can charge me with having done anything wrong. If He can then I will shut up and accept my penalty.
So I call upon you, O God and ask two things. Take away these terrors with which you are frightening me, and then call me to stand before you. Then show me what I have done wrong against you. Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?
You blow me about like a leaf in the wind, but why would you want to be bothered with the dead and dry. like chaff. Is it that you now are making me pay for the sins of my childhood? Have you been after me since then? Have you kept tags on me by placing marks on the soles of my feet? Why do you bother, for I am just like any other man. We grow old and waste away like rotten vegetables or like an old rag eaten by moths. We live lives full of trouble and though we have our days of flowering, we soon wither away like a passing shadow. Will you bring such a useless being before you for judgement. What do you expect of man? There’s no way he can be anything approaching what would satisfy you. You have already numbered his days, so you have him well under control, so why don’t you leave me alone. Count me as a boss looks on his worker. Wait till I have finished the job and have knocked off as it were, from this life. Then you can get me out of your way. For man has no hope after death. A tree cut down may sprout new branches, but when a man dies he is like a dried up river bed, with no hope of life.
If only I could hope for future life after death. If only the grave was a kind of temporary hiding place, then you could call me from the grave. Perhaps leaving me there for a set time and then remembering me. Is that possible ? Is that what you will do? Will man live again? Surely you will long to see your creatures again? ( Yes, in my spirit I believe you will.)
I will wait for you to revive and renew me. You will call me to yourself. You will remember my days without recalling my sins. My sins you will cover up by sealing them in a bag. (Man without sin in your presence) If that is not to be true, then man has nothing to live for, and you made him without purpose. At death you will destroy him once and for all and remove from his face this one glimmer of hope that he might hold on to. Otherwise he sees no plan or purpose in this life that you have created.
It is not sufficient for Him to think that his only purpose in life is to produce more life. For what if he leaves sons after him who are honoured, he won’t know anything about that will he? All he will have known is the life of pain that he has known. So, I don't see any great plan or purpose of life, in that.
