Confused About Job's Three Friends

[Lalas]

Can those with more Biblical knowledge and/ or theological understanding help me understand why God was angry with Job's three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar? My basic understanding about his friends is that while they did the "right thing" by showing up at his house to commiserate with Job, they didn't give godly advice and somehow that angered God.

What Eliphaz initially said to Job was something along the lines of "The innocent are not usually punished by God" (Job 4:7) implying that maybe Job wasn't entirely innocent. Bildad, his other friend, said something along the lines of "If you seek God and plead for mercy then God will restore you" (Job 8:5-6) which doesn't sound like a bad advice. The third friend, Zophar, said something along the lines of "You claim to be clean before God's eyes but if God were to reveal all the secrets of wisdom then God could show you your guilt!" (Job 11:4-6) which could be true enough.

And while I commend Job for being "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1) in the eyes of God, who is to say He was perfectly sinless? He couldn't have been perfect as he was only human. The only person we know who was perfect in every way was Jesus, not Job. Who could have ascertained 100% that Job didn't have pride in his heart, per se, for all his initial great success and wealth? Or that he might have had unconfessed sin which he eventually resolved with God but that sin was still present until he confessed it? And it seems he even worried about the possibility of his children cursing God in their hearts so he made burnt offering as a sacrifice to God as a result (Job 1:5).

His friends' advice might not have been perfect, yet they sound very similar to the advice that we Christians give to other believers when we deem they are appropriate to give. Plus, their advice sounds more "solid" to me than what Job's wife said to him when she said "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). Job immediately rebuked her, of course, but I don't see in the Scripture that God was particularly angry with her when she said that. Or was He?

So what gives? Should we be wary of giving counsel and advice to fellow Christians lest we bring God's wrath or judgment into our lives? Or am I missing something here? What do you think about Job's three friends?

 

[Lalas]

The fact is God does want us to know Him in very personal way and it is okay for us to ask questions to help us accomplish this.

I've shared this a few times on this site before but a few years ago I was listening to an audio version of the Bible from cover to cover. Something I do every year starting in January. This particular year as I was listening, I kept hearing a common theme over and over grabbing my attention. It inspired me to do a little study and I learned that there were over 100 references in the Old Testament of God declaring who He is. Phrases like, "I am your Shield” or "I am your salvation" or “I am the Lord” or “I am Almighty God” or "I am God" and similar others. Then I searched and found over 130 references of God saying things like, "So you will know that I am God" or "So they will know I am the Lord" or "Know Me" and similar others.

I say keep asking, keep searching, keep knocking for Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV

WIP, indeed, God enjoys having an intimate relationship with us. He wants us to know Him better by seeking His presence and wisdom. Yes, I will continue to ask, seek, and knock. Much joy comes from knowing the Lord.

It's pretty cool that you listen to the audio version of the Bible every year!

 

[Fastfredy0]

Can those with more Biblical knowledge and/ or theological understanding help me understand why God was angry with Job's three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar?

I think you answered your question below:

"My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

I don't know what lesson one should take from this. Obviously, one should speak correctly about God but we are finite creatures and bound to make mistakes describing the infinite. I don't think the remedy is to not speak of God as we are told to evangelize. (Aside: there's so much disagreement on this forum that God would be SUPER TICKED at all of us for representing Him incorrectly)
If God had not said the 3 guys had done something wrong, I would say they were right to give advice as best they could (I assume their motives were good).

What lesson do I get out of this ... don't question God's motives. There is no external influence that determines His actions (Job 22:2, Job 41:11, Job 35:7; Job 23:13). God's essence determines what He will do and His ultimate purpose is to display His glory and for His pleasure (Isaiah 43:21; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 43:7). The purpose of creation is God and not man. When Job asks God why, God doesn't answer directly ... He simply humbles Job (Job 42:3).
Similarly, in Romans God deals with the question of the existence of sin and says: Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?

My 2 cents

 

[Lalas]

I think you answered your question below:


I don't know what lesson one should take from this. Obviously, one should speak correctly about God but we are finite creatures and bound to make mistakes describing the infinite. I don't think the remedy is to not speak of God as we are told to evangelize. (Aside: there's so much disagreement on this forum that God would be SUPER TICKED at all of us for representing Him incorrectly)
If God had not said the 3 guys had done something wrong, I would say they were right to give advice as best they could (I assume their motives were good).

What lesson do I get out of this ... don't question God's motives. There is no external influence that determines His actions (Job 22:2, Job 41:11, Job 35:7; Job 23:13). God's essence determines what He will do and His ultimate purpose is to display His glory and for His pleasure (Isaiah 43:21; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 43:7). The purpose of creation is God and not man. When Job asks God why, God doesn't answer directly ... He simply humbles Job (Job 42:3).
Similarly, in Romans God deals with the question of the existence of sin and says: Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?

My 2 cents

Fastfredy0, indeed it would be an impossible thing for us finite creatures to try to understand the infinite God when we are so limited in our understanding of God. Yet, it is still worth trying if by doing so we become closer to Him. You pretty much said something similar to what WIP said when you mentioned "Don't question God's motives". Who are we to question or doubt God's decisions? We are but mere vassals of the Lord, though privileged in the sense that we are so loved by God.

Yet, I am curious to know more of God and to "see" into the personality of God, if God has a personality like we do and if it can be studied at all within the confines of our earthly wisdom. God being the Holy Trinity and of the Spirit I conjecture maybe God doesn't have the same personality "makeup" that we humans do. But does the Bible not say that we were created in the image of God? (Genesis 1:27) If so, there must be some deep and divine layer within ourselves that must reflect the very essence of God. The sentient part of us, for instance, could be precisely that because it allows us to have intimacy with God. But then, I'm not 100% sure.

I find it very interesting when you say that "There is no external influence that determines His [God's] actions" but when I was reading Job I was under the impression that it was Satan who somehow convinced God that it was a good idea to test Job (Job 1:9-12). Clearly, the decision was ultimately up to God. However, would God have derived at that conclusion on His own had Satan not made the suggestion in the first place? Hmm.

If God cannot be influenced by external influences, or that He prefers not to be influenced in that regard, what then would enable Him to have said "Yes" to Satan's suggestions? Do you think God has a dualistic nature that allows Him to be perfectly good while allowing this other half, the opposite of perfect goodness, to co-exist within His control?

 

[Fastfredy0]

Yet, it is still worth trying if by doing so we become closer to Him.

Definitely. I more than once ask God for forgiveness for my conclusions about Him that are incorrect.

But does the Bible not say that we were created in the image of God? (Genesis 1:27)

The Image of God is a maligned term IMO. Most people don't understand it IMO. Maybe I don't either. I just wrote a post about what the Image of God is referring to the 3 verses that clarify the term to some degree. See https://christianforums.net/threads/ok-lets-discuss-the-options.97745/page-2#post-1779436 (post #37) if you're bored enough to read it.

Yet, I am curious to know more of God and to "see" into the personality of God, if God has a personality like we do and if it can be studied at all within the confines of our earthly wisdom. God being the Holy Trinity and of the Spirit I conjecture maybe God doesn't have the same personality "makeup" that we humans do.

Agreed. Theologians say God is knowable but incomprehensible. Isaiah 55:8-9

I find it very interesting when you say that "There is no external influence that determines His [God's] actions" but when I was reading Job I was under the impression that it was Satan who somehow convinced God that it was a good idea to test Job (Job 1:9-12). Clearly, the decision was ultimately up to God. However, would God have derived at that conclusion on His own had Satan not made the suggestion in the first place? Hmm.

Well, this leads to a deeper level. Many questions about God can be answered by going through His attributes like immutable, eternal, all knowing, all wise, righteous, loving, hating/wrath. Can we answered your question from these attributes? Since God is All Knowing He cannot learn and therefore He will not learn from anyone. Since He is immutable His knowledge cannot change so He cannot learn from anyone.

If God cannot be influenced by external influences, or that He prefers not to be influenced in that regard, what then would enable Him to have said "Yes" to Satan's suggestions?

I suggest it's like a script God has always had and He plays it out at a super-dumb level so we can learn. The script says: Satan ask this ... then the script says: God will answer this .... then the script says: Job will do this
... if you want to go deeper .... God invented time; time and eternity are two different things, God entire essence currently exists in every place and every point of time and thus His name is "I AM" and He says things like 1,000 years is like a day and a day is like 1,000 years.
My guess at an incomprehensible God.

Do you think God has a dualistic nature that allows Him to be perfectly good while allowing this other half, the opposite of perfect goodness, to co-exist within His control?

... ah, no ... no dualism.
Sounds like you're inquiring about God and the problem of the existence of evil. That's a big matzo ball .. I'll just say: The glory of God, not the happiness of the creature, is the true theodicy of sin.

Hmmm, you seem intelligent and articulate .... an oddity on the forum....

 

[rdclmn72]

Job is about understanding why the righteous suffer through no fault of their own.
Job's friends were limited in that they could not conceive of this truth, they represent the sum of what was then known.
In their eyes Job could only be in his situation because of sin.
Halfway through the story a young man joins them and takes God's position. He speaks and disappears when God begins to speak. A young man with God's message, an angel.

 

[miamited]

Hi Lalas

Can those with more Biblical knowledge and/ or theological understanding help me understand why God was angry with Job's three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar?

Just jumped on board here and I don't know if anyone's already given the answer, but I believe it was because they were sure that Job's guilt for sin was why he was being punished by God.

1. It had nothing to do with Job's guilt. In fact, God chose Job for Satan to torment for the very reason that his faith was strong. God knew that.

2. None of the punishment was of God. It was of Satan. God had only given him permission to test his servant, but everything that happened to torment him came from the mind and work of Satan.

So, Jobs three friends were wrong and were not telling the truth about God. God doesn't like people to not tell the truth about Him.

God bless,
Ted

 

[miamited]

After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.

 

[eddif]

Lalas OPer
Jobs friends had messed up theology.

Job 4:6 kjv
6. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

How are we saved? By grace through faith.

Jesus died for our sins.
1 Peter 2:24

The friends all had wrong theology. The thing is we hear the same theology today. So their wrong statements zoom past us.
Job gave the correct answers. Job just lacked being able to see theology in creation.

As you read Job compare his answer to his statements.

For instance the friends think the ungodly suffer. King David said the ungodly have no problems.
(Many are the trials of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all).

Mississippi redneck
eddif

 

[gordon777]

Highway54, are you suggesting that I inadvertently answered my own questions? Lol. Perhaps those three men were at fault for not being able to provide godly advice to Job but if so, it would be something which God could point out for correction (and He did, thankfully) but were those men deserving of such wrath from God? Hmm, I guess in God's terms He'd know each of those men well and whatever He determines to be wrong would be wrong without question. But still, I have always been a little stumped by God's reaction in the book of Job.

It is not a difficult thing to understand, that the advice that Adam and Eve received, was from a wise serpent....


Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.




The book of Job is no different to all the books of the bible in that regard, what adviser was good enough to stop the Hebrews from being delivered into Babylon, to stop them being all damned ? What was done by anyone, to stop all men dying ?

The answer is none, because it is summed up for all to understand, that in Adam all die, and all in Christ all shall be made alive. ( that is the one advisor who is not a thief and robber.)



John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.




The wise serpent and wise serpents deceive, and the way they deceive is simple, by anyone not hearing God. ( as Adam and Eve are example of not trusting in the Lord God only.)

Israel did not trust in the Lord only, ( to receive correction.) they had many false prophets to deceive them. ( destroyed/into exile for that)


Isaiah 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

Zephaniah 3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.




The three friends of Job, as I had said already, are another example of wise advise, yet, of not actually saying the right thing, that the servant Job knew of the Lord, that is the difference.




Another example is the lack of kindness the three friends had to offer, because as I also said, the way for edification, ( understanding) is through love. ( charity which is kind.)

Job answers this correction to the three friends, how if they were in trouble, Job would strengthen them with his mouth, to help their grief. ( not add to it, as those three did/condemned)



Job 16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

 

[gordon777]

WIP, maybe that is one of the poignant lessons we all need to take from the story of Job? Learn to acknowledge and support in silence when someone is suffering? Maybe text-based advice ought to be reserved for a time and place after the grieving stage has passed? Perhaps it wouldn't be wrong to say that God understands us most intimately to know that we sometimes need to grieve and go through the full stages of grief properly before everything else can be re-established?

That was not the lesson from Job, support came through what Job has answered he would do, not to be silent, that is the grave.


Psalm 31:17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

Job 16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

 

[gordon777]

I guess going back to God's wrath on Job's three friends, okay, so you're saying His wrath was "kindled" because they couldn't provide the right answer and somehow these friends condemned Job even though he was innocent? So it was lack of empathy on their part that made God angry with them then? Judging by how eloquently these friends spoke, I gather these friends of his were learned, scholarly men. I could be wrong, of course, but their words sounded fancy to my ears. Do you think God demanded more from these men as a result? That a certain standard of excellence was greatly required of these three friends, yet they failed God by not responding righteously as Job had done? In the same way, does God require more from those who study His word and have known Him and served Him longer than those who are what I'd call "baby Christians"? Would God's admonishment be greater against those who have followed Christ for a long time?

What Jobs three friends spoke, was always right, correct information, ( it is in the New Testament) but what is missing is the right words at the right time.

What life did Jobs three friends offer in their message, what wholesome words, how was giving knowledge ( as the three friends gave a lot of) have any purpose ?

That is why Job sums them up as speaking vanity. This is what stops people being able to speak to God. If they stop speaking vanity, then the Lord will be their guide continually.




Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Proverbs 15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:


Job 16:3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

Isaiah 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.




But now, satan is at his most, ( entirely in all teachers on earth) and not only speaking great swelling words of vanity is done no stop by all, it is what all want now too.



2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

2 Peter 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

Jude 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

 

[gordon777]

gordon777, so you are suggesting that it was the lack of tender loving as epitomized by Christ that made God angry with Job's three friends. While they had the intellectual understanding of godliness and/ or godly living, per se, they didn't implement what they had learned when they reached out to Job. They didn't practice compassion in their hearts and lacked sensitivity of the matter, even though they probably had the capacity, the learning, the education, the upbringing, and the right influences in their lives to think, speak, live, and obey as Job had done? All were given the same (or similar) opportunity but out of those four men only Job responded righteously and correctly which pleased God.

Yes, 1 Corinthians 13:2 certainly comes to mind here, and you are right to address this as well. All understanding and knowledge come to nothing when they are devoid of God's love. This actually makes more sense now.

The book of Job is an example, it has nothing to do with Jobs three friends. God is angry with the wicked all of the time.


Psalm 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.



Every advisor that misleads people, are the wicked, the three friends of Job are an example of giving advice in vanity, it is an example of the wisdom of this world, that comes to nothing and is for foolishness.

What was missing was purpose, not just the tender loving, and that tender loving could not be in Jobs three friends, because it is in Christ for the world.


Notice below ( everyone) that the tenderheartedness we can now have, is because of the forgiveness that God gave for Christ's sake, this is the tender mercy of God visiting us, this completes the example of the patience of Job, because we see ( to all now) that the Lord is very pitiful to us, and of tender mercy, so we can believe in the love of God to lay His life down for us.)


Luke 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

[gordon777]

Yes, I concur that the Lord chastises those whom He loves. One could even suggest that because God loved those three friends of Job, He decided to show them mercy (I'm sure He could have zapped them if God so desired and believed they were somehow unworthy to be spared). He showed them the right way to be forgiven-- to offer burnt offering and to have Job pray for them.

In this sense, I wonder if Job is kind of like a metaphorical precursor to Christ? Those three friends of Job needed a mediator to pray for them on their behalf. Likewise, we need Jesus to be the ultimate mediator who can reconcile us to God. It's neat to think that through the story of Job, which is about suffering in a nutshell, God was also "painting" a story of something bigger and greater, that would take place later in history. It's cool to imagine that God's creativity and meticulous nature were expressed even in the story of Job!

No you are mixing the purpose of Gods chastening on Job here.


Job was chastened, because of the fruit produced by what he endures.

The three friends of Job are persecuting him, they have a wrong token.

Job is instructed by God to pray for the three friends, because the three friends are included in this ensample.

If people are not included in what the book of Job reveals, ( the wicked who remain wicked) they continue to be as Job three friends, never receiving correction, ( it comes through chastening) and they are NOT SONS.



Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.



Further word on this is how Jesus, does not pray for the world of the wicked, but for those who the Father gives Him. ( such as Job.) and for the Father to keep them from the evil. ( through His Spirit, through the chastening we saw only on Job.)

The rest of the world remains in wickedness.



John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

 

[gordon777]

The very thing that went wrong in the example of the book of Job, is happening here.

Even Job was silent in ashes:


Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.



Do we now accept advice from people who claim, this or that way, and make a mockery out of the very purpose of the book of Job which we saw, how the only correct answer was silence from Job at the end ?


Job never said the advise the three friends gave was incorrect, in fact he says he could speak words as they do and heard these words before. ( meaning, the words they said were in correct knowledge)

Do the ungodly suffer, yes they do, but they have an ungodly helper to give them all this world can give. ( Matthew 4:8.)

Do the righteous suffer, yes they do, their help is from the Lord, and now as I stated earlier, before it was understood the more you receive the more you are blessed, Philippians 3:7. ( Job gained double at the end. Job 42:12.) But now, as seen in Christ and the Apostles, loss is gain, and just how Job lost all, is how the few/remnant are.



Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.



Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

 

[gordon777]

I think this is a perfect time for everybody ( including me) to be silent, I do not need to answer any more questions on the forum, or involve in vanity in the theology forum any longer.

 

[eddif]

What Jobs three friends spoke, was always right, correct information, ( it is in the New Testament) but what is missing is the right words at the right time.

Lalas OPer
Consider this:
Job 42:7 kjv
7. And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

We should always press forward to the high calling in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 kjv
14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Mississippi redneck
eddif

 

[Highway54]

Highway54, are you suggesting that I inadvertently answered my own questions? Lol. Perhaps those three men were at fault for not being able to provide godly advice to Job but if so, it would be something which God could point out for correction (and He did, thankfully) but were those men deserving of such wrath from God? Hmm, I guess in God's terms He'd know each of those men well and whatever He determines to be wrong would be wrong without question. But still, I have always been a little stumped by God's reaction in the book of Job.

Yes sir I did, because you did. But I will say as you said, God was not pleased with them, but I do believe they were honestly Job's friends who were genuinely concerned about him, and wanted to be of help to him, but in their human imperfection fell short. Similar to Peter who was genuinely concerned for his beloved close friend Jesus, which spurned Jesus to tell him to get behind me satan. Not what Peter expected to hear when he was trying to comfort and console Jesus.

 

[eddif]

Can those with more Biblical knowledge and/ or theological understanding help me understand why God was angry with Job's three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar? My basic understanding about his friends is that while they did the "right thing" by showing up at his house to commiserate with Job, they didn't give godly advice and somehow that angered God.

What Eliphaz initially said to Job was something along the lines of "The innocent are not usually punished by God" (Job 4:7) implying that maybe Job wasn't entirely innocent. Bildad, his other friend, said something along the lines of "If you seek God and plead for mercy then God will restore you" (Job 8:5-6) which doesn't sound like a bad advice. The third friend, Zophar, said something along the lines of "You claim to be clean before God's eyes but if God were to reveal all the secrets of wisdom then God could show you your guilt!" (Job 11:4-6) which could be true enough.

And while I commend Job for being "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1) in the eyes of God, who is to say He was perfectly sinless? He couldn't have been perfect as he was only human. The only person we know who was perfect in every way was Jesus, not Job. Who could have ascertained 100% that Job didn't have pride in his heart, per se, for all his initial great success and wealth? Or that he might have had unconfessed sin which he eventually resolved with God but that sin was still present until he confessed it? And it seems he even worried about the possibility of his children cursing God in their hearts so he made burnt offering as a sacrifice to God as a result (Job 1:5).

His friends' advice might not have been perfect, yet they sound very similar to the advice that we Christians give to other believers when we deem they are appropriate to give. Plus, their advice sounds more "solid" to me than what Job's wife said to him when she said "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). Job immediately rebuked her, of course, but I don't see in the Scripture that God was particularly angry with her when she said that. Or was He?

So what gives? Should we be wary of giving counsel and advice to fellow Christians lest we bring God's wrath or judgment into our lives? Or am I missing something here? What do you think about Job's three friends?

Lalas OPer
An interesting thing about the book of Job.

If we understand that the friends did not speak what was correct, then we can know today what the correct theology is. That may seem strange to use OT to understand today, but ……

The friends carnal thoughts were replaced by Gods thoughts through Job and creation.

After learning that Jobs friends were wrong, it is really time to go to the beginning of the Friends conversations and carefully examine every statement. Jobs answers are correct, but really difficult to follow. Not impossible to follow. When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us through the book, it is a treasure.

Forums today debate the concepts covered in the book of Job. I hope we continue in the questions and get correct answers. The friends ask Job questions and he answers as a man.

Elihu answers as an authority, and is put off /ignored by God.

What got you started on the book of Job? (If I might ask). You do not have to answer. I would be kind of bashful to tell why I have put so much time studying Job.

Mississippi redneck
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Similar to Peter who was genuinely concerned for his beloved close friend Jesus, which spurned Jesus to tell him to get behind me satan. Not what Peter expected to hear when he was trying to comfort and console Jesus.

Lalas OPer
Consider this:
Matthew 16:22 kjv
22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

This was about the suffering Jesus was to go through.

Satan can influence us to give wrong theology. Of course the Holy Spirit has come since Peters rebuke of Jesus. (comfort is a King James word meaning direct actions ?)
Today we think comfort is a pat on the back. Thy rod and staff they comfort me. Peter got the whack from the rod, and not the staff drawing him closer.

We know Satan was in the background involved in all this Job stuff.

Mississippi redneck
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Again. Lalas OPer
Theology is an issue in Job.

In the Garden the serpent asked a question to ultimately try to draw Eve away from the truth. The friends conversation could have drawn Job astray, but it seems it did not.

Mississippi redneck
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