ophar reproves Job. (1-6) God's perfections and almighty
power. (7-12) Zophar assures Job of blessings if he repented.
(13-20)
Verses 1-6: Zophar attacked Job with great vehemence. He represented
him as a man that loved to hear himself speak, though he could
say nothing to the purpose, and as a man that maintained
falsehoods. He desired God would show Job that less punishment
was exacted than he deserved. We are ready, with much assurance,
to call God to act in our quarrels, and to think that if he
would but speak, he would take our part. We ought to leave all
disputes to the judgment of God, which we are sure is according
to truth; but those are not always right who are most forward to
appeal to the Divine judgment.
Verses 7-12: Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and
glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what
man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain
man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is
born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man
is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud
creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought
so, though he will not submit to the laws of wisdom. He would be
wise, he reaches after forbidden wisdom, and, like his first
parents, aiming to be wise above what is written, loses the tree
of life for the tree of knowledge. Is such a creature as this
fit to contend with God?
Verses 13-20: Zophar exhorts Job to repentance, and gives him
encouragement, yet mixed with hard thoughts of him. He thought
that worldly prosperity was always the lot of the righteous, and
that Job was to be deemed a hypocrite unless his prosperity was
restored. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; that
is, thou mayst come boldly to the throne of grace, and not with
the terror and amazement expressed in ch. (9:34). If we are
looked upon in the face of the Anointed, our faces that were
cast down may be lifted up; though polluted, being now washed
with the blood of Christ, they may be lifted up without spot. We
may draw near in full assurance of faith, when we are sprinkled
from an evil conscience, (Heb 10:22).
ophar reproves Job. (1-6) God's perfections and almighty
power. (7-12) Zophar assures Job of blessings if he repented.
(13-20)