Job 12
Job replies to Zophar with a nice bit of sarcasm right out of the gate: No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (v. 2) That is, “Wow! You guys really are smart! When you die, what will the world do without you? Wisdom will be lost for all time without you!” He then reminds them that he also has understanding and is not inferior to them; in fact, their brilliant “wisdom” is just common knowledge. (Job 12:3) Even so, although Job is a just and blameless man, he is nevertheless now a laughingstock. (v. 4) And although Job’s friends can blithely conclude that Job has brought that upon himself, he instead finds it to be a worldview-shattering contradiction.
In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. (v. 5) How true that statement is! We see it clearly in Job’s friends who sit in comfort condemning poor Job, with no real sympathy or compassion, just a self-righteous contempt. And we see it all around us as elitists scorn those “below” them and “cancel” any with whom they find fault. There are plenty of examples in the political arena (on any side), in the famous and the infamous, and in our own neighborhoods. Do we do the same?
Job sees that everything — including his suffering — is under God’s sovereignty, but it is a sovereignty that does not quite line up with his original worldview. He looks at nature and sees God’s hand at work. He sees that wisdom comes from God. He sees that God raises up and tears down and that no one — no matter how strong or respectable his office — can resist Him.
As I read what Job says, I have a tendency to forget the ongoing nature of his suffering. I (almost) tend to imagine that he is having these arguments with his friends somewhat “after the fact”, like on a debate stage, making his points from a position of reasonable strength. But that is all wrong. Job is in immense pain. He is weak and nearly dead. I should imagine Job struggling to speak these words, perhaps in a raspy whisper, barely able to get out a few words at a time. Naturally, the content of what he says remains the same, but imagining the scene like this might change how I hear it…
In addition to what John says about Job seeing God’s hand at work in nature all around him, I think that Job also sees God as somewhat arbitrary. He can act on whom He will act – the mighty possibly even more so than the weak: True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. In the next few verses he maintains that God has power over counselors, judges, kings, priests, advisers, nobles – even nations and the earth’s leaders! No one is beyond God’s power. Unspoken in Job’s list is his own contention that God has also exerted His control upon himself to his own destruction. I sense some unspoken, hidden anger.