Zophar answered Job – He implies that Job needs to be answered and judged right. That his babble shouldn’t silence men, and that he should be shamed for mocking. He claims that Job thinks his doctrine is pure and he is clean in the sight of God. Zophar says, Oh, that God would speak and open His lips in wisdom to you. God is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of Job less than Job’s guilt deserves. Then he riddles Job with questions: Can you find the deep things of God? Can you find the limit of the Almighty – it’s higher than heaven – what can you do? Deeper than Sheol – what can you know? God’s deep things measure longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If God passes through and imprisons and summons the court (law-court to judge) who can turn God back? He knows worthless men, sees guilty, and will consider it. A stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man! Then he challenges – if you prepare your heart, stretch out your hands toward God, put away guilt for sin and injustice, then you will lift up your face without blemish, be secure, and no longer fear. If you do this you’ll forget your misery, and your life will be bright even though it’s dark. If you do this you’ll feel secure, because there is hope, you’ll rest, none will make you afraid, and many will court your favor or approval. If you don’t you are wicked and your eyes will fail, escape will be lost to you, and you will have no hope.
Guard your hearts and minds. Zophar says a number of true things, but assumes that he has a full knowledge of Job and his circumstances, and this leads to a miss-application of the truth that He knows and misfires his application to the further despair of his friend. What kind of friend says this to their suffering friend, “A stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man!” Yes, Zophar miss-applies truth, but he also lacks sense. Even if this were proverbially true (which is debatable) Zophar is blind to the spiritual reality that is really going on in Job’s life and he is only exasperating Job’s pain. When we seek to help our friends in their sorrows be careful, because we may know true things, but we suffer from the noetic affects of sin, and our efforts may be filibustered by our own blindness. God help me to love my friends, and know what they are really going through, so I can helpfully speak Your Word into their circumstances, and help them to be encouraged through Christ.