Even in his anger, Job is more noble than his friends. Where they scold, he answers with sarcastic wit. Surely, these three men represent the pinnacle of human wisdom! When they die, humanity would be plunged into darkness. Job reminds them that he also has a brain equal to theirs. In fact, their great wisdom is no greater than any common man.
What happened to their long friendship? How did these three come to the place that they could act so dismissively to someone they knew so well? Instead of interceding with God on Job’s behalf, they ganged up and kicked him while he was down. To Job they are like cowardly yes-men whose virtues depended on what they perceived were the whims of their superiors. Never mind their words, they acted like God was the least noble of all Lords. At the same time, they were living proof that sometimes God is far more complex and inscrutable, living proof that He doesn’t immediately strike down a sinner. They came to rob Job of what little sanity he had left and God was not stopping them, any more than He did not always stop men who respected only weapons such as they carried in their hands.
God created all things. His divine character is reflected in the whole of Creation, but most of humanity chooses not to see. Had they inquired, Job’s friends would have found the truth God had woven into His universe. Did they have no discernment? What was the whole point of living to ripe old age? Was it not to have leisure to consider the folly of mere human wisdom against the timeless ineffable wisdom of God? God alone understands His creation and He has not been silent, so why do men run from His revelation? Why do they insist on clinging to mere human intellect?
Job goes on to describe how God has clearly not honored what his friends consider the truth of God. Most people miss what Job says starting in verse 14. In each case, God overturns the natural wisdom of men, in which his friends trusted so completely. God does not make sense on the human level. What He does frequently defies the best of human reason. God turns the world upside down every day, and yet men persist in trying to figure Him out from mere intellect. God does this, often as not, simply to prove He is beyond human ken. It’s too easy to arrogantly assume you have it all figured out and these are just anomalies. So it is these three great men of wisdom wander about in utter darkness, doggedly pursuing their human wisdom and eschewing the obvious truth that God often does things no one understands.
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