Do we tire yet of the endless back and forth between Job and his foolish comforters? We should tire even more quickly of Western theologians. They consistently fail to understand Job and, despite lip service to the contrary, end up echoing the sentiments Job’s accusers. Job states the facts: God is sovereign and is also incomprehensible to fallen human reasoning. God can stop the suffering of Job. Whatever is at work here, it is not punishment for specific sins; Job’s spirit is at peace with God. Job does not accuse God of injustice. He cries out to God for some hope of relief.
Job says his friends offer nothing wiser than the common failure of wisdom he sees all the time. When they were silent, they were as much comfort as anyone could be in such a situation. Were he visiting them in a time of sorrow, he could do the same and make pointless demands for repentance from sins he might imagine. But he wouldn’t do that. Instead, he would offer just a few words of hope.
What difference would it make if Job voiced his sorrows or remained silent? It would not change the situation. In that cultural context, to speak of God’s anger does not reflect the same concept as it would for us. It marks here a reverse pleasure; God’s pleasure is for Job to suffer. That would be inexcusable in a Western ruler, but Ancient Near Eastern morality is wholly different. We cannot evaluate this text from our late Western prejudices. Even were Job speaking of a human sheikh, this would be wholly proper. It surely lies in God’s authority to end the suffering, but He chooses not. The reasons are not revealed and this is also within His prerogative. God remains holy a just. It need not be seen merely as punishment and Job insists such is not the case. Further, the same authority has placed these false comforters with Job to inflict even greater sorrow.
Job calls for Creation itself to witness to his right standing before God. Is there not some advocate somewhere in Heaven to plead his case? Job assumes there must be. Whatever the case, Job knew he wouldn’t live that much longer in this state.
