Job 12 Commentary

Job 12 Commentary

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Job responds to Zophar’s speech. Unfortunately, Job has fallen into the trap. He is coming to the conclusion that one’s character doesn’t exactly determine one’s destiny. Based on his own observation, and from his own experiences, the LORD distributes His rewards or His punishments randomly.

“The tents of the destroyers prosper; and those who provoke God are [apparently] secure, whom God brings into their power. Verse 6. Amplified Version. But as for Job, a blameless man, he is now a laughingstock. Job’s question is this: Is there a formula for distributing rewards and punishments in heaven? From what he has seen, there is simply no formula.

Job disagrees with the simple wisdom of his friends. Life isn’t about simplified equations presented by the three friends.

“Who does not know all these things”? Job is not probably referring to the wisdom presented by the friends. He is most likely referring to the things that he is about to say.

There is credibility to Job’s argument in this chapter about the randomness of blessings and punishments based on Job’s life. And that is exactly the problem. The LORD cannot be defined by tools of human reasoning and experiences. The New Testament saint understands this fact very well. God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good. It is a statement that holds true regardless of happenings, bad or good.

Job refers to his own terrible state. He is now a laughingstock, though blameless. He refers to his previous relationship with the LORD: smooth and personal. They spoke.

The saint may have this kind of confusion. What has happened to the good times I enjoyed in the presence of the LORD? Was it all fake? And the wicked with their cursing and sins, why are they still free and enjoying life?

We quickly get back to the endless debate. It is God’s will. Yes. But is it fair? It is not God’s will. Yes. But why then hasn’t the LORD intervened? Ok. Fine. He will intervene; but when? Maybe I have sinned. Repentance follows. Now that I’m clean, I should be good but it doesn’t happen. We get all these thoughts and emotions from Job in his responses. We know he is not the only candidate.

The LORD will eventually answer Job. For now, let’s keep reading. Job continues his speech tomorrow.

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