READ JOB 8
Eliphaz has given his first speech. Job has responded. Now Bildad takes his turn speaking. He doesn't say anything new. Like Eliphaz, Bildad rebukes Job and claims he is being punished because he has sinned.
Bildad is the only one who speaks in this entire chapter. He tells Job that he is being senseless. He advises Job to confess his sins and then he will be restored. Bildad tells Job to ask the former generation and learn that those without God wither and die like a plant without water. Bildad concludes in this round of speeches that God rewards the righteous. Therefore, Job should repent and be restored.
READ JOB 9-10
Job fills two full chapters with his response to Bildad. He defends himself against what Bildad said to him. Job has a lot of questions to which he has no answers. His first question in this chapter is "How can a mortal argue with God?" Even though Job knows he is innocent, he cannot challenge a mighty God.
Job argues that it doesn't matter whether he is innocent or not because God is attacking him without a reason.
Job knows he cannot go up against God on his own. Therefore, he longs for a mediator to bring him and God together so he can find out why he is being punished even though he has not sinned.
See in 10:1-7 that Job is beginning to formulate his complaint against God. His first question to God is "Why are you treating me so terribly?" Then Job asks in 10:8-17, "Did you create me to condemn me?" In other words, Job asks God if it was His plan to destroy him even as his body was being formed in his mother's womb.
For the third time, Job talks about his birth and death. He said it would have been better if he had never been born or have died at birth.
That concludes Job's speech which includes his defense to Bildad, his longing for a mediator, his complaint to God, and a reflection on his birth and death.
READ JOB 11
Zophar, the third friend, is the only one who speaks in Chapter 11. Like Eliphaz and Bildad, Zophar rebukes Job and tells him some of the same things.
First, Zophar tells Job that God is punishing him less than what he deserves. In other words, the friend thinks Job losing everything, including all ten children, and being inflicted with sores on his body from head to toe was not enough punishment that Job deserves. In 11:1-6, Zophar says he wishes Job could see himself as God sees him because God's ways are beyond human understanding (11:7-12).
Zophar's final advice to Job is the same as the other two friends. All three of them believe Job must have sinned to receive the punishment he is enduring. All three are in agreement that Job should confess his sins and find hope (11:13-20).
READ JOB 12-14
Job takes all three chapters to defend himself about what Zophar said. First, Job calls Zophar a know-it-all. He explains that even animals know that God sometimes allows the evil to scoff at the good. He speaks about God's omniscient (knowing all) and His omnipotent (all-powerful). In other words, Job knows that God is in complete control of everything that happens.
Job challenges Zophar to hear his defense instead of accusing him of spreading lies about what he thinks he knows. Job tells him, "Don't put words in God's mouth" (13:7-12). He cautions Zophar to stop lying to defend God's actions.
Here Job goes again. For the fourth time, he talks about his death. This time, he says in essence that he will risk death to speak to God and prove his innocence (13:13-19).
Job says there are two things he begs of God: to stop afflicting him and to cease terrifying him. Job also accuses God of storing up accusations against him (13:26-28). He asks God for a little mercy.
For the fifth time, Job mentions life and death. He says:
--- "Life is short and full of trouble."
--- "Death is eternal." He contends that people do not sprout again after they are cut down like trees. People never rise again after death. (This is not true, but Job didn't know like us that Jesus has come and was the firstfruits of our rising again after death).
This chapter ends with Job saying he wishes that God would think of him after he dies. That would give him hope, but he doesn't believe that God will do that.
This ends the first cycle of speeches from the three friends and Job. The next round of speeches is in the upcoming chapters. Expect to read more rebukes from Job's three friends and more responses from Job concerning his innocence.
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