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the supreme validation of His ministry (John 2:1821). Belief in it is necessary for salvation because it

proved that Christ is who He claimed to be and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice in the place

of sinners (4:24; Acts 13:32, 33; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4).Without the resurrection, there is no salvation (1 Cor.

15:1417).

DAY 10: How was Zophars argument right and wrong regarding Jobs situation?

In Job 11:120, Zophar the Naamathite stepped in to interrogate Job. He chose to pound Job with the

same law of retaliation. Job must repent, he said, not understanding the reality. He was indignant at

Jobs protests of innocence. And he moved the allegations against Job to a new level. Not only was

Job guilty and unrepentant, he was also an empty talker (vv. 2,3). In fact, Jobs long-winded defense

of his innocence and Gods apparent injustice was sin worthy of rebuke, in Zophars mind.

In v. 4, Zophar claimed that Job had said, I am clean in your eyes. Job never claimed sinlessness;

in fact, he acknowledged that he had sinned (7:21; 13:26). But he still maintained his innocence of

any great transgression or attitude of unrepentance, affirming his sincerity and integrity as a man of

faith and obedience to God. This claim infuriated Zophar (v. 5).

Zophar was correct that Job would have been much wiser if he had only known the unknowable

secrets of God (v. 6). In this case, the scene in heaven between God and Satan would have clarified

everything. But Job couldnt know the secret wisdom of God (vv. 79). Zophar should have applied

his point to himself. If Gods wisdom was so deep, high, long, and broad, how was it that he could

understand it and have all the answers? Like his friends, Zophar thought he understood God and

reverted to the same law of retaliation, the sowing and reaping principle, to again indict Job. He

implied that Job was wicked (vv. 10, 11) and thought he was wise, though actually he was out of

control as if he were a wild donkey man (v. 12).

Zophar set out 4 steps of Jobs repentance in vv. 13, 14: 1) devote your heart to God; 2) stretch yourhands to Him in prayer for forgiveness; 3) put your sin far away; and 4) dont allow any sin in your

tent. If Job did these things, he would be blessed (vv. 1519). If Job didnt repent, he would die (v.

20). Zophar was right that the life of faith in God is based on penitence and obedience. He was right

that God blesses His people with hope, security, and peace. But, like his friends, he was wrong in not

understanding that God allows unpredictable and seemingly unfair suffering for reasons not known to

us. He was wrong in presuming that the answer for Job was repentance.

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From The MacArthur Daily BibleCopyright 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a

division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.

Available online at: http://www.gty.org

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