I'm so sick of Job's friends...

Internal Comms, Vol. 8

Base image - Job’s Friends by Ilya Repin (public domain)

About a week ago, I told my wife, “I’m so sick of Job’s friends.” I was exasperated with a small number of people in our life who are eager to offer their opinions and “expertise” about what they think is happening in our lives, or even offer no more than the all too telling facial expression of disapproval, or simply foolish, unthoughtful comments. Perhaps it’s what they think we should do, or how we should do it, or why we should do what they think, or how they think the Lord must have needed to humble us or rebuke us, or any number of short-sighted, half-cocked, ill-conceived, misconceived, inaccurate assessments about what is or isn’t happening in the realm of man; and what we should or shouldn’t do according to them, not according to God. Thankfully, the vast majority of people in our life are not “Job’s friends” and we have been blessed with new friendships and growing friendships in the last year or so. Nonetheless, it has been a preeminent topic lately.

When I told Heidi I was sick of Job’s friends I knew she would immediately understand because we are in the middle of doing a study in the Old Testament book of Job with some people from church. Furthermore, about a year ago, we also found ourselves in Job a fair amount during the early stages of my suspension from the FBI. We were seeking the “why,” but learned, or at least are learning, that we may not ever know the extent as to “why,” and that like many who have sought the answer to that question by searching the book of Job, it’s not one that is likely to be answered; at least not in full.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” -Isaiah 55:8

This post will certainly not be an exposition of all there is in Job, or the Biblical references cited throughout along with their contextual background, but I will touch on a few aspects that have been standing out to me, as well as on some things that have prompted this particular post; aside from what I already mentioned. I initially planned on writing a post with this title last week, but ended up writing nothing. It became clear to me on Monday night that the prompting regarding “Job’s friends” was no whimsical thought of my own.

But first, who was Job? He “was the greatest of all the peoples of the east” (Job 1:3). He had unsurpassed wealth, ten children, a wife, very many servants and livestock, and was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Then, in an instant it was all taken. All except his wife; who perhaps was permitted to live only to further torment and test Job for she said to him shortly after the calamity had come, “do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). All his accumulated wealth was taken or destroyed. All his servants (except the four messengers) and all his children were killed. Then, he was struck with intense sickness. Why?

And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” -Job 1:21

---

As I mentioned in the last iteration of Internal Comms, I’m in the middle of a bible/book study where we are going through Erwin Lutzer’s No Reason to Hide. After we were done for the evening, I was talking to some of the other attendees and ended up talking with one of them for a while about a number of things. During our conversation, she said, “Job’s friends” in response to something I said. I had not yet told her that I said something similar to Heidi recently or that we were in a bible study in the book of Job. I ended up telling her those things after her statement about Job’s friends, and that was the final prompting I needed to sit down and write this post.

She had initiated our conversation by telling me that she had received a mailer from the ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice) who have taken Marcus Allen and I on as clients (please click here and sign their petition; and share it with others). What I found especially interesting about this is that she is the fourth person in two weeks to have mentioned or sent a picture of an ACLJ mailer that refers to me and the case against the corrupt FBI/DOJ. I’ve found myself wondering “why” about this too.

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” -Daniel 4:35

Like Job and his friends, I have all sorts of earthly reasons and ideas I can point to. But in reality, it’s clear that it is the Lord’s way of saying, “do you trust Me?” Admittedly, I have lacked trust many times in life and many times in the last 13 months or so. I have been wondering why, asking why and lamenting why. As a mere man, “the struggle is real,” as they say. Even though I trust the Lord, I struggle; as do all humans from time to time. I don’t understand the depth of God’s ways. I slip into my sin nature. As hard as life can be, as hard as life can get, as hard as life has been for you, do you trust the Lord? Is He sovereign over all things? Even over difficult times? Even over horrible times such as can be seen in Israel once again; or in Job? Even over personal difficulty that causes us to question all things?

He is. So, why? Why do ‘good’ people come to a no good end? Why do children die at young ages from leukemia, brain tumors, cancer or even a car accident? Why, why, why, why, why? I thought I’ve written about this on Substack before, but couldn’t find where, or if I did. I think “why” is one of the most important questions we can ask and one of our most important words. Or in one of Job’s own “why” questions,

Why do the wicked live,
    reach old age, and grow mighty in power?” -Job 21:7

---

In the early days of college I was taught the cornerstone of investigating for police work was asking “who, what, where, when, why and how?” That’s the basic level of solving a crime. I soon learned, and really have always known, that the “why” was the one that I always wanted to know the most. Not just in the LEO context, but my whole life with many things.

As I was studying Job and working on this post I thought of this clip where Upham references Alfred Tennyson’s 1854 poem, The Charge of the Light Brigade, when he says, “there’s not to reason why, there’s but to do and die.”

One of the resources I used to help compile this post was a sermon by one of the leading scholars on Job named Derek Thomas. Like the ACLJ flier incidents, I was surprised when he mentioned The Charge of the Light Brigade in one of his lectures after I had already been thinking about this clip and reading the poem in full. This scene alone could be a lengthy post, but i’ll spare you from my wandering mind in that regard, except to say this: Saving Private Ryan is one of the most exceptional soldier movies in existence, but more importantly…don’t be an Upham. Not because of his poetry reference here, but because of his inability in battle.

So is that it? It’s not even up to us to wonder why, or even ask why? Geesh. That’s a grim outlook. It certainly was a grim end for most of the soldiers that poem is about. As a former infantryman, that outlook is haunting. Of course it is though, because fallible humans give orders and run the military. Sometimes even giving unlawful orders. In the US military, those who serve have an obligation to disobey unlawful orders. The official policy of the Department of Defense has been, since 1953, to adhere to the principles of the Nuremberg Code.

I’ve written about the “superior orders plea” used by many at Nuremberg as well as briefly touched on the myth of American exceptionalism when it comes to atrocities like the My Lai Massacre and the Torture Memos, amongst plenty of other examples, here. It is never permissible to follow an unlawful, ungodly order. Never. No matter the cost. This is something many in law enforcement and the military continue to get wrong. Sins of omission are just as wrong as sins of commission. Blaming your superior is just as wrong as committing the atrocity.

“If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.” -Ecclesiastes 5:8

What about when the Commander of all things gives you an order? In Internal Comms, Vol. 2 I mentioned, and extensively quoted, a sermon by Canadian pastor James Coates. Someone who is no stranger to trials of his own, even being incarcerated for simply resisting tyranny and government overreach when it came to proclaiming that Christ reigns supreme over the church, not an anti-God edict from an anti-Christ government. Coates’s words from this sermon have echoed in my head over and over in the last 8 months or so since first hearing them; and they echo again now:

“The ground of that righteousness must be one who is committed to Spirit empowered obedience. The kind of obedience that is resolved to obey in the face of any and all opposition regardless of the outcome or cost; and so standing firm in the context of spiritual warfare demands that you be committed to obedience, that you have been cultivating obedience and it actually expresses itself in what? Obedience. The call to stand firm is a call to obedience. And just draw on the imagery of a soldier for a moment. This demands executing the orders of the commanding officer. Who's the commanding officer? It’s the Lord Jesus Christ.

“We are soldiers for Christ and we have a commanding officer and he is the one that sends in the orders, and when the orders come we don't get to modify the order we don't get to tweak the order. Adjust, even the method. We have a responsibility to execute the order as given. And so when it comes to obedience we don't get to pick the hills we die on. We don't get to decide when it's time to obey. We're called to obey and as we obey the hill picks us. Christ picks the hill. We just obey. We stand firm. And so this is calling for obedience. The cultivation of practical righteousness on the ground of the imputed righteousness of Christ. We need to follow through on the orders that come to us from the commanding officer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our job is to obey; to stand firm.”

It is our duty to obey. It’s easy to obey when things are going well, but when the going gets tough, it’s easy to falter in that obedience. Job didn’t know what was going on “behind the scenes” so to speak. He didn’t know that satan was seeking to destroy him (Job 1:6-22; 2:1-9). He didn’t know that God granted satan permission to take everything from him. If he knew, he certainly would have said, “why!?” Why would God give satan permission to bring Job to utter ruin? Why would a loving God who recognized that there were none on the earth like Job. None that were blameless and upright like him (Job 1:8-12). So, why?

---

Right now, in our Bible study, we’re in the middle of “the dialogue” section, or “the debates,” where Job is going back and forth with his “friends.” He stands firm about how he has done nothing to deserve the calamity that has befallen him and is waiting on the Lord to provide an answer. What stands out most about Job’s friends, to me, is that they are us. They are applying human understanding, human “wisdom,” and human “logic” to Job’s calamity. Although I noted my exasperation at the outset of this post, I’m as guilty as anyone for being like Job’s friends. In the end, Job’s friends (save Elihu) are rebuked by God. Surely they were more than a bit miffed since they thought they were defending God.

As if God needs them (us) to defend Him. What all of them failed to realize is that God’s mechanisms for “why” surpass the combined understanding of all humans who have ever lived, live or will live. This is something most of us fail to realize, most of the time. We rely on our own insight and understanding and apply it to those around us. One, of many, takeaways I have from going through Job is that I need to be less like Job’s friend’s.

When going through the book of Job, it is easy to take exception with Job’s friends. Primarily the first three we are introduced to. First, they sit silently with Job for a week, mourning his recent losses with him. But then…they speak. There are numerous rounds of his friends accusing him of sinning and all sorts of other “reasons” as to why Job is suffering. Job defends himself each time but does end up sinning throughout and is eventually exhorted by God.

“Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” -Proverbs 17:28

When you were going through a hard time, has anyone just said something that is beyond foolish to you? “God won’t give you more than you can bear.” “Everything happens for a reason.” “You’ll probably get pregnant again.” “You’ll land on your feet.” “You must’ve done something wrong.” “I’m glad you’re here.” “It’ll all work out.” The list can go on and on depending on the trials you may have faced (tell me your favorites in the comments 😂).

Job, and his friends, all succumbed to their own pride. The friends were arrogant in their responses to Job and prideful in application of their reasons for his suffering. Job lost sight of God’s sovereignty and slipped into his pride when questioning God’s mechanisms. He eventually admitted this in his second response to God. On my most recent excursion into Job, the pride of all involved, from satan to Job and to his friends, that pride factor, has stood out more than in the past; and glaringly so.

 ^“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” -1 John 2:16

The boastful pride of life is indicative of an arrogance over our own life and our own circumstances. This is clear throughout the majority of the book of Job. Starting with satan and the pride he had in accusing Job of having a false faith and demanding Job be put to the test. Then, with Job’s friends as they accused him of what they thought he had done, and at minimum, implying that they must not be guilty of anything themselves since they were not stripped of everything; as if God’s ways are simply retributive. Then, pride caught Job in its snare, as it tends to get us all. He became indignant of the charges against him by his friends and began to question, complain and challenge God’s ways. Job eventually came to his senses and repented of his errors; further humbling him and refining his faith to be sure.

---

Job is about as much of a Suspendable as there ever was. This is what prompted the main photo. He was “suspended” by God. God granted satan permission to strip him of everything. His livelihood, his health, his wealth and even his children were taken from him. Why? If you’ve made it this far, I’m sorry for the let down. I don’t know the answer. At least not the answer I was looking for, and probably not the one you were hoping to find. The conclusion I’ve drawn, and one I’m still fleshing out, is that we cannot comprehend God.

We cannot comprehend His ways on earth, much less in the spiritual realm. We cannot begin to understand the path He has established, or the “why.” Job was blameless in God’s sight and turned from evil, yet he was still brought to the lowliest of places. Why would a loving God do such a thing; how could a loving God do such a thing? God even asked Job, “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (Job 40:8) Certainly not. God’s glory is about as close to an “answer” as I have surmised.

Why would God allow all of this calamity to befall Job? For His glory. Derek Thomas puts it this way, “if you ask about a particular pain, a particular trial, a particular suffering, “why?” I’m going to have to say to you, in all liklihood, I don’t know. I have no idea. I don’t have any answers for you, except this one: for His glory. Now, only a Christian can answer the question in that way. An unbeliever most definitely cannot answer the question in that way. For the glory of almighty God. It’s not important that I understand, what’s important is that he does; and I trust Him. And that’s the message of the book of Job.” Amen.

We cannot truly understand what God is doing, but we know that all things work in accordance with God’s purpose and for His ultimate glory. Even difficult or evil schemes of man and satan. Job himself recognized this in his second reply to God,

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” -Job 42:2

This is similar to what Nebuchadnezzar recognized in Daniel 4:35 as referenced earlier. It brought glory to God for Job to endure the trial and show his steadfastness, just as it brought glory to God for the wicked Nebuchadnezzar to be brought more lowly than any other human and then restored to be a believing, good ruler. It brought glory to God for satan to fail in his schemes of prowling earth like a lion seeking to devour Job; the most blameless, upright person of the time. It brought glory to God to humble and then to restore Job. Even though God told satan there was no just cause, no sufficient reason, for the trial, it still was used to bring glory to God.

Job undoubtedly lived with the grief of losing his children and all that he had. He certainly was a changed man because of the difficult trials he faced. He became a different man in many ways, a more refined, godly man. This too brought glory to God. Job lost all his wealth, but doubled it in the end. His 10 children were struck dead in an instant, but he had ten more. Many people respond like Job’s friends to his restoration. Citing his increased wealth and having more children. No doubt these were renewed blessings from the Lord.

“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” -Job 2:10b

Nonetheless, how often did Job look at the 10 children he had after his season of being threshed like wheat and have renewed grief for the ones who were taken? Or how hard did he sweat and toil to increase his wealth again? People act like God is a genie and He will provide wealth and prosperity to us if we respond like Job, or ask and pray hard enough. That isn’t always the case. If the account of Job shows us anything, it is that prosperity is not a certainty. Would you trade your children’s lives, or something else you hold dear, for increased wealth and other children who don’t even exist? I wouldn’t. I can’t imagine the grief Job still carried over the first 10 children alone.

Job’s wife was only mentioned in chapter 2 when she told him to curse God and die for holding fast to his integrity. She is alluded to at the end of the book since Job is blessed with more children. Her grief must’ve been astounding as well, having lost all her children and what she thought her life was, and what it was going to be too. I have faced nothing in my life that comes close to what Job has faced. I do praise the Lord that my wife hasn’t asked me to curse God and die; and I know she never will. No matter what is laid on our path.

“Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.” -Proverbs 31:25

Near the end of the book it says, there were people who visited Job, after he was restored by God, and “they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him.” All things are ultimately in the Lord’s hands. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Hold the line.

---

Postscript

The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Derek Thomas, BibleHub.com commentaries, and my MacArthur Study Bible have been indispensable in furthering my understanding of the Biblical account of Job; and the “why.”

---