JOB’S FRIENDS
Steve W. Reeves
stevereevesoutlines.blogspot.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. What is a friend?
1. Emerson: “A friend is someone with whom you
can be yourself. Someone who is
going to love you and stand with you no matter
what happens.”
2. C.S, Lewis said, “Friendship is born in the
moment when one person says to
another, ‘What? You too?”
3. In one of the Winnie The Pooh books, Piglet
sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he whispered. "Yes,
Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I
just wanted to be sure of you.”
4. Helen Keller said, “I would rather walk
with a friend in the dark than walk alone in
the light.”
B. The Old Testament book of Job provides insights into
friendship.
1. During a time
of suffering and sorrow Job had three friends who showed up at his
doorstep.
a. Job 2:11
introduces Eliphaz,, Bildad and Zophar and says that they made an
appointment to come to Job to sympathize and comfort him.
b. As they
approach Job from a distance, he was so disfigured they did not
recognize
him.
c. As a
display of grief they tore their garments and threw dust on themselves.
Finally,
they sat down with Job and remain completely silent for seven days and
nights.
2. When Job
finally spoke it was as if a dam had burst releasing a flood of misery and
despair.
Chapter 3 is a record of Job’s lament. There are 26 verses in which Job
cursed the
day he was born and said it would have been better if he had died.
3. From the
beginning of chapter 4 through chapter 31 there are three conversations
between Job
and these three friends. From chapter 32 until the end of chapter 37
another
friend named Elihu dominates the conversation.
4. Job’s
encounter with his friends demonstrate two important truths you and I need
to know.
I. FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT
A. Many people
ridicule Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu because they
charge Job
with wrongdoing. Before we notice this, however, we need to
remember how
important friends are.
1. People
have different personalities. Some have more social interaction than
others.
2. Notice
what the Bible says about friends.
a.
Proverbs 18:24 notes, “A person of too many friends comes to ruin, But there
is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
b. In
Ecclesiastes 4:11-13 Solomon wrote, “Furthermore, if two lie down
together
they keep warm,
but how can one be warm alone? 12 And
if one can
overpower him who is alone,
two can resist him. A cord of three strands is
not quickly torn apart.13 A poor
yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish
king
who no longer knows how to
receive instruction.”
B. In your life
you will discover varying degrees of friendship with people.
1. Casual friends. These are people with whom you
share a common interest.
Maybe
your children go to the same school or are on the same ball team.
Perhaps
you are in the same class with them at school. Chances are that when
the
interest is no longer shared you will drift apart.
2. Close
friends. These are the people with whom you freely associate. You enjoy
being
around them and are interested in one another’s wellbeing. Chances are
as your life
changes your close friends will also change.
3.
Confidants. Hopefully you will be blessed with a confidant. This is the rare
person
who sticks with you year in and out. Although distance may separate you
physically
there remains an emotional bond that enables you to confide in them
and turn
to them in times of deep struggle. They are interested, not in what you
have nor
in what you can do for them. They are interested in you. Confidants will
be few
and far between.
C. Many years ago
there were two famous entertainers named George Burns and
Jack Benny.
Both of them began their careers in the days of vaudeville one hundred
years ago.
They were popular during the days of radio, made numerous moves
and had
popular television shows. Benny died in 1975 but Burns lived to
celebrate his
100th birthday before passing away in 1996. Of their friendship
Burns said,
“Jack and I were best friends for over 50 years. He laughed at
everything I
said. I never walked out when he played that scratchy violin and he
never walked
out on me when I sang a song. I suppose that for most of those
years we
talked to each other every day.”
D. As we will see
in a moment, Job’s friends were not particularly helpful but I
applaud them
for their concern in coming a great distance to sit and grieve silently
with their
friend.
II. FRIENDS ARE
IMPERFECT.
A. On the surface
it seems as if Job’s friends have come to comfort him.
Through their
mistaken concept of God and His justice they end up attacking Job’s
integrity.
1.This is
what Satan has been after the entire time.
2. Satan had
already taken his fortune, his family and his physical fitness. Now he
used
Job’s friends to attack his integrity and character.
B. Job’s friends
had a mistaken concept about God’s justice. It’s a mistaken view that
is still held
by many people today.
1. It is
reflected in Eliphaz’s first statement in Job 4:7-8, “Remember
now, who ever perished being innocent? Or
where were the upright destroyed?
8 According
to what I have seen, those who plow wrongdoing And those who
sow
trouble harvest it.”
2. Eliphaz
was indicting Job by implying, “Your suffering is a result of some sin or
wickedness in your life.”
a. This
was the theology of Job’s time. Suffering was viewed as punishment
from
God.
b. Many
people today still believe this. Is it true? Sometimes we do suffer as a
consequence of sin. However, you cannot box in God’s justice by the
parameters of human wisdom.
3. In
response to the false charges of his friends Job maintained his innocence in
passages
like 9:21, “I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself;
I reject
my life.”
4. Job went
on to rebuke his friends in verse 14, “For the despairing man there
should be
kindness from his friend; So that he does not abandon the fear of the
Almighty.”
5. In Job 16
:3, Job became so weary he said, “I have heard many things like
these; Miserable
comforters are you all. Is there no end to windy words? Or
what
provokes you that you answer?”
C. Job’s friends
were imperfect. So are yours and mine. Our friends have a great deal
of influence
in our lives.
1. Do not
believe something about God just because your friend believes it. You
must
study the scriptures for yourself. Concerning the people of Berea, Luke
wrote in
Acts 17:11, “Now these people were more noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica,
for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures
daily to see whether these things were so.”
2. Do not be
caught up in the latest religious fad just because your friends are
doing it.
Examine it for yourself. Don’t let yourself be swayed by the latest video
on You
Tube or the latest post on social media,
3. Be open
minded enough to learn and grow spiritually but not so open minded
that your
brains fall out.
CONCLUSION:
A. How did Job’s struggle end? Where did he find peace,
healing and health?
1. These things
came only after his personal encounter with God beginning in
chapter 38.
2. Friends cannot
replace God. No one can. This is why it is important for you to
know Him
yourself. Did you know that this is why Jesus was born, why He lived a
perfect life,
why He died on the cross and why He rose victoriously from the grave?
He welcomes
you to come to Him right now.
B. While we stand and sing we wait expectantly for you to
come.
