703. JOB 2:11-13. JOB AND HIS THREE FRIENDS. [NO. VI.]

Job_2:11-13. Job and His Three Friends. [No. VI.]

"Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him," &c.’97Job_2:11-13.

Who can describe the value of true friendship? It is the union of hearts, in the bonds of goodness and love. It is essential to it, that there should be kindredness of spirit, and harmony of feeling.

The best friendships are based upon moral principle, and are sanctified by mutual and constant prayer. Friendship of this elevated and excellent kind, is precious at all times. It is so in health and in prosperity. Our joys are sweeter and more rapturous, when others rejoice with us. But friendship, like the stars of heaven, is most radiant in the dark night of sorrow, and adversity, and affliction.

Exalted friendship is a sacred thing, and is as rare as it is sacred.

There are many who are called friends, who are enemies in disguise’97wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are many pretended friends, but they only flutter around you, when the candle of your prosperity shines brightly. They love the atmosphere of your dwellings, &c., so long as it is summer, and the air is warm; but they retire into their secrecies in the time of cold and winter.

There are many real, but unsafe friends. Persons, who for want of discretion, imperil your comfort and reputation. Many a man has been ruined by injudicious friends.

Some real friends are deficient in tenderness of feeling, and gentleness of spirit: Hence, they cannot minister to the afflicted soul and the wounded heart. Job’s friends seem to have been of the last description.

Let us however, look,’97

At the excellent characteristics by which they were distinguished.

At their signal defects; and,

The unhappy influence which they exerted on Job.

I. At the excellent characteristics by which they were distinguished.

Job’s three friends were Eliphaz, who is conjectured to have been the son of Teman, grandson of Esau. Bildad the Shuhite, probably the descendant of one of Abraham’s sons by Keturah; and Zophar the Naamathite, a supposed descendant from some branch of Abraham’s family.

They were distinguished, evidently,

1. By great intelligence and religious knowledge.

Their speeches were full of wisdom, and were expressed in the most sublime strains. They evinced a great knowledge of God, and his government, and his works. They had lofty views of holiness, and moral rectitude of action. Even in this late era of the world’s history, it would be difficult to supply many instances of such profound and varied knowledge, as these men displayed.

Let us take an extract from each of their addresses,’97

See Eliphaz’s description of the vision with which God had favored him; chap. Job_4:12.

Bildad’s address is peculiarly sublime; chap. Job_25:1 to Job_25:6. One short passage from Zophar; chap. Job_11:7.

They were characterized,

2. By their high moral excellences. They were men who had the most profound veneration for God’97had just views of man’s depraved state and worthlessness before him’97were evidently clothed with the spirit of lowliness and humility. They also, doubtless, sincerely desired to glorify God. They were characterized,

3. By their honest and sincere regard for Job.

They heard of his afflictions, and did not tarry away’97did not forget or overlook him’97came in friendly concert to visit him. They came, it is expressly said, to mourn with him, and also to comfort him. They evinced their sincerity, &c.; Job_11:12-13; that is, during portions of each day, they came and sat with him, &c. They did not rashly break in upon his silent grief, &c.; Job_11:13.

Such are the excellences by which they were distinguished. Let us, then,

II. Notice their signal defects.

1. Their minds were under the influence of evil surmisings.

The idea flashed across their minds that there must have been some extreme cause for Job’s calamity; and that cause must have been some moral defect or secret sin, which Job had concealed,’97that his character, which had been so dignified and holy, was not the result of inward sincerity.

Now, no one can, perhaps, help such ideas crossing the mind, any more than they can help black clouds darkening the sky above them; but they can help cherishing them. These hard thoughts need not dwell and lodge within us.

It is a breach of the law of charity; "For it thinketh no evil." It is contrary to the divine command,’97for evil surmisings are placed in the same catalogue with envy, pride, strife, &c.

2. They were deficient in tenderness to Job’s afflictive condition.

Though they uttered many truths, yet they were not soft emollients, calculated to mitigate his sufferings; but like keen astringents, which searched and gave additional pain to his distressing wounds. Hence he was led to exclaim’97"Miserable comforters are ye all." "Physicians of no value." His spirit required soothing, and his bleeding heart wanted the solace of the holy oil of kindness; but many of their remarks were keen and biting, and even in the highest degree reproachful.

3. They were not perfectly sound in their theological deductions.

They all reasoned as if the righteous ought to expect uninterrupted sunshine. That God’s providence would preserve them from calamities. See this in chap. Job_5:23-27, &c.

Now these may be viewed as general truths; but there are many exceptions. Look at Abel,’97look at the Israelites in Egypt,’97look at David, &c.,’97look at Jeremiah,’97look at the list of martyrs, &c. Nay, more; suffering is a part of God’s paternal discipline, and thus is a sign of love, and not of anger.

This was the great error of Job’s friends; and this error in judgment led to the most unhappy effects. It. injured Job and displeased God.

Such were the great defects of Job’s friends.

Elihu was evidently less reprehensible than the three we have adverted to; yet he was not entirely free from the error of the others.

Observe, then,

III. The unhappy influence which they exerted on the mind of Job.

Their addresses,

1. Led Job to bitter recrimination.

He retorted their speeches upon themselves. His words and spirit towards them was evidently the reflection of their own. He lost the spirit of equanimity and quietude, so essential to his support, &c.

Their addresses,

2. Induced Job to adopt an improper style of self-defence.

They sank him below his real worth. They insinuated concerning his hypocrisy and secret sins. He knew the integrity of his heart, but was induced to say too much in his own defence. How perilous to speak of our own excellences.

Their speeches,

3. Caused him to use expressions which reflected on God himself.

Chapter Job_7:11, Job_7:15, Job_7:19, &c.

There are several instances of this in the defence Job set up, which must have been offensive to the majesty of heaven.

But let us not forget that Job only thus erred occasionally’97that there were many truly penitent and humble exclamations, which gave the brightest evidences of his lofty piety. See chap. Job_9:1 to Job_9:4. Notice, also,

His most touching appeals for the pity of his friends, and his abiding confidence in God; chap. Job_19:17-26.

Learn,’97

1. The true office of friendship, and the attributes necessary to a right discharge of it.

"A friend loveth at all times," &c. Kindness, tenderness, and sympathy, are its essential elements.

Learn,

2. The importance of a charitable spirit and tongue.

Even in reference to the graces, the Apostle said,’97"The greatest of these is Charity." Better to err in excess of love, than in deficiency. Avoid a censorious conversation. Some are very guilty of it. Seem to delight in speaking of the defects of Christians. Now this is unamiable’97very self-righteous and presumptuous’97and very displeasing to God. Remember,

3. There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

That friend is Jesus, &c. Oh, seek his friendship! Cultivate it’97delight in it, &c.

He cannot err in judgment.

He never fails in affection; nor is deficient in sympathy. "The same yesterday," &c. Happy those who can say of him’97"He is my beloved, and he is my friend."

Autor: JABEZ BURNS