Job 2-6
There were three men, who were friends of Job, who heard of his troubles and came to visit and comfort him. But when they saw him so wretched, all covered with the dreadful sores, sitting on the ground, they realized his great sorrow and could not say a word to help him.; they could only weep and tear their clothes to show their sympathy, and sat down on the ground beside him.
At last after seven days and nights lob spoke to his friends and told them his thoughts; then one of them gave a long talk, which Job answered; afterward the other men spoke, and each time job made a long answer. These talks are interesting and show the men had great wisdom. We would not expect these men to talk together in poetry, yet their talks are all a form of poetry.
It is thought that Job and his friends were of the early men of earth, living before, Abraham, and that his story is the oldest of any writing: now known; no one has the original writing, but the old copies were carefully copied and kept, century after century, as other scriptures.
Some people now, who do not fully believe the Bible, say that the early people of the world were very ignorant; that it was thousands of years before people were intelligent or had things of skill, living in caves or huts. Yet Job and his friends spoke of houses, cities, ships, of kings, princes, judges, and nations, of the mining of gold, silver and iron, of a weaver’s shuttle, of instruments of music, of the writing of words, and of a “swift post”, which means the carrying. of letters to others; all of these show intelligence. They spoke very beautifully of the wonders of the sun, moon and stars, and of all nature. They believed in God and wish to honor Him.
But there was something these wise men did not know, that was, that there was. pride in their hearts, and that no one could be fit for God by his own goodness; they had also forgotten that God was ready to bless and forgive, which He had shown to the very first man, Adam (Genesis 4:77If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:7)). Job had been very patient for a long time in his troubles, but at last he was discouraged, because He did not think of God’s goodness, and even wished he were not alive. His friends thought God was a hard Judge, and that He was punishing Job for sin, but they did not think of their own sins, so they could not comfort job, although they said many true words.
The friends’ names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
ML 04/28/1940