In the final chapter of the Book of Job, the Lord addresses his rebuke to the friends, especially Eliphaz, the wisest of the three. They had defended the oral tradition that had come down to them from generation to generation. This tradition was held by the ancients and incorporated what they believed about God (cp. Job 8:8-9). However, no thought was given to the idea that such a tradition had become corrupted over the centuries (cp. Romans 1:18-25). They held that God is just, and he judges men, according to their deeds, and during their lifetime spent on earth. “What a man sows is what he reaps” (cp. Galatians 6:7) was a doctrine, which they held to absolutely and without question, even when Job proved the doctrine was obviously in error. Yet, not only wouldn’t they admit error, but they used a false doctrine to accuse Job of wickedness.
Therefore, after God had finished speaking with Job, he addressed Eliphaz, the eldest of the friends, and the most responsible of the three, implying that, if he had agreed with Job, that his calamities weren’t due to wickedness, the other two friends would have reconsidered, as well. In other words, how we affect the end of a matter makes us liable for all the idiosyncrasies attached to its conclusion. Therefore, the idea that Jesus expressed in the Sermon on the Mount, “Judge not lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1) comes into play here. The men were responsible for their condemnation of Job, which assumes the idea that they probably understood Job’s argument that not all the wicked are judged before they die, and neither are all those who suffer as righteous folks rewarded accordingly. Job’s logical presentation of the idea destroyed their argument against him, but they never tried to reply to what he said. Instead of judging Job’s logic, they judged according to appearances (cp. John 7:24), as that was understood through the window of their tradition.
The Lord concluded that the friends hadn’t acted properly, because they judged Job, according to their oral tradition, which didn’t reflect what was true about God (Job 42:7). If their tradition about God was false, then the rule by which they measured Job’s behavior had to be in error. As I mentioned above, they probably realized Job was telling the truth about the errors of their tradition, but they refused to consider it. Therefore, the wrath of God was kindled against them.
I find what the Lord tells Eliphaz and the other friends to do very interesting. He tells them he wants them to sacrifice to him, but they were not to perform the ceremony! Job was to do that and pray for them (Job 42:8). In other words, they had, indeed, sinned against him, but they also offended Job. Therefore, their forgiveness would come through their reconciliation with Job. He must forgive them, before God would forgive them. Only in this way would they avoid being judged in the same manner that they judged Job. In other words, the Lord offered them grace. He wouldn’t respond in the same manner as they treated Job, if they reconciled to him, for Job had spoken what was true about God, and God did accept him and his prayers.
Therefore, forgiveness and grace involve reconciliation of the offended parties. God is not a god who could be bribed with an offering. One must not seek to make things right by simply paying the required price—that’s law. God is all about grace and love, and, if we consider his creation, we would see that.
Therefore, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar did, as the Lord had commanded them. They went to Job, implying they agreed with him that he was righteous, and implying also that Job forgave them for the ill will, which they expressed toward him. Thus, their sacrifices were accepted by God, because God accepted them through the earnest prayers of Job (Job 42:9). Moreover, we are able to understand what true repentance looks like. The friends’ repentance is understood in their desire to reconcile with Job (Job 42:9), and Job’s repentance (Job 42:6) is understood and proved through his sincere forgiveness of and prayers for his friends (Job 42:9-10).
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