Job 12:17–20

Without doubt those counsellors and judges were known for their knowledge, and people took them to be wise as well. But there is always a limit in this world, and disappointment often comes at the point where you rest most.

"He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools" — that is, He takes from counsellors the value of their counsel. So man's wisdom comes to nothing, and the judges become foolish. Man's authority becomes as useless as his wisdom.

Job meets the theory that God repays everyone in this present life with a clear denial and disproof. … God is sovereign; but for that very reason their law of government is a false argument, and to apply it to Him is unjust. God does as He pleases, and among men above all He reverses all calculation.

From verse 13 to the end of this chapter Job reviewed the ways of God in His dealings with men. He agreed that "wisdom and strength" belong to God, and "counsel and understanding" too. Yet he felt that the way God uses these wonderful qualities was full of mystery.

All — judges, kings, princes and priests — are held up to contempt by this Almighty One. Truly this is right, if they deserve it, but Job omits that side.

It is a dreadful picture Job has drawn of God by the one-sided description of His greatness. Not a word of His love and mercy. It is in full keeping with his despairing heart.

If Job had stopped to weigh what these things mean, he might not have sunk so low in his misery. He sees the facts, but fails to apply their lessons in his own case. He says of God, "He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings the shadow of death to light" (v.22). Job himself was going through the pain of darkness. He could not uncover deep things from the darkness, or bring light from the shadow of death. But he realised God can do this. Could He not do it in Job's case? Yes indeed, and He did so before long.

How different is the language of faith: "God is our refuge and strength … therefore we will not fear … Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).

There are all kinds of change. There is nothing, therefore, that shows the settled judgment of God. Everything among people is in constant flow and change. So nothing could be more foolish than the ground the three friends stand on in their attack on Job.

The bond of kings He looses, and binds a belt around their waist... He pours contempt upon princes, and looses the belt of the mighty.

Job goes beyond Zophar's speech at every point. He is ahead in the argument... But what follows is true in itself, yet it is only one side of what God does. It is the darkest pessimism, the kind that suited his mind. God strips counsellors bare and makes judges fools. He looses the bonds of kings and leads priests away as plunder. He overthrows the mighty and pours contempt on princes. He increases the nations and destroys them.

None, no matter how exalted, can escape Him. He breaks down, and ruin is the result. He shuts, and none can open... This Almighty One holds them all up to contempt — judges, kings, princes and priests. That is right, of course, where they deserve it. But Job leaves that side out.

In the same way, the nations rise and fall at His word. It is a great picture of unlimited power, but the darkest one possible. We can only shudder at the awful sight. Job's misery has cast a gloomy light over all God's greatness. How different is the language of faith: "God is our refuge and strength… therefore we will not fear… Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).

He was living in a time when God had been changing "the times and the seasons." God was also removing kings and setting up kings, showing that wisdom and might are His. Removing the kings of David's line and setting up Nebuchadnezzar had been acts of God. Daniel bowed to this and even blessed God as he acknowledged it.

The Babylonian captivity dates from Jehoiachin's reign. He never returned from his captivity. There he spent thirty-six years in prison until the death of Nebuchadnezzar... His son Evil-merodach succeeded him on the throne. His own father had once shut this son up in prison, where he probably got to know the royal Hebrew captive. He was not like the ungrateful cupbearer who, once out of prison, "forgot Joseph"; he remembered his old prison companion.

No one, however high their position, can escape Him. He breaks down, and ruin is the result. He shuts, and no one can open; He withholds water and a drought follows, or releases it only to overwhelm in a flood. This Almighty One holds them all up to contempt — judges, kings, princes and priests. Truly this is right, if they deserve it, but Job leaves out that side.

He deprives counsellors of the value of their counsel. So man's wisdom comes to nothing, and the judges become foolish. Man's authority becomes as useless as his wisdom. People everyone counted on lose their speech and their power to help others. Even elders known for their experience find their discernment taken away.

The powerful He disarms, taking their power from them. If Job had taken time to consider what these things mean, he might not have sunk so low in his misery. He sees the facts, but fails to apply their lessons to his own case.

"He leads princes away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty." There are all kinds of change. There is nothing, then, that shows the settled judgment of God. Everything among men is in flux — a constant flow and change. So nothing could be more foolish than the foundation the three friends built on in their attack on Job.

They push the teaching that God's government of the earth is a full measure and display of His righteousness — and of the righteousness in man that would match it. That teaching shows total ignorance of what God's righteousness is, and of His ways.

Job outstrips Zophar's speech in every way. He is ahead in the argument… he now declares that wisdom and might are with God; He has counsel and understanding. What follows is true in itself. But it is only one side of what God does, and the darkest pessimism, which suited his frame of mind. God spoils counsellors and makes judges fools. He loosens the bonds of kings, leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. He pours contempt on princes; He increases the nations and destroys them.

It is indeed a great but very sombre picture of omnipotence. We can only shudder at the awful sight. Job's misery has cast a gloomy light upon all God's greatness. How different is the language of faith: "God is our refuge and strength… therefore we will not fear… Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).

God takes from counsellors the value of their counsel. So man's wisdom comes to nothing, and the judges become foolish. Man's authority becomes as useless as his wisdom. People who were thought dependable lose their speech and their power to help others. Even elders known for their experience find their discernment taken away.

There are all kinds of change. There is nothing therefore that shows the settled judgment of God. Everything among men is in a state of flux — a constant flow and change. So nothing could be more foolish than the ground the three friends stood on in their attack on Job… And that is what happens where people trust in men.

No doubt those counsellors and judges were people well known for their knowledge, and assumed to be wise as well. But there is always a limit in this world, and disappointment often comes at the point where you lean hardest.

Job outdoes Zophar's speech in every way. He is ahead in the argument… he now declares that with God are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding. But what follows, though true in itself, is only one side of what God does. It is the darkest pessimism, and it suited the state of his mind.

No one, however high, can escape Him. He breaks down, and ruin is the result. He shuts, and no one can open… This Almighty One holds them all up to contempt — judges, kings, princes and priests. This is right, if they deserve it, but Job leaves that side out.

It is indeed a great picture of God's power, but a very dark one. We can only shudder at the awful sight. Job's misery has cast a grim light over all God's greatness. How different is the language of faith: "God is our refuge and strength… therefore we will not fear… Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).

In fact, Job was going through the pains of darkness himself. He could not uncover deep things out of the darkness, nor bring light from the shadow of death, but he realised God can do this. Could He not do it in Job's case? Yes indeed, and He did so before long.