Job 11: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Job 11 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

In Job 11, Zophar the Naamathite responds to Job with the harshest rebuke yet. He criticizes Job for his words, suggesting that Job's verbose discourse deserves even greater suffering. Zophar accuses Job of claiming purity before God and insists that Job's knowledge pales in comparison to God's. Zophar exhorts Job to recognize the vastness of God's wisdom, arguing that true wisdom is beyond human understanding. He suggests that if Job would genuinely repent and purify himself, God would restore his fortunes, filling his life with peace and hope. Zophar emphasizes God's justice, implying that Job's current suffering is a result of his own errors.

Key verse

“Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?”
Job 11:7 (WEB)

Outline

Job 11:1–2 Zophar's Response Begins
Job 11:3–6 Accusations and God's Wisdom
Job 11:7–12 The Depths of God's Knowledge
Job 11:13–15 Call to Repentance
Job 11:16–19 Promise of Restoration
Job 11:20 Warning for the Wicked

Discussion questions

In v2, what does Zophar mean by saying, 'Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered'?
In v6, what does Zophar imply about God's knowledge of Job's iniquity?
Zophar's claim in v14 about putting iniquity away: what does this suggest about his view of Job's character?
In v20, why does Zophar suggest that the 'eyes of the wicked shall fail'?
When have you felt like Zophar, assuming someone's struggles are due to their actions?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Job 11: Proverbs 4, Job 22, Psalm 4.

Before next time: read Job 12.