Episode Details

Who Really Understands God?

Today is Poetry Thursday, and we’re looking at Job 11 and 12, where emotions run high and misunderstandings run even higher. Zophar delivers a harsh rebuke, accusing Job of arrogance and empty talk. Job fires back with sarcasm and frustration, pointing out that his friends are not half as wise as they think they are. Beneath it all is the real question these chapters raise: who actually understands what God is doing?

Job is worn out, grieving his children, confused about the suffering he’s experiencing, and pushed to the edge by friends who think they have all the answers. Zophar insists that Job must be hiding sin. Job insists he’s no more sinful than anyone else. And both men speak pieces of truth mixed with emotion. These chapters remind us that suffering often brings out raw questions and honest reactions, and that God’s wisdom reaches far beyond what we can see.

Later in the episode, we take a moment to look at how these themes tie into real life. We also have an On This Date in Church History segment, and a brief highlight about the new show, Verses We Missed. Since it is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, we close with a short Thanksgiving message before I head off to family and turkey duties.

Today’s Scripture

• Job 11
• Job 12

Read along at BibleGateway.

Commentary

Zophar’s response in chapter 11 is blunt and overconfident. He assumes that God is punishing Job for hidden sin, even though Job never claims perfection. Job only maintains that he hasn’t done anything to deserve the overwhelming suffering he’s facing. Zophar’s certainty reveals a classic mistake: assuming we understand God’s mind and motives when we don’t.

Job’s reply in chapter 12 is sharp. He mocks their claim to wisdom by saying, “When you die, wisdom will die.” He then reminds them that God alone is the source of wisdom, authority, and power. Job still trusts God, but he is bewildered. His world has fallen apart, and his friends only add to the burden. These chapters show us that even godly people can struggle deeply with confusion, sorrow, and frustration. Job is honest, and God is big enough to handle it.

For a simple overview of Job’s dialogues, here’s a helpful page:
Why did Job’s friends get it wrong?

Verses We Missed

A quick reminder that I now publish a brand new weekly show, Verses We Missed. Each episode looks at a single verse that’s easy to skip, but full of meaning when we slow down. New episodes drop Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Pacific.

Listen at VersesWeMissed.com.

On This Date In Church History — November 27

Today we look at three moments that reveal how mission, media, and shared worshi