Job 21

22–26 “But who can teach knowledge to God?” Job asks; “God is going to do as He pleases.” To Job, it doesn't seem to matter whether a man is wicked or righteous; he's going to end up in the same place anyway (verse 26). All of these thoughts are deeply upsetting to Job. In effect, he is asking: Where can one find justice on this earth?

27–34 But Job's three friends see perfect justice. They say: “Where now is the great man's house?” (verse 28)—that is, the wicked man's house. “It's gone, destroyed,” they say. The three friends continue to insist that nothing belonging to the wicked remains.

But Job answers that such statements are plain nonsense: evidence of the prosperity of the wicked is all around them. Haven't the three friends inquired of anyone? (verse 29). Haven't they opened their eyes? Then Job goes on to give additional examples of how the wicked thrive in this life (verses 30–33).

Though Job was surely overstating the prosperity of the wicked, still he was more right than his three friends were. His friends did not want to admit the obvious truth of what Job was saying; because, if they did, their own arguments would be proven wrong and their schemes (verse 27) to expose Job's own wickedness would be defeated.

There are many people like Job's three friends in our churches today. They have opinions; they have an understanding of theology. But they are so set in their thinking that they dismiss any experience or observation that might challenge their views. Scripture does not conflict with our experiences and observations, rightly understood; indeed, to correctly interpret Scripture, we must take experience and observation into account. Job's friends were so set on defending their theology that they closed their eyes to reality—and closed their hearts to the suffering Job whom they had supposedly come to help.