Job’s friend, Zophar, was more assertive than Eliphaz and Bildad, for they presented their arguments with a little more courtesy. Zophar, on the other hand, seems a little aggravated with Job’s counter arguments thus far. “Shouldn’t someone answer this torrent of words? Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking? Should I remain silent while you babble on? When you mock God, shouldn’t someone make you ashamed” (Job 11:2–3 NLT)?
Like Eliphaz and Bildad, Zophar believes Job is suffering due to his sin. “Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” (Job 11:6 ESV). Despite Zophar’s flawed understanding of retribution, he made a jarring observation. Job, and all of humanity, do not get what they deserve. Obviously, he believes that Job is not suffering enough, but this is true of all sinful humanity.
Nobody gets what they truly deserve. Adam and Eve lived this reality. The Lord said they would die the day they ate of the forbidden tree (Gen. 2:17). Though they disobeyed God, they did not die at that moment. An innocent animal took their place, so they could live (Gen. 3:1-24).
God is not fair. Sinners don’t get what they deserve. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). In spite of our sin we receive grace. The greatest of all atrocities was that an innocent man died for the sin of the world. For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
Beloved, we should be thankful that we’ve not received what we deserve. Instead of condemnation we have received salvation.