Job’s Friends

Job’s Friends

Q: How many friends came to sit with Job during his suffering?

• a. none
• b. 3
• c. 10

When you have good news, you want someone to share it with. And when you’re going through tough times, you want someone to listen to your concerns.

When Job’s friends heard about all that had happened to him, they came to visit. They barely recognized him because of all he’d been through. At first Job’s friends sat in silence with him to show their support. But then they told Job he must be suffering because of some sin he committed. They tried to get him to repent, and their empathy turned to judgment.

Sometimes God does allow bad things to happen to get our attention. And often when we sin, we do face consequences. If you cheat on a test and get caught, you will receive a zero for that test and face punishment from your parents. If you hang out with friends who love to break rules and cause trouble, you’ll find yourself facing consequences from teachers and parents.

But when something bad happens to a person, it’s not always because the person has done wrong. Bad things happen to innocent people. Job’s three friends were accusing him of sin, but Job was not guilty. Everything that had happened to him was because Satan was testing him. Job gave in to despair for a while and wished he’d never been born, but he never turned his back on God.

For You

Job needed someone to care about what he was going through, but his friends judged him and made him feel worse. If you have a friend who’s hurting, how can you offer encouragement and support?

Answer: b

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.   Job 2:11

(The Whole Story: Job 2:11-13 and 4:1-7, although much of the book of Job is dialogue between Job and his friends)