A few years ago, I listened to a sermon about Job's friends. The speaker really honed in on those friends because, as they saw it, the friends usually "get a bad rap." So, they pointed out Job 2:11-18 for an example.

The three friends heard about Job's troubles. So, they got together and decided, in empathy, to go and "sympathize with him and comfort him." (v. 11, NIV) When they saw what shape he was in, they "wept aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. (v. 12)

The "IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT) by Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas" says that garment tearing and the dust sprinkling were "considered signs of mourning...Many mourning rites function as a means for the living to identify with the dead. It is easy to see how dust on the head and torn clothes would be symbolic representations of burial and decay." (p. 496)

---- GRAPHIC SECTION ALERT! ----

Verse 13 of Job 2 says that these three friends "sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was."

I don't care how young you are, that's a long time to comfortably sit on the ground beside someone. What's more, I think people back then were likely quite familiar with the smell of decaying flesh.

My mother had a horrible "sore" on her face that she insisted on treating herself. Over a matter of weeks, it got deeper and larger. Her flesh was decaying to the point that by the time she finally agreed to let me take her to the doctor, I pleaded for God to somehow cover up the smell of dead flesh so that I could withstand the car ride and get her there safely (my eyes were watering). [It was diagnosed as cancer, by the way.]

So, look back at Job 2:7-8. Who knows how long Job had suffered with these top-to-bottom sores before the friends arrived. When they did arrive, did they not only see decaying, dead flesh but also smell it? Is this why they went into mourning, as if he was dying?

Yet, they were faithful and stayed beside him for seven days and seven nights, not saying anything because they knew how much he was suffering.
-----------------------------------------------------

Then, once Job chose to open up and lament, they started answering with their thoughts.

A dear cousin and sister-in-Christ was diagnosed with ALS. We did a lot of reasoning together.

Is there a lesson in this? "Did I do something wrong? Am I not believing enough that I'll be healed? I know God can heal me. Will He? Why or why not?"

Together, we wrestled through all sorts of scenarios and questions. At her request, I typed the book of Job into emails so she could read it easily via controlling her computer with the eye-gazing software. As we jointly read the book, we analyzed together. And, we read about the "thorn" in Paul's flesh. We talked about the healings in the Bible. We discussed what "healing" means and whether God would heal her on earth or in Heaven. We were hashing out together what we each believed at the time.

When it comes to Job's friends, I've sometimes wondered if a "hashing things out together" was more the scenario than simply their sitting around and reprimanding him. Was it a common belief back then that the sufferer must have done something wrong? From my reading, it seemed to be a part of cultural thought, yes.

Were his friends trying to figure out what this "wrong" must have been so he could finally find relief? Is this why Job's wife said what she said -- it was hard to watch him suffer so? Were the friends frustrated because they thought he was being too stubborn to admit he must have done something to displease God?

It is dreadful to suffer, but it's also dreadful to watch someone suffer and be at death's door. Yet, they stayed.

Lots of questions. But, ever since that sermon, I've thought about those seven days and nights spent nearby Job. I've tried to look at it with ancient Biblical beliefs in mind rather than modern beliefs in a world of good medical knowledge and care.

Were these mourning friends really that crass and heartless as some modern readers think?
I'm not so sure of that assessment anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/live/p0cLKtR5kfE?si=dPk5KyXy3Wo-pvfo

My notes from the Pastor Mike Winger video:

Monotheism: Isaiah 43:10+, Isaiah 44:6-8, Isaiah 45:21+
-- Chapters 44 & 45 examples also show that God knows the future.
-- We don't believe in three gods. He is one and only.

Tri (3) + Unity = Trinity (3 in one)
-- Not 3 gods in one god.
-- There are 3 Whos in 1 What.
-- There are 3 Persons in 1 God.
-- The word, "trinity," isn't in the Bible, but the concept is. Theological term to describe the concept.

Father is God:
-- 1 Peter 1:2
-- Matt. 3:16 (Son is not the Father, is not the Spirit, Father is not the Son or Spirit)[Shows all 3].
-- Shows relational interaction.

Jesus is God:
-- He is truly God, and He is truly man.
-- Colossians 2:8-9 and Col. 1:15: Jesus is in charge of all creation.
-- Psalm 89:27 -- "Firstborn" means "King of kings" or "the head of." So, again, Jesus is the head of or in charge of all creation.
-- Titus 2:13 and 2 Peter 1:1, 11 -- Grandville-Sharp rule for Greek; both "God" and "Saviour" refer to Jesus Christ.
-- John 8:58: Ego Eimi (I Am) is in the mouth of Jesus Himself. Look back at Isaiah 43:10 to see the "I Am" statement there. See how those listening to Jesus are ready to stone Him. It's like Jesus is saying, "I exist. Those other gods do not. I Am. They are not."
-- John 13:19 & John 8:24 (I Am): "The surrounding Jews were not lost in what He was saying."
-- Emmanuel means "God with us."
-- Rev. 22:12 & Rev. 1:8 -- Jesus describing Himself, and there's consistency in the same book.
-- John 20:28 -- "My LORD and my God." Look at Jesus' response; He is accepting statement is true.
-- John 1:1-51: "Word" is Jesus. See the Trinity here.
-- Jesus is not the Father. Jesus, in His words, "was careful to distinguish Himself from Father and Holy Spirit so as not to confuse people."
-- John 14:28 "is about the Persons of the Trinity, not the Being of the Trinity."
-- Philip. 2:8, John 17:5, John 14:28 -- Jesus set aside the glory to be in body.

-- When we see Jesus, we see the living God.

John 17:5 "flies in the face of modalism."
-- Modalism is "the theological doctrine that the members of the Trinity are not three distinct Persons but rather three modes or forms of activity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) under which God manifests Himself." Basically, modalism is thinking that it's all God but "wearing different hats."
-- So, thinking "God died" (all 3) is a form of modalism, then.
-- Not to be confused with tri-theism, which is the idea that we're worshiping three gods.

Holy Spirit is God:
-- He's a Person.
-- Acts 5:3+ -- They lied to Holy Spirit and, thus, to God.
-- Acts 13:2, Acts 10:19 -- He's a Person. His actions are those of a Person.
-- Matt. 3:29 -- He can be blasphemed against.
-- Eph. 4:30 -- An "active force" doesn't have feelings. Go to Hebrews 10:29, too.
-- Matt. 28:19 -- "Name" here is singular, but lists all three.