By Pastor Rich Paradis
With
the opening testing behind us in chapters 1-2 and the initial lament of Job in
the last chapter, we now move to an extended section of the book of Job called
the Dialogue – Dispute section. This section will go from Job 4-27. These
discussions will be characterized with one of the “friends” speaking for a
while, followed by Job’s response. Eliphaz and Bildad will be leading 3
discussions while Zophar will lead out in only 2 discussions. Each of these
discussions will continue to yield God’s insight into Job’s situation versus
man’s sometimes feeble attempts to “help”. Let’s see the first one of these
friends, Eliphaz, speak to Job with his brand of insight and help…
I.
The
Man Eliphaz - Introduction
a.
The
first of Job’s friends to be introduced beyond the scene of sitting silently
along with Job is Eliphaz. Eliphaz was a man from city of Teman, and Edomite
city noted as a center of wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7). Some are convinced that
Eliphaz was not only the eldest, but also the wisest and most sympathetic to
the situation that Job currently suffers with.
b.
Eliphaz
will reveal immediately a sort of respect for Job and the kind of man he is.
But he will continue by accusing him and doubting that goodness and character.
c.
After
the tirade of chapter 3, Eliphaz will have no problem looking spiritual. But we
will see that instead of listening to Job’s heart cry, he listened and
responded to Job’s words. Good counselors do both. They will offer God’s
counsel, and they will offer it in love, the way that a Christian does as
spoken of in Ephesians 4:15.
II.
Overviewing
the Text Job 4:1-21
a.
Remember,
Job has just lamented the entire situation that befalls him in front of his 3
friends. He is broken, he is despairing, he is discouraged, and he is wondering
out loud about his birth, his life, and even his purpose for being alive to
suffer as he currently is. The friends
must have been sitting there slack-jawed and stunned at the intensity and the
emotion of the entire monologue by the suffering man Job.
b.
With
that monologue just coming into the rear view mirror, Eliphaz will now “answer”
Job’s lament. As we have already noted, Eliphaz will make a significant
“helpers” mistake by responding to what Job is saying instead of offering help
to the heart of the hurting man. A brief word of application is appropriate
here: Do you listen to the words only, or do you listen to the heart of those
confiding and being transparent to you? Do you really listen, or are you
loading for your response based only on the words that you heard and how they
may make you feel?
c.
Eliphaz
begins benignly enough by noting in Verses
1-6 that Job has been one to offer help and counsel in the past to others
that were hurting, but that compliment is swallowed in a thinly disguised
accusation that Job has really been one to give advice, but is now not able to
receive it for himself. He is reminded by Eliphaz that if in fact his character
and his virtue are true, he will be protected by God and he can embrace that as
his future hope.
d.
The
next section of the chapter, Verses 7-11,
must have been painful for Job to hear. What Eliphaz is saying here is that God
has been a God that would not allow the innocent or the upright to suffer. This
will be a theme that will carry through all of the friend’s dialogues. This
theme briefly stated is “Do right and it’ll work out; do wrong and get God’s
judgment”. The problem with this logic is that Jesus “did it right” and He
suffered more than all of us! This logic is wrong!! Whether the judgment that
is now being reaped is slow like a wind’s damage, or sudden like the death by
conflict or death to the mighty lion, it is coming and it is deserved.
e.
Eliphaz
now relies upon a mysterious “word” that came in the form of a dream to him to
continue his advice. Verses 12-16
speak of this dream and how it came upon him. The exact source of this “word”
is not offered in the text. Again, he will make a mistake that many of us make
when offering what we think is good advice and counsel to those that are
hurting around us. That mistake is the mistake of “I’ve heard…” Sometimes we
depend on these spectacular words from another world to give us special
insight, etc. The Word of God is to be our “special word” that we can deliver
to the hurting around us.
f.
The
“word” that he heard is unpacked in Verses
17-21. The word is that there is no one that is perfect. God can’t even
depend on the angels to all be right and pure. If He can’t even depend on the
angels, how can He depend on our goodness?
The people are without wisdom and their ultimate destination is death.
III.
Overviewing
the Text Job 5:1-27
a.
This
chapter will pick up right where the last chapter left off. Eliphaz has thinly
veneered an accusation toward Job that all of this is happening due to his
sinfulness. In Verses 1-7, he
continues the accusation by now reporting that Job is also acting like a fool. Who
can mediate for a fool before God? The foolish man takes root, just like the
godly man discussed in Psalm 1:1-3. And the “rootedness” of this man will
affect him, his home, his children, and his harvest. That kind of life is both
impossible to deliver a man from and undoubtedly caused by something. It didn’t
just come up out of the ground. All men are sinful and Job is part of “all
men”.
b.
Eliphaz
now offers advice that seems sort of okay, except for the fact that it is
coming from one who doubts the character and virtue of Job and is now in
possession of the “moral high ground” in his own mind. True humility is shown
best when we react humbly even when we have the moral high ground. All can be
humble from the “low ground”.
c.
But
instead of humility, Eliphaz shares in another way that the mistaken “helper”
often does. Instead of offering the Word of God and the counsel of the godly,
he offers insight from all that he has “seen”. So now he has not only tried to
offer counsel from what he uniquely has “heard”, but now he is offering counsel
from what he uniquely has “seen”. Both of these platforms for counsel are
limited and sometimes inaccurate.
d.
But
Verses 8-16 have Eliphaz offering
“What he’d do if he was Job”. Although he may or may not have known it, Eliphaz
is doing the very same thing that Satan accused God of doing. Satan accused God
of “buying Job’s worship”. Now Eliphaz is instructing Job to “buy the
forgiveness of God”.
e.
The
final section, Verses 17-27, has
Eliphaz discussing the “blessedness” of the man who is corrected and reproved
for his sin. Eliphaz is convinced that all of this suffering is due to some
unconfessed or secret sin that God must punish through suffering and tragedy. He’ll
put pain on you, and He’ll eventually take pain away. He will provide help and
restore that which has been taken. It is sort of sad that Eliphaz’ remarks
include the children being restored in Verse 25. Sometimes, truth can be served
in some of the most “super-spiritual” and cold ways. How about the patronizing
attitude of Eliphaz in Verse 27? A sad response to a friend…
IV.
An
Application For All Of Us
a.
Be
sure to listen not only to the words of the hurting, but also the heart’s cry.
b.
Remember
to utilize the Word of God as your primary counseling tool, not the special
words or experiences that you have had that will only be proved to be
incomplete and most likely inaccurate when utilized to offer general principles
for all cases.
c.
“Do
right and it’ll work out; do wrong and get God’s judgment”? This logic is wrong
if you consider the life of Jesus!!
d.
Don’t
allow cold theology to replace warm affection as you deliver truth to those
that are hurting.
