Job 5
In Job 5, Eliphaz will further verbally rub Job’s face into the ground. It should be obvious from Eliphaz’s speech that he has overwhelming contempt for Job. Not only does Eliphaz place Job in the class of the unrighteous, he alludes to Job being a fool. He tells Job that he should be happy that God is correcting him. Finally, Eliphaz will instruct Job on all the benefits that would be derived from repentance. Eliphaz has a works-oriented approach to life.
Job 5:1
1Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?
It seems as if Eliphaz is baiting Job. At this point, possibly everyone knows of Job’s affliction and they are maintaining their distance. It may be common knowledge that many have abandoned Job in his time of need. This will actually become more apparent in later chapters. If this is true, then there is no reason for Eliphaz to taunt Job.
You have to wonder what changed from Job 2:11 to now.
11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
Initially, they came to comfort Job. What changed that would cause Eliphaz to go so quick from comforting to humiliating?
Job 5:2-5
2For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. 3I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
Indirectly, Eliphaz is calling Job a foolish, silly man. There seems to be no limit to how much Eliphaz will insult Job. Nothing is sacred with Eliphaz. As if it was not painful enough to lose ten children, Eliphaz has effectively blamed Job for the loss of his children. Further, Eliphaz claims that the thieves stole from Job because of his evil ways.
Many speak of the patience of Job. This is usually in reference to his personal suffering and the time he waited to be restored. Oddly when one studies the Book of Job, the real suffering came at the hands of his critics. It is one thing to suffer a great loss, it is worse when you are blamed for it. Through all this, Job’s patience will be tested beyond reasonable limits. Job will maintain his patience and integrity through most of the conversations; no matter how heated the conversations may become.
Job 5:6-7
6Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Eliphaz tells Job that affliction and trouble do not just happen. According to Eliphaz if there is trouble there is a reason. It appears that Eliphaz is putting forth the idea that Job must have committed some awful sin proportional to his suffering. As such, Job brought this all upon himself.
Eliphaz is so convinced of his position, he is going to provide spiritual life-saving advice for Job, Job 5:8.
8I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
This statement assumes that Job has not made any effort to worship God. When Eliphaz and his friends spent seven days mourning with Job, what transpired? There is nothing recorded as to what occurred, what was discussed or even the general atmosphere.
Job was a well-respected individual, many came to him for advice and wisdom. The question that keeps coming to mind is, what has changed? When did Eliphaz lose respect and compassion for Job? The answer may be, Eliphaz never lost respect and compassion for Job, because Eliphaz never had it. This may be the only reasonable explanation as to why Eliphaz so quickly accused Job without even hearing his side. It seems as if Eliphaz and his friends were just waiting for the time when Job would fall. Then they would move in and finish him off.
It is obvious from Eliphaz’s statement that he knew little of Job’s manner of life. It was Job who interceded for his children continuously as in Job 1:5.
5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job would rise early in the morning continually to offer sacrifices to God. Eliphaz has a low opinion of Job and probably always had. More than likely, Eliphaz has never held Job in high regard.
Eliphaz continues to speak about God in Job 5:9-16. What we read is that some of Eliphaz’s words are true and some of it is Eliphaz’s opinion.
9Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: 10Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: 11To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. 12He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. 13He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night. 15But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. 16So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
Eliphaz has a very simple doctrine, good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. Yeshua disputes such doctrine in Matthew 5:45.
45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
In this world, there is not always a just balance. There have been many a righteous man killed by a less righteous man. Yeshua reminds us of this in Matthew 23:37A.
37AO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
Eliphaz starts to speak about things very similar to what Solomon will eventually write in Proverbs. However, the implication is that Job is being chastised for his supposed sin, Job 5:17-19.
17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
What Eliphaz has stated is fairly consistent with what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:11-12 and Proverbs 24:16.
11My son, despise not the chastening of Yehovah; neither be weary of his correction: 12For whom Yehovah loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Although Eliphaz stated things that are true, it does not mean that he is right about all things. Especially, what he stated concerning Job. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.
14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
I am not stating in any way that Eliphaz is a servant of Satan, but all too often someone looks good, sounds good and Christians accept their word on issues we ought not to. The apostle Paul admonished believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:12:
12And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
We ought to know who we are listening to and following. So often there is a scandal in the Christian community and many are lost. Some lose faith while others continue to support the fallen minister. Both are wrong, because both have put their faith in the man. Often it is faith in the wrong man. Ultimately our faith should be in God, so when one falls, those in the faith can help them up. We need to be sure that when we listen to a person, their walk lines up with the Bible. Unfortunately their words may, but often their walk is far from the Bible. We must know our Bible if we are to properly discern.
Now Eliphaz will lay it on thick. He will attempt to give Job a reason to repent. Although Eliphaz does not tell us what specifically Job has done, he maintains that Job obviously did sin, Job 5:20-26.
20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. 21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. 25Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season.
Eliphaz’s belief is that if one repents, all the good listed above will happen to them. His philosophy is common among many today. Although lots of people like to think it is true, it is not. Unfortunately, sometimes bad things happen to God’s people. For instance, believers are instructed in Philippians 1:29:
29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Messiah, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
This life we call Christianity has no guarantee that all will go right. If one really walks this life out, they will suffer. Not only suffer, but there will also be persecution. Paul stated in 2 Timothy 3:12:
12Yea, and all that will live godly in Messiah Yeshua shall suffer persecution.
Persecution seems to be unavoidable as a believer, that is, unless one walks like the world and lives the life of the lukewarm believer. Unfortunately, too many today have taken that option. Because of that, it is hard to distinguish a believer from the world. In many cases, the only difference being that the Christian occasionally attends church. The Bible commands us to live a life different from the world.
What Eliphaz stated is somewhat true; however, it is never as simple as he claims. Even Paul who suffered so much in his lifetime was delivered many times. He speaks of this in 2 Timothy 4:17-18:
17Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The problem with Eliphaz’s philosophy is that it is an immature understanding of scriptures and human nature. Very few of us mature when things are always good. It seems that it is through adversity that one matures. It is as one takes up their cross, as Yeshua did, that they will grow into a mature believers.
Additionally, Eliphaz was not present when Job responded to his wife in Job 2:10. The question is what does Eliphaz really know of Job? Eliphaz should consider Job’s statement in Job 2:10.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job was correct in that both good and bad can happen to an individual. Or that God will allow certain things to happen. We need to look beyond the circumstances of a situation and into the depth of God’s word. When we do, we will have a greater appreciation of Romans 8:28.
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
There is no guarantee that all will be good for us. The guarantee is that things work for the good. The good being God’s purposes.
Eliphaz failed to understand Job before he spoke. Eliphaz’s last statement to Job is outright demeaning.
Job 5:27
27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
Note that Eliphaz uses the pronoun ‘we’. Eliphaz and his friends had already decided that Job was guilty. It was a joint effort on their part. Very little compassion was to be directed towards Job, because he was already assumed to be guilty. Job’s friends probably had conspired against him long before anything happened in the Book of Job.
I wonder at this point, if Job realized that Eliphaz had little compassion for him. It seems Eliphaz’s comfort is a formula of, “you must have sinned, therefore repent and all will be well.”
Eliphaz is telling Job that all this is for his good. If anything worse happens, it is Job’s fault; because obviously Job has committed some heinous sin. In Eliphaz’s opinion, it is Job’s refusal to repent that has resulted in his misery.
Eliphaz was blind to what has happened, partly because he was not privileged to hear the conversation between God and Satan. Because of this, we see the true character of Eliphaz. Did Eliphaz ever ask Job why all this happened to him? It appears from the text he did not. Possibly the reason why Eliphaz responded as he does is because Eliphaz is blinded by his own pride. Eliphaz is in for quite a surprise in the end.
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