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“The Eliphaz In The Room!” • 1.31.21 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- Job's friends have just listened to what has become Job 3. In it, Job laments his existence, even bemoaning the night of his conception.
- He wondered, given his current circumstance, if he shouldn't have died at childbirth and he concluded by asking whether it wouldn't have been best for him to die in the present!
- It is a sobering chapter thousands of years removed from the city dump of Uz. Imagine the thoughts of the original audience, friends who watched this painful diatribe in full color.
- Job has broken the silence and in so doing, has opened the door for his friends to respond. Chapters 1-3 have given us the "Prologue" portion of the book of Job.
- Chapter 4 opens up the "Dialogue" portion of the book of Job, which contains a three round series of interchanges between Job and his friends. Round one begins with Eliphaz.
- In most cases within the Bible, God preserves His word to instruct us with both positive and negative examples. In this section, we will see much of the latter!
- For those that follow along diligently, there is a good chance that they will become experts in what NOT to do when God calls you to comfort His person!
- Eliphaz leads with his "Personal Life Experience." Chapter 4, verse 1.
Text
• Job 4:1-6 : "Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 'If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking? Surely you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees; But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled. Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?" : I had mentioned at the end of chapter 2, that Eliphaz was the firstborn son of Esau. Teman is an ancient city of the Edomite people.
- It was later regarded as a city that was associated with great wisdom and counsel. (Jeremiah 49:7) This man's response to Job must be seen in this light. He lives in a city of wisdom!
- He and the other two friends have given Job's plight a lot of thought before even reaching him. They have their theories. Eliphaz has waited and listened to Job but is anxious to respond.
- His only concern is that Job might grow exhausted. When that is your immediate concern, you should be wary of speaking at all! Unfortunately, he gives into his greater desire!
- "Who can withhold himself from speaking?" The answer: The friend with the most wisdom!
- If you see a person who is hurting and you feel that you must speak, be careful not to!
- Eliphaz is in a hurry to defend God and if there is one being in the universe that can defend Himself against every complaint, it is God Himself! He doesn't need our help!
- When we are on the defensive, we are rarely able to dispense counsel that honors God!
- As Eliphaz reviews Job's resume, we find that he considered Job to be a good man to be around when difficult situations arose in other's lives.
- Job instructed or corrected many in their seasons of struggle. He strengthened weak hands, a euphemism for boosting a person's confidence. Job's words raised a person who was "tottering."
- He steadied them with his words and encouraged those who were afraid, feeble in the knees. Eliphaz knew Job to be this kind of man.
- He was not remote from people, but was a source of strength and wisdom to them in their time of need. It would be a wonderful prayer that would ask God to make this of us!
- In times of trouble, Eliphaz had watched, with amazement, as Job steadied a weary soul. It's surprising to him then, to see Job not have the same strength in this, his own moment.
- Job had been a source of strength for others, but could not apply those gifts toward himself? Trouble has come to Job and he doesn't have the strength to combat it?
- The words of Eliphaz seem incredibly uninformed as he says, "it TOUCHES you, and you are troubled!" He has no idea how inaccurate he is! Eliphaz greatly underestimates Job's test.
- This was not a mere touch. It was an unexpected gut punch from a prize fighter! Eliphaz underestimates Job's test and doesn't understand Job's usual context.
- There are different attitudes that are in play when we are providing support. When we are a responder, we are entering from a position of strength. We are uninjured.
- In that moment, we have the capacity to extend strength to people who have none of their own. When you are the one who is on the other side however, that reserve is thoroughly depleted.
- It may be that Eliphaz was trying to stir Job up, that he might reach for those reserves. It may also be that he believes that Job can look forward to rebuilding.
- Rich men believe any loss can simply be made up with a little more money and a little more time. No matter how you slice it, Eliphaz is beginning on the wrong foot!
- Unless we have experienced the exact same thing as our suffering friend, it would be best not to minimize their pain or offer hopes of a future solution! And then, Eliphaz makes it worse.
- "I thought you said that fear of God was essential to your success. I thought your wholeness toward God was supposed to protect you." Eliphaz has never quite understood Job's relationship.
- The person that doesn't walk with the Lord thinks very little of reverence for God or integrity. These are useless to them especially in the "real world."
- I wonder how many times they disagreed in business transactions over these "ideas."
- Eliphaz tolerated Job's schtick, but when the
pain came, he made sure Job remembered. Eliphaz is sure that Job was wrong in
his assertions, especially after what he has heard. V.7.
• Job
4:7-11 : "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?
Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and
sow trouble reap the same. By the blast of God
they perish, and by the breath of His anger they
are consumed. The roaring of
the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken. The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered." : Eliphaz moves from his personal experience of Job to his
personal experience in life! He asks this question with genuine bewilderment.
- Who in this world has ever died without cause? What innocent person has been killed?
- It seems that Eliphaz is ignorant of a large chunk of redemption history! In the first chapters of the Bible, Abel, an innocent and godly man, was killed on account of his brother's rage! (Gen. 4:8)
- Ultimately, the only truly innocent Man in history will be sacrificed on behalf of every believing sinful human being in history as Jesus submits to the Roman cross without having sinned!
- Eliphaz is not only ignorant of the nature of human sinfulness, he arrogantly implies that Job's family was guilty and deserving of their fate! What is driving this man's comments?
- "Even as I have seen." This man's experience has not led him to understand the realities of this planet. He has lived in the fantasy land of wealth, far removed from injustice.
- In his mind, there is an absolute law of sowing and reaping. If you plant perversion and sow trouble, it will come back to you. In this, Eliphaz has spoken the truth, except that it's not true here!
- There is a law of sowing and reaping. Whatever you sow, good or bad, will eventually return to you, though it will never be immediate. Whatever you sow will take time to grow!
- When it does return, you will always receive more than you invest! This is what Hosea meant when he wrote, "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind!" (Hosea 8:7)
- This spiritual principle works in both negative and positive ways. The problem here is that Eliphaz makes an assumption without knowing what God has already declared about Job.
- God's proverbial lips have declared Job to be blameless and thoroughly undeserving!
- This is where we have to be very careful in ascribing texts of scripture or doctrine in abstraction. The Bible is often used in this very "plug and play" kind of way.
- Logicians use formulas or syllogisms to work out their problems and many Christians follow the same premise. "When one sows sin, evil will follow. Evil has come, so Job must be wicked!"
- Eliphaz has something figured out that isn't actually true. He has just taken a principle and forced it to apply to Job. In the process, he sounds mechanical as he also misrepresents the Lord!
- Eliphaz paints God in a way that might be accurate at another time, but not every time!
- Neither Job nor his family were subjects of God's wrath, even if some of them were allowed to perish. This action wasn't motivated by divine anger.
- It is true that when the wicked oppose God, they will be vanquished before Him.
- When God does that he does it thoroughly silencing the proud roar and voice of the lion.
- He breaks the teeth out of the mouth, rendering them useless and harmless against those that would be their prey. When God breaks the wicked, they are left without a future.
- They are scattered to the wind. Why would Eliphaz believe this with such confidence? It turns out that he had a little help in interpreting Job's troubles.
- We move from his "Personal Experience" to his "Private Spiritual Experience." Verse 12.
• Job 4:12-21 : "Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying: ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? If He puts no trust in His servants, if He charges His angels with error, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before a moth? They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding. Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’" : Eliphaz bolsters his claims through the aid of special revelation. Notice, it was "secretly brought to him." Nobody else heard this. It was only made available to him in the deep of the night.
- Immediately, our warning bells should ring, not only in the reception of such a message as divinely received and authoritative, but also in the question of whether or not to transmit it!
- We had better be incredibly sure of the source of such a message before we act upon it. It is wise to test the spirits before we loan them our voice! Let's test this one as we go.
- This experience was disturbing and surreal as a form revealed itself before Eliphaz. As he acknowledged it's presence, there was fearful silence until the voice spoke.
- Perhaps one would argue that such a presence "could be God." It would be fearful.
- Allowing for that, never assume it is! We must test the voice by it's content! The message that comes across must agree with what God has already said, if it is to be considered true.
- The voice that Eliphaz heard puts an interesting spin on things regarding any of Job's potential claims. "Is it possible for a human being to be innocent before God?"
- "Think about it!" the voice continued. "There are angelic beings that God has found fault in, who are beautiful and excellent. How much more fault is there to be found in man!?"
- It certainly sounds as if this voice has had experience in this matter of judged angels!
- His point is that angels are made from "better stuff" than mankind is. They have a greater perspective regarding what is and is not holy. And they are not weak, unlike mankind.
- Humans dwell in clay. We are literally dust! We are incredibly weak and vulnerable. Our days are a testimony to our brokeness, the result of our fall into sin!
- Ultimately, men are forever dying, never to be remembered and never to be the wiser for their existence. Does any of this sound uplifting to you? I wonder who is behind this message to Eliphaz?
- Would it really be any surprise if this wasn't a Satanic visitation? Would it be beyond the realm of comprehension that even now, Satan would use Job's closest friend against him?
- Paul will later warn the Corinthians of the pseudo Apostles, telling them that it is nothing for Satan to transform himself into an angel of light! (II Corinthians 11:14,15)
- If it's possible to receive a message like this, let us be sure that our message comes from the Lord of life and not from the Lord of lies! The clues here are quite obvious.
- When a message comes from the Lord, a person knows it without any quesswork. It will conform to God's Word and it will issue from peace to peace.
- This message that Eliphaz delivers carries all the fruit of a Satanic attack. Fear, misleading information and condemnation are all Satan's calling cards!
- We move now to Eliphaz' "Personal Assessment And Recommendation." Chapter 5.
• Job 5:1-7 : "Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. His sons are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer. Because the hungry eat up his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and a snare snatches their substance. For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward." : Eliphaz challenges Job to summon heaven and make his case. Who would even answer his call? What angelic beings would turn to acknowledge him?
- There isn't anyone in heaven that would take Job's case! In the mind of Eliphaz, this same story has been playing out for years. This is an open and shut case!
- He can judge what has happened without even batting an eye. His arrogance is astounding!
- Eliphaz says, "The end of a foolish man and a simple men is death. Their wrath and envy only bring them to a singlular fate." Watch his logic.
- At the beginning, when the foolish are just starting to indulge in their foolishness, they are seemingly being established, but then, without warning, they are brought down.
- Their future is ruined when their offspring are abandoned. In ancient times, the gate of the city was where one would conduct business or settle legal affairs.
- The foolish ones stood there, thinking that they had a chance but were soon crushed without anyone to defend their case.
- If it doesn't happen legally, their poor behavior is rewarded by the hungry snatching up their produce, even when their investment is well protected! God finds ways to bring them down!
- None of this happens without a cause! Eliphaz is sure that trouble of any kind, comes for a reason that has been sown by the one experiencing it! It doesn't just spring from the ground!
- Man's troublesome ways are as predictable as the sparks that fly upward! In this man's mind, Job has fallen prey to the same story. He has done something to offend God.
- What makes matters worse is that he is telling Job that his children's death is his fault! He has been foolish and his children have been crushed for it! Just awful! Verse 8.
• Job 5:8-16 : "But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause—Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noontime as in the night. But He saves the needy from the sword, from the mouth of the mighty, and from their hand. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth." : Verse 8 falls into the category of unsolicited advice! "Nobody has asked me, but let me tell you what I would do!" That is almost always a bad idea! He would continually repent before the Lord.
- Job must be sitting there thinking, "But I have nothing to repent of!?" How can one repent before they have sinned? Eliphaz sounds like a first year Bible student!
- He goes into this long streak of praise, seemingly to prove that he knows what's best because of what he knows! At least he speaks truthfully. Our God does do great things!
- His works are past our finding out and too numerous to begin to catalogue! His oversight of the earth and the fields are equal to his care for human life.
- The humble are exalted and the downcast are rescued as God moves upon them. He acts with deliverance toward the humble but also acts with judgment against the wicked.
- God looks out upon the earth and effectively limits the wickedness of humanity by breaking their plans to pieces, by seizing them in their schemes and bringing their counsel to nothing!
- God makes their daytime like the night, filled with confusion, so that their directives are unclear! In this way, God delivers the needy.
- This is how the poor have hope and injustice is left unsatisfied. It's a sermon that Job doesn't need to hear. This knowledge may have even come from Job himself!
- I wonder if Eliphaz isn't repeating what he has heard Job say in the past! In any event, it is knowledge that is being used haphazardly for it's own sake.
- Each verse is a dagger, not a surgical knife! It's forcefully applied without being applicable! It's a bandaid for a cancer diagnosis! Verse 17.
• Job 5:17-23 : "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you." : Eliphaz equates what has happened to Job as divine correction! God has delivered a spanking to his child!
- Eliphaz reasons that Job should be happy Job as he recounts wonderful truths about God.
- As a Father, He bruises but He binds up! He doesn't leave us in our hurt state! He smites but the same hands make us whole! No matter the trouble we are in, the Lord is there to deliver us.
- In famine, war or slander, the Lord will redeem and hide His child so that he does not need to be afraid. In fact, he will be able to laugh!
- Destruction and famine will be all around him, but he will be unaffected. Even if he were displaced he wouldn't be afraid of the elements because he would have a covenant with the stones.
- This refers to well defined property lines that were agreed upon. His neighbors and even the beasts would be at peace with His child! Eliphaz saves his "best" for last! Verse 24.
• Job 5:24-27 : "You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing. You will have many children; your descendants will be as plentiful as grass! You will go to the grave at a ripe old age, like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time! We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself.'" : Eliphaz offers Job something that he is not authorized to offer.
- He has misrepresented God's actions and reveals that he doesn't understand God's character. Eliphaz is very much in line with Satan's previous appeals.
- When you are right with God, your home will be safe, your possessions will never be lost and your children and grandchildren will abound. You'll live in peace and harmony to a ripe old age!
- In the mind of the world, when you live right, right will be your life! To that we say, "Wrong!"
- But don't tell Eliphaz! He believes he has discovered to be true! He looks at Job and tells him that he'd be wise to listen to his words and apply them personally! What a painful account!
Conclusion
- As we close, there are many principles that we can accept as our
portion from the Word. To have the opportunity to comfort a brother or sister in
pain is a privilege that shouldn't be wasted.
- Perhaps we could look back upon Eliphaz and gather some lessons from his failure. First, if you feel the need to defend God's character, don't!
- The Lord can take care of Himself and if the person in pain makes rash statements, trust the Lord to correct them Himself. You are not the Lord's Counsel. You are your friend's comforter!
- Second, if you think you have your suffering friend's condition "all figured out," be assured that you probably don't!
- Our experiences will teach us about our lives, but they may not correspond to what has taken place in our friend's lives.
- Third, carefully critique any spiritual experience that you think might have relevance to your friend's condition. Think about how you received it and what it bore in your heart.
- Is it fear based? It is condemning? Is it absolutely and reliably true? Once you've settled that, imagine yourself in their shoes and try to feel what they would if they heard it.
- Finally, be careful not to think that your knowledge of God or His Word adds any extra weight to your words, especially if those words are educated guesses!
- Eliphaz has thrown out his first volley. We'll see how Job responds next time. Let's pray!