Eliphaz's First Discourse
Chapter 4 and 5
After Job's lament (Chapter 3), there are three rounds of speeches by his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, each answered in turn by Job. Zophar didn't take part in the third round. They involve chapters 4 to 31, and one commentator, Ridout, exclaims:
"It has been well named The Entanglement, for it is a mass of argument, denunciation, accusation, suspicion, partly correct theories, and withal flashes of faith and hope - all in the language of loftiest poetry, with magnificent luxuriance of Oriental metaphor. To the casual reader there may seem to be no progress, and but little clarity in the controversy. And it must be confessed that God's people at large seem to have gained little from these chapters beyond a few familiar, beautiful and oft-quoted verses."
Eliphaz, meaning God his strength was probably the elder of these friends. He was from Teman, a trading city in Edom, regarded as a place of wisdom. Eliphaz stressed his own experience and general observation, also the infinite purity and majesty of God. In polite and gentle language he implied that Job's sufferings were caused by sin.
Scofield sees him as "a religious dogmatist whose dogmatism rests upon a mysterious and remarkable experience (Job 4:12-16). Did a spirit ever pass before Job's face? Did Job's hair of his flesh ever stand up? Then let him be meek while one so superior as Eliphaz declares the causes of his misfortunes. Eliphaz says many true things (as do the others), and often rises into eloquence, but he remains hard and cruel, a dogmatist who must be heard because of one remarkable experience."
Pious but lacking in compassion, he became harsher as the discussion progressed and Job refused to admit any wrongdoing on his part. Like the others after him, he believed that all suffering was for punishment.
Eliphaz accuses Job of inconsistency
Politely opening his speech by asking if Job would mind if he spoke, he firmly added that he just couldn't contain himself.
He then proceeded to say good things about Job: he had in the past given instruction, strength and support to many people: this was in character with a man who was approved by God as we have been told at the beginning of the book.
Yet, he said, when Job himself suffered adversity, he was weary and troubled. The medicine he gave the others didn't seem to have any effect on him. In other words, he was saying "You knew how to help those who were in trouble. But now something has happened to you, and you have folded up". What had happened to his trust in reverence (to God) and in righteous living?
The innocent and upright do not perish
Eliphaz asked Job if he remembered the innocent and upright ever perishing or being cut off, to which the expected answer was "no". In his experience, he said, those who perished and incurred in the anger of God were the ones who practised iniquity and sowed trouble.
These perished and were consumed by an act of God as a result of His anger. They are going to perish like the young lions that have broken teeth and like the old lions that can no longer stalk their prey.
Eliphaz, like all the others, had only a limited revelation from God regarding the fate of man. As Job also thought, death would be the equaliser of all men and Sheol, the after-death, brought rest to all. God's punishment, according to what he knew, was given in this life to those who displeased Him. In this context there is no suffering in this life which is not a consequence of sin, so he was accusing Job of a hidden sin.
Part of what Eliphaz said is true, and part is false. It is true that those who promote sin and trouble eventually will be punished, but after death; it is false that anyone who is good and innocent will never suffer in this world.
Many centuries later the Son of God revealed to us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). This changed previous concepts of sin and punishment.
Eliphaz's comments are an example of what we should try to avoid: making false assumptions about others based on our own experiences.
Eliphaz tells of a humbling vision
Eliphaz tells of having heard a whisper during his sleep at night, which brought great fear upon him, followed by the vision of a spirit, whose appearance he couldn't discern, standing still before him in silence, then a voice asking a question and giving the answer. We are left to wonder what sort of spirit that was, or whether it was all a dream or nightmare.
Yet it is the basis on which Eliphaz stands his argument. The two questions invite a negative answer: mortal man cannot be more pure and righteous than God. If God cannot trust His own servants and charges His angels with error, how much more untrustworthy and fallible are mortal men who are as transient as a moth. He deteriorates daily and perishes for ever without trace. This is borne out in the verse "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The consequences are true if we look only upon life on earth. "Houses of clay" is a good description of our bodies, also called "a tent" (2 Corinthians 5:1): feeble, frail, easily broken.
The foolish man trusts in himself
Man without God is on his own. There is no creature in heaven, no matter how holy, which can help him. This is an undeniable truth which is lost upon those who pray to the saints seeking their "grace" for blessings on earth or for the dead.
Tribulations bring vexation to the foolish and envy to the simple, both deadly. Eliphaz had witnessed the link between wickedness in foolish man who trusted in himself and punishment. His children were helpless, he lost his harvest and his snares caught nothing. Evil doesn't just happen without cause, but man is destined to trouble, just as sparks fly upward.
Turn to God for deliverance
Eliphaz wisely would seek God and commit his cause to Him, because He is all-wise and all-powerful. God is the provider, He establishes righteousness, comforts those who mourn, frustrates the devices of the crafty and the counsel of the cunning, saves the needy from the hand of the mighty so that the poor have hope, and He stops injustice.
Verse 13 is quoted in 1 Corinthians 3:19 to unmask the false wisdom of this world.
Blessing comes from submission to God's chastening
God's correction, or chastening, is a good thing. He punishes but He also restores. He delivers from troubles. He gives many descendants, and a long life. Again we notice that the blessings mentioned are all concerning this life on earth. Job received all this from God after the end of his trial. It was a trial, not a correction or chastening, but none of them were aware of this at the time.
R David Jones
Chapter 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 "If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Surely you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees;
5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?
8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 "Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it.
13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair on my body stood up.
16 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:
17 'Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He puts no trust in His servants, if He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before a moth?
20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; they perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.'
Chapter 5
1 "Call out now; is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4 His sons are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer.
5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and a snare snatches their substance.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7 Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
8 "But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause ...
9 Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvellous things without number.
10 He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields.
11 He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noontime as in the night.
15 But He saves the needy from the sword, from the mouth of the mighty, and from their hand.
16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
17 "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
20 In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace; you shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear it, and know for yourself."