Job 4-5

Introduction

Job has been in great pain and for months.

He lost his children

He lost his wealth

And, he lost his health

He has been outside of the city gate, sitting in the ashes for days, if not weeks.

Three of his friends have been there for 7 days.

At the conclusion of 7 days, Job speaks.

His speech was not directed towards his friends. It was not directed towards anyone. He expressed how he thought at that particular time.

His speech was filled with grief and darkness.

He wanted to curse the day of his birth.

He wished that he was not born alive.

He viewed the after-life as rest and peace.

Even though his speech was not directed towards his friends, they used that as an opening to comfort him.

Job 2:11 “Now 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.”

Eliphaz’s affirmation of Job

Job 4:1–6 “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking? Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, Thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?”

Opening statement v.1-2

“If we assay to commune with thee” - If we attempt to talk with you.

“Wilt thou be grieved” - become tired, impatient, restless.

Who cannot say something after what we have seen for the last 7 days and just heard from you.

Job’s testimony within the community

Instructed many - Corrected many

Strengthened the weak hands

His words kept of those that were falling

He strengthened the feeble knees

But now, you need us to do the same for you.

v. 6 sets in motion an awful series of dialogues aimed at conquering Job’s faith.

If you are truly innocent and blameless then:

Your fear (reverence for God) - is your hope.

Your confidence - is your uprightness

This should be understood as a rebuke

Eliphaz’s theology - Bad events do not happen to innocent people

Job 4:7–11 “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.”

“Remember” - it is hard to say if this is what Job believed before these series of negative events. Or, if he was simply asking Job: “Can you think of a time when the innocent suffered?”

The innocent does not perish and the righteous cut off. v.7

The idea is death.

Eliphaz looking at Job’s children.

Illustration - farming v.8-9.

Those who plow iniquity and sow in wickedness will be destroyed and consumed by the blast and breath of God.

Proverbs 22:8 “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: And the rod of his anger shall fail.”

Illustration - a lion and his cubs v.10-11

The lion represents his children.

Eliphaz’s dream

Job 4:12–21 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: An image was before mine eyes, There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; And his angels he charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Which are crushed before the moth? They are destroyed from morning to evening: They perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? They die, even without wisdom.”

Shook Eliphaz v.12-15

Fear

Tremble

Hair stood up.

Spirit v.16-21

Not recognizable

The spirit was before him

The spirit spoke:

He asked 2 questions:

Shall a mortal man be more just than God?

Shall a man be more pure than his maker?

Behold - God

God’s view of immaterial:

He does not trust His servants

His angels are charged with folly.

Therefore, the materiel universe has no hope.

“Houses of clay” - are bodies.

Easier to crush than moths.

They are constantly being destroyed

Everyone is imperfect before God!

Eliphaz indictment

Job 5:1–7 “Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; And to which of the saints wilt thou turn? For wrath killeth the foolish man, And envy slayeth the silly one. I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation. His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns, And the robber swalloweth up their substance. Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; Yet man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.”

If you do not believe what I just stated then ask anyone. The problem is know one will disagree.

After relaying the spirit’s appearance of fallen man he comes back to Job. He viewed Job’s complaint in ch.3 as Job 5:2 “For wrath (anger) killeth the foolish (arrogant, who seeks his own purpose, not God’s) man, And envy slayeth the silly (naive) none.”

He brings up another illustration that is pointed to Job

He is the foolish man take root - Taking root speaks of success and prosperity.

His children are dead.

His wealth have been destroyed by weather and robbers

All of this happened not by accident or coincidence but because of trouble done by man - Job 5:6-7.

Eliphaz recommendation

Job 5:8–16 “I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; Marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields: To set up on high those that be low; That those which mourn may be exalted to safety. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: And the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope in the noonday as in the night. But he saveth the poor from the sword, From their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.”

Seek after God and commit yourself unto Him.

Why should he seek after God

He does great and unsearchable things

He does marvelous things without number

He gives rain upon the earth

He sends water upon the fields

He lifts up those that are low

He exalts the mourners to safety

He disappoints (breaks up) the devices (plans) of the crafty

The counsel of the froward is head long

They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope with noonday as in night

But, He saves the poor from the sword, mouth, and hand of the mighty

The poor have hope

Conclusion

Job 5:17–26 “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death: And in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; And thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.”

You are being corrected; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Lord

V.17b is the only imperative in this section.

God makes sore and binds, and wounds but makes whole

He shall deliver you from trouble

In famine and war he will redeem from death and the sword

Hid from the scourge tongue of destruction when it comes

Peace and prosperity will come

Conviction

Job 5:27 “Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.”

The 3 men were agreed upon this statement

This is for your good.