Job 15-17 Eliphaz’s Second Turn
All three of Job’s friends have given him their interpretation of what is going on with him. It’s Eliphaz’s second turn to ‘teach’ Job a lesson.
The whole book of Job boils down to this: “You must have sinned for God to do this to you.” “NO. I’m innocent and God is crushing me!”
God is going to set everyone straight in the end, but until then, we get to listen to the continuing argument. And it is tearing me up!
This is not an easy story for me to tell. I’m finding NO joy in it. I feel SO inadequate in paraphrasing what is being said. And if I get it wrong, how will that impact others’ faith? All I can do is pray that the Holy Spirit guides me as I make my way through the most painfilled book I know of. With this said, and prayed, let’s return to the beginning of the second round of confrontations.
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Eliphaz’s mouth has been opening and closing like a fish as he listens to the words Job claims he would argue his case before God with. His eyes are nearly bulging out of his head as he restrains himself until Job finishes. Eliphaz is hoping that Job’s words will end with a vindication of the Lord or at least a confession of his sins. But they don’t. Job’s words lay his suffering at the feet of the Lord. “God is doing this to a righteous man.”
Eliphaz can’t take any more. As soon as Job falls silent, he confronts him and his assumptions.
“You are full of hot air! The words you are saying are NOT the words of a wise man. They gain you nothing. In fact, your own words condemn you. You are trying to say that fearing God is of no benefit to man. If that were true, what benefit is there to serving Him?”
Eliphaz shakes his head and narrows his eyes as he accuses Job of thinking of himself as more learned than anyone else.
“Are you the first man God created? Are you older than the hills and wiser for it? Have you sat down with God and discussed these things? And are you the ONLY ONE who has wisdom? That is arrogance itself! What do you know that we don’t know? What understanding do you have that we don’t also possess. Wisdom comes with age, and some of us are older than your own father.”
Eliphaz snorts and throws his shoulder towards Job in a dismissive gesture.
“Are God’s blessings nothing to you? Or our words repulsive when we try and deal gently with you? Your heart caries you away from the Lord even now as your eyes flash with anger towards Him. Consider the character of man. NO man is pure and without sin. Even the heavens cannot measure up to the purity of God. If the heavens can’t, who are YOU to presume that you do? MAN will ALWAYS come up short when compared to God. Therefore, there IS sin in you.”
Eliphaz pushes forward with a finger pointed at Job.
“I will tell you what I know. What has been established down through the ages and proven true along the way. The wicked man writhes in pain. It may take time, but all his sins will come back to haunt him. Even if he seems to prosper, the destroyer will catch up with him. He ignores his fate and seeks his own way; ignoring the ways of the Lord. He runs hard, trying to out distance his own ‘reward’ while heaping more onto it. In due time, he WILL fall. ALL of his wealth, ALL of his fame, and ALL that he has will be stripped away. It is his due. When disaster finally catches up with him, he will not be able to shake it off or flee from it. It will consume him. Destruction is his reward for going against the Lord. You are deceiving yourself if you think otherwise.”
Job is disgusted with his friends and their attempts to ‘comfort’ him.
“I have heard what you said. And you are MISERABLE comforters! Why do you even bother to voice your opinion if all you are going to do is condemn me?”
Job snorts at them.
“I could say these same things to you, if I weren’t in pain and distress. If our roles were reversed, I could say the same thing to you to ‘ease’ your pain. I could say I was giving ‘comfort’ to you.”
Job drops his head in exhaustion. He picks up a piece of pottery and starts scratching himself to bleeding again. His friends silently watch him. When he receives a little relief, he raises his head a little.
“If I talk about my pain, it does nothing to help it. If I silently bear it, it doesn’t get any better either. I am exhausted. God has worn me out with this.”
Job holds up his arms, which were once full and strong.
“My body is wasting away. My strength is gone, and you use it to condemn me. Others do the same. They walk by and slap me or spit in my face, if they even come near me at all. I am judged guilty simply by my appearance.”
Job’s hands drop into his lap.
“God has done this to me. He has made me like the wicked. The eyes of men judge me because of how God has dealt with me. I was at ease before He struck me down. He has taken everything from me. Even though I have worn sackcloth and ashes, have poured my heart out in prayer, and cried until there are no tears left in me. Still, His hand is heavy on me. And I have done NOTHING to deserve this! My prayers are pure and my hands are clean from sin.”
Job begins to sob again.
“Don’t let my suffering be ignored. Let my blood cry out for justice. Don’t let me die with those around me believing that I brought this on myself. Those in Heaven testify of my innocence, if they would only speak. If God would argue my case, even against Himself, I would be vindicated. My friends count me guilty, even as I pour out my heart to God.”
Job wipes his eyes and breathes a deep sigh.
“Not much longer and I won’t be alive to contest my innocence. My spirit is broken and the graveyard waits for me.”
Job looks pleadingly towards heaven.
“Lord, give them a sign and pledge of my innocence. No one else believes me innocent but You. You have closed their eyes and minds even to the possibility of my innocence. Surely, You won’t let them triumph in this situation. They are like jackals, waiting to seize what I might say as a benefit to their case. Not even their own children will understand this.”
Job drops his eyes to the ground and his heart goes with it.
“He has made me an example of futility. I am the one they spit on in disgust and revulsion. I see nothing but sorrow and I am wasting away moment by moment. The godly man is appalled at the sight of me and the innocent calls me godless. Yet I am NOT guilty of sin and will hold fast to that to the end of my life.”
Job smacks his fist into his palm at his last words. Then he looks to those sitting around him, claiming to be his friends.
“Come on, all of you. Come against me again. There is not a wise man among you. One who understands. My life is surely ending. All my plans are coming to nothing. They gave me purpose, but now I have none. It is only darkness, where once dwelt light.”
Job falls into himself again, looking to the ground in despair.
“If I make the grave my home, and surrender myself to it; calling it my new home. If I yield myself to the worms and decomposition of death; welcoming it as a mother or sister. Where is my hope and who would see it? Will it be swallowed up by death? Will my hope be swallowed by death along with me?”
(to be continued)
Again, Job is raw with his feelings. He is tearing me apart! I PRAY I am understanding his words. I have even looked some of his words up in commentaries. Job continues to protest his innocence and claims that God is causing his suffering.
God is allowing it. That much we know from God’s conversation with Satan. SATAN is causing it, but God is not stopping him. Job only has past experience to draw conclusions from in life. His conclusions are evolving though as he sees his circumstances unfold. He KNOWS in his heart that he has on sinned against God, yet the calamity of a sinful man is consuming him inside and out. He has no explanation for this, but will not turn loose of his innocence or his God. “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him.”
Father God, You are the ONLY hope there is! My works cannot save me. My heart cannot save me. My parents cannot save me. Only YOU can save me. You offer me a future beyond this world. You never promised me that I wouldn’t have trouble. You promised to walk with me through whatever comes though. And to be with me from the moment I gave You my life, throughout ALL of eternity. THAT is MY hope. And NOTHING this world, or Satan, can do to take it away from me.
