Sometimes your “friend” can be your enemy. Job’s three “friends” and his wife did their best to get Job down. They came close to wearing Job out. They are doing the work of the enemy. Much of Job is about the dialogue between Job and his friends which then becomes a debate between them and finally ends up as a dispute. In the end, God has to bring resolution to it as it gets out of hand.

1 – What we can learn from Eliphaz’s rebuke

We can learn some principles on how not to counsel from Eliphaz. This shows what the hurting need.

• We don’t need sarcasm; we need support – See Job 4:1-6. Eliphaz is accusing Job of not practising what he preached. You can dish it out but not take it! The insinuations are subtle but clear. Sarcasm does not help when you are helping someone who is hurting.
• We don’t need logic; we need love – See Job 4:7-9. If you do what is right things will go well for you. If you do what is wrong, God will send judgment. Eliphaz is making theological points rather than bringing comfort to someone who needs love. He should be putting his arm around Job rather than sticking his finger in his face! You need your friends to pick you up, not put you down! See Proverbs 17:17. You find out who your friends are when you go through tough times. A real friend is born for adversity! See 1 Corinthians 13:1.
• We don’t need experiences; we need encouragement – See Job 4:12-16. Eliphaz tells of a vision he has had in his sleep. His judgmental experience is laid on Job’s heavy heart. These half-truths do not help.
• We don’t need assumptions; we need assurances – See Job 5:3-7. Eliphaz says that he has seen sinners prosper only to lose everything in the end. He is saying to Job that the death of his children is the result of his sin. His speech is full of assumptions. He is not God! He can’t know. Assumptions will get you into trouble.
• We don’t need advice; we need affirmation – See Job 5:8-11. Eliphaz is passing out spiritual advice. You don’t know how people are feeling. Your advice is no good if it hasn’t been asked for! Your words are not as important as your silence.
• We don’t need pious platitudes; we need powerful principles – See Job 5:17-26. We don’t need tired sayings. Eliphaz appears to believe in a health and wealth gospel! God blesses us in spite of ourselves. He shows grace where it is not deserved. There is nothing you can do to earn God’s favour. It is good to be obedient but it is not a trading game. It sounds good but God save us from this pious nonsense. Eliphaz brightened the room when he left!

2 – What we can learn from Job’s response to his friends

Job is going to tell Eliphaz something that he hasn’t picked up on. He wants Eliphaz to understand what it is like to be in his shoes. Job takes Eliphaz through the cycle of his life.

• From a devastated life to a discouraged heart (Job 6:1-3). Job has been weighing his grief and calamity on the scales.
• From a discouraged heart to a distaste for life (Job 6:4-7). He has lost his taste for life as it has lost of its flavour. There is no taste in the white of an egg. Life sometimes loses all of its taste.
• From a distaste for living to a despair of hope (Job 6:8-9). Job wanted to go back to the time when his kids were alive and his wife was supportive. A time when he had his wealth and standing in the community. He could not go to the past or to the future. He was stuck in the barren present. It is a tough place to be.
• From a despair of hope to a desire for help (Job 6:14, 24-25, 28). Job had heard speeches from Eliphaz. Job is interested in hearing from his heart. Can Eliphaz not see Job’s state and get off his pious platform? Job needs words of encouragement from the heart. Job’s friends were with Job physically but far away from him emotionally.

3 – What we can learn from Job’s response to his God

Job can unload his heart on God. David knew it also. Job does not restrain his mouth from how he feels. See Job 7:11. Notice what we learn:-

• Nights are long and sleepless – See Job 7:3-4. There can be nights in our lives when we toss and turn all night and we can’t sleep due to something troubling us. It seems like the night will ever end. You look at the clock and little time has passed.
• Life feels short and hopeless – See Job 7:6-8. The nights seem to last forever but it feels like his life is slipping through his fingers. Life is passing him by quickly like a vapour on a cold morning.
• Dreams are frightening and threatening – See Job 7:13-16.
• God seems cruel and uncaring – See Job 7:19-21. Job has so much to look after that Job wonders why He is picking on him! He is looking for God to get him out of this mess. He doesn’t want to be the centre of attention.

4 – What Eliphaz did wrong

Job’s friend did not help him and made him only feel worse. Why?

• He made all suffering the result of sin – It is true that all suffering is the result of sin – if you go all the way back to the Garden of Eden! All particular suffering is not the result of particular sin. This is critical. Job was suffering because of sin but it was not because of any particular sin on his part. Eliphaz wanted Job to look for a particular sin he has committed in his past. This is a fruitless exercise as it demands the omniscience of God to know. God knows the secret things.
• He said that all righteousness is rewarded and all sin is judged – This is true that this happen but Eliphaz’s timing is way off. It is still to come in the future. It is not true today. God has his own timetable for when it will happen. God will balance things in the future. We have authority to say this today. God will judge at a time and place of His choosing. We are not home yet!

Categories: Job