Job

Job Chapter 5

Job 5:1 Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

He challenges Job to seek those that can help him see his folly. I'm guessing Eliphaz really thinks he is right in throwing out these challenges to Job.

Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

Oh my how this must have hurt Job. He lost his children and Eliphaz is assuming it is because of the wrath of God against him for some sin in Job's heart. So good words spoken at the wrong time and to the wrong person can be like casting darts at them. In our day after the coming of the gospel and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we can avoid this by being full of the Holy Spirit and speak to people at His leading after much prayer. Again I'm reminded of the verse I quoted in my writing on a previously chapter.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

At least Eliphas cared enough to risk his friendship with Job to try to correct him even though it was misplaced, but it was probably worse than the boils Job was suffering from to hear it. Imagine thinking God was mad at us and our troubles were because of our own faults. That would not help our faith much. The key here is to have a meek and humble spirit when going to someone that is in error or that we assume is in error. In Job's case he was completely innocent.

Job 5:5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

Eliphaz insists on pointing out that there has to be a reason that this calamity has come upon Job. Those that are hungry enough to rob and steal will take it even if it's hidden among the thorns. Trouble doesn't just come out of the ground but it seems Eliphaz is saying man is born and will face trouble enough that it seems like fire is consuming them and flying upward.

Job 5:7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

He encourages Job to commit his cause to the Lord and seek Him. I don't know if this was done much before the coming of Jesus but today if this was happening to someone we know and we believed in the power of prayer; instead of all that talking we would all gather around Job and agree in prayer on his behalf. That is if he permitted it. Then leave it to God. If God reveals something by prophecy we would share it otherwise we leave the outcome to God and do not stop praying for him. Don't give up in other words until we receive an answer or a confirmation that he was going to be okay.

Job 5:9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:
11 To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.
12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

These words are to be remembered as the words of Eliphaz and not necessarily scripture but some of these words are spoken of in other scriptures. So most of them are true in this description of God and His work. These words in part are good except at this time in Job's life, it was like someone using it wrongly and he felt like he was being attacked although the words were true in general. This would not be a bad thing to preach to a large audience but to preach it to target a person to whom we know is suffering hardship may be misplaced.

Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

The book of Hebrews speaks of chastening by the Lord:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

To be partaker of God's holiness is awesome to think about. Whether this is the right exhortation for Job right now, we don't know but it doesn't hurt to seek the Lord and ask Him if it is something we have done wrong that causes our troubles or if troubles just come because of the attacks of Satan. In the case of Jesus, His suffering came upon Him by wicked hands that rejected His message but it was meant to be for our salvation. He suffered for us and died because of our sin so that our faith in Him cleanses us and makes us children of God.

Job's suffering was not because of his own sin but his friends did not see that. They are making assumptions based on the experiences they've seen in their own lifetime over the years. There is a law of reaping what we sow. If we grow a garden, care for it and take care of it, the results is more likely to bring in a good crop. Yet at times there is too much rain, not enough rain, bugs, deer, or ground hogs to plague us making the crops fail no matter what we do. That is what happened to Job. It was an evil outside force causing his troubles and not his own failures.

Job 5:18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.
27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Again we read the good words of Eliphaz but they are like throwing stones at Job speaking about the care God gives to those that are faithful to Him. They would be good words if it was targeted toward someone that really were doing evil and needed correction but to someone who loved God, and tries his best to live right, it was like hammering them on the head. A false accusation is cruel even with words that are in the written word of God. Great is the word and powerful but used wrongly to a person that loves the word and has not sinned is uncomfortable. Especially if one knows it is spoken to him personally and not just someone reading it to a large audience of people.

If I had a neighbor that I suspected of stealing something out of my garage and went to them quoting scriptures against stealing when they were innocent, it would do more harm than good. The word of God is holy and needs to be read and understood but not use it to falsely accuse the innocent. DC

Job Chapter 6