Eliphaz takes aim at Job, again
Job Sermon Series, Part 8
Introduction (Job Slide)
- Today we continue to examine Job’s conversations with his friends
-- Re: These men came in Ch. 2 to sit with him and mourn his loss
- They appear to come to comfort … but quickly their real motives are shown
-- They are discouragers; ones who desire Job to stop holding onto his faith
-- In their eyes, there is a cause/effect with his sin and his condition
- These friends have three conversations with him…
• Round 1: they suggest Job has sinned
• Round 2: they imply Job is a sinner
• Round 3: they state Job’s sin
- Round two begins with Eliphaz digging in deeper to accuse Job
-- It’s curious to note how the tone begins to change with these discussions
-- First, they were merely trying to offer guidance; now it’s an assault
-- Hopelessness is a powerful weapon the enemy uses …
- Read Job Ch. 15
- Pray
Point 1 – Eliphaz’s Second Assault (Ch. 15)
- As they have done before, Job is accused of not answering their questions (v1)
-- To them, Job is all talk and no action – he is self-centered (v2-3)
-- Job is accused of treading on the very instruction of God (v4)
-- Their logic: A reasonable man would listen to what is being said to him
- Therefore, the conclusion can only be that Job’s sin is the cause (v5)
-- Job is not able to speak properly because of the sin in his life
-- It is obviously Job’s mouth that has him in trouble here (v6)
-- “Therefore, don’t get mad at me because you have your feelings hurt”
- CHAL: Sometimes we need to step back and see if we are the cause
-- Eliphaz certainly believes that Job has brought this on himself
- Therefore, Eliphaz takes to asking a series of questions to Job
-- These are meant to elicit a specific response (Job is smarter than everyone)
- Re-read v7-9
• Are you Adam? Were you here before even the mountains?
• Do you even listen to God? Or, are you the smartest man ever to live?
• Tell us how smart you are, because you obviously know everything
- APP: Job has no right to counsel his friends; or refuse what they are saying
-- Their implication is they are correct here, and Job needs to simply listen up
-- Eliphaz places all the blame on Job, and cuts him deep with a question (v12)
-- “You’ve lost your grip on reality Job, your emotions are ruling you now.”
-- This is driven home deeper by accusation that he is raging against God (v13)
- Eliphaz reminds Job (who knows this) that there are no perfect humans (v14)
-- We have all sinned and have all fallen short… even YOU, Job
-- Therefore, since God does not place trust in his angels, why us? (v15)
- So, he tries to motivate Job by explaining why he’s suffering (v17)
• We have the knowledge from our ancestors about our condition
• Even the ruthless man will suffer because of his sins
• So much so, that God stores his wrath up for them to pay
• The punishment is clearly laid out for all who deserve it (v21-24)
- Furthermore, Job is accused of charging at God with a shield (v25-26)
-- He is accused of shaking his fist at God and daring to threaten the almighty
- He even describes the condition of someone who does this (v27)
-- APP: Fat was a sign of wealth, prosperity, and often used to describe wicked
-- The wicked man would rob other towns, pillage from everything (v28)
- Because a man is wicked (v29-33):
• He deserves to have his wealth taken
• He deserves death and the punishment that comes with it
• He should get nothing in return by believing his own lies
• His life should end abruptly; a vine stripped of its unripe grapes
- Hatefully, Eliphaz brings to mind the state that Job is in now (re-read v34)
-- APP: His children are dead and now his wife is barren b/c of him (cruel)
- The implication is also that corrupt people love bribes; Job is corrupt (v34)
-- This ruin has fallen on him because of the sins/decisions he has made
- IMP: Job … you are a wicked man and you’ve conceived this trouble
-- You have brought this upon yourself … and you deserve it (v35)
- TRANS: “And then Job replied…”
Point 2 – Job’s Reply (Ch. 16)
“If you really want to know who your friends are, just make a mistake” – Anon
- Job was growing angrier and more frustrated with his friends (v1-5)
-- There is not one of them which are helpful, even though he would be
-- APP: If they were in this position he would encourage vs. destroy
- He knew that no matter what he said/did, his pain would not stop (v6)
-- God has bound him in this position and relief will not come for him (v8-9)
-- Obviously, God is angry with him and continues to assail him
-- APP: Consider the utter hopelessness this man must feel now
- In an attempt to cheer himself up, he remembers happier days (v12-14)
-- Days when things weren’t so desperate; but God is attacking him now
-- He uses these words specifically to show others his current state…
-- Shattered, seized, target, archers (friends), pierces, spills, bursts, rushes
- Red faced from crying, his physical appearance is worsening (v16)
-- However, even in this he maintains he is innocent (v17)
-- He has not committed any major sin to deserve what he is receiving
- His hope is that he would somehow be vindicated by someone (v18-22)
-- He desires that someone would enter Heaven and plead his case to God
-- Someone that had the ability to argue for him, to prove his innocence
- This person would be a heavenly friend; someone actually on his side
-- Christians know this advocate as Jesus … but Job does not have this view
-- NOTE: He is not prophesying, but expressing a desire for assistance
-- CHAL: We must see how Jesus does this for us … He pleads our case
- TRANS: Yes, his despair comes back and he begins to long for death
Point 3 – Job’s Plea (Ch. 17)
- He proclaims his spirit is broken; pain compounded by wife/friends (v1)
-- All Job wants is confirmation that he is, in fact, innocent:
-- “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand” (v3)
-- Literally: Who else can prove me right but God alone?
- He speaks in a proverb to his friends to remind them of their words (re-read v5)
-- APP: Speaking falsely against their friends will cause kids to go blind
-- To his peers, he has become a proverb; mockery: “Don’t be a Job…” (v6)
- Physically, he is deteriorating; and healthy men are appalled at this (v8)
-- Nevertheless, he declares the righteous will hold to their ways (re-read v9)
-- CHAL: You and I should be so lucky to remain faithful in trying times…
- He proclaims none of his friends are wise; none bring wisdom (v10)
-- And soon, Job says his days will end, and he will (mercifully) die (v11-13)
- Back in his hopelessness, he asks a pivotal question for us (re-read v15)
-- Truly, Job is at the point in his life of being totally hopeless
-- Even goes so far to proclaim that the very notion of hope dies with him
-- APP: There is nothing good left, life has no meaning, no relief ahead (v16)
- TRANS: So, let’s talk about hopelessness to end our time together
Big Idea: How can we strengthen hope?
- The key to strengthening hope is to focus on God, not yourself!
1) Focus on God’s sovereignty: God is still in control
2) Focus on God’s wisdom: He does not make mistakes
3) Focus on God’s love: God is not your enemy; sent Son to die for you
- Even in trying times, God STILL has our best interests at heart
- We are not without hope; we are not ruined; we have hope and an advocate
- Jesus has given everything for us; today, we should not live in hopelessness
- God has given us the ability to rise above despair if we’d focus on Christ
- Pray
References: Holman OT Commentary, Job
