Tag Archives: Eliphaz

Jun 20 2013

Job 23 – Where Is God?

gavelIn spite of the harshness of Eliphaz’s last speech, Job chooses to ignore it. Perhaps he had grown weary of the effort.  That seems to be the case with Bildad and Zophar, as they have become silent.  Instead, Job returns to voicing his wish to lay his case out to God – so sure was he that he is innocent of grievous sin.  Note that Job does not consider himself to be without sin at all.  He simply is convicted that he is innocent enough that his judge (God) would acquit him of whatever sins are imagined against him.

But though he remains steadfast in his belief that he has not departed from the words of the Lord, his fear of God is fierce, and the last few lines are the most poetic of the chapter:

Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
when I consider, I am in dread of him.
God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;
yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
nor because thick darkness covers my face.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

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Jun 13 2013

Job 22 – Can a man be profitable to God?

Job_007Chapter 22 begins what is known as the third cycle of speeches in the Book of Job, and this chapter contains Eliphaz’s last attempt at breaking Job’s resolve to claim his innocence.  By now, Zophar has apparently dropped out of the argument, and Bildad will begin another short variance in position during this cycle.  But it is Eliphaz who, here in this chapter, launches the most vicious attack yet.  Interestingly enough, all three men by their attacks on Job, have sincerely believed that they were defending God by doing so.

But Eliphaz, unable to think of any way to “put Job in his place” by any other means, resorts to wildly false accusation using nothing more than an imagination fueled by jealousy and vindictiveness.  It is truly shameful and tasteless, but clearly this locomotive is mercifully expelling its last bit of steam, and all four will sit back and wonder at their own positions throughout the previous debates.  Job’s “friends” will have the most to consider in that respect.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Feb 21 2013

Job 6 – Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

Job begins his response to Eliphaz with the contention that his vexations far outweigh what Eliphaz characterizes as rashness of words on his part.  For the first time, he seems to agree that God must be the author his troubles, but for what he does not know.  And furthermore, he contends, even the wild donkey is allowed to bray at his discomfort, so what is man that he should not be allowed to do the same?

Job and friends 03In verses 8-13, he re-affirms his wish that God would just crush him – end his life.  His conscience is clean and he has nothing to fear in death, so why will God not take him home (verse 11).  In verses 14-23, he then turns to his friends.  They showed up for him physically, yet gave him not an ounce of sympathy.  In verse 14, he even declared that such sympathy and kindness should be extended even to one who had forsaken God – but Eliphaz especially had already let him down.  In verses 15-19, Job accuses his friends of being fair-weather in nature.  They were kind and loyal in his prosperity, but now that he was struck down with suffering, they rejected him.

Verse 21 was his way of saying that his friends were worthless as far as being any comfort to him.  He then accuses them of being afraid that if they show any compassion on him, they will be struck by God like Job.  Then in verses 24 -30, he demands that they show him where he has done wrong.  Verse 29 seems to indicate that his friends are about to get up and leave, but Job pleads with them not to abandon him, for he had done no wickedness deserving of such treatment.

Better to have the company of those who seem to care in some measure than none at all, one supposes.  But Job wants more from these friends.  Will he get what he needs?

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Feb 7 2013

Job 4 – The Innocent Prosper?

The ancient kingdom of Edom. The Land of Uz pr...

The ancient kingdom of Edom. The Land of Uz probably lay on the darkened area. Suomi: Muinaisen Edomin alue (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Job’s friend Eliphaz is called a Temanite.  Teman was an important city of Edom and is referred to in Amos 1:12.  He was probably not the same Eliphaz that is mentioned in Genesis 36:15, but as the first-born of Esau, his son was himself named Teman, which is where the name for the city probably came from.

After seven days of silence, he offers his opening speech, beginning with a compliment to Job’s integrity, but quickly we see that deteriorate to the same sort of rhetoric common to the day.  Satan has already counted on Job becoming a hypocrite, and Eliphaz suggests that he has become one by way of his complaining.  His self-righteous speech must have sorely aggravated Job, as he clearly demonstrates his total misunderstanding of Job’s plight, as well as the reasons for it to be happening to a man who by all other accounts had been judged innocent by his deeds.  The conclusion then, from his point of view, can only be that Job is, in fact that hypocrite, for “who that was innocent ever perished?”

Eliphaz’s “vision” begins and ends with a tale from a point of view that God Himself will declare as folly, and was true only in the imagination of Eliphaz.  As Coffman noted: “No one could make a bigger mistake than to suppose that God really spoke to Eliphaz in a dream or vision. Commentators differ on just where the vision ends; but we accept the opinion that it was concluded only by the end of this chapter.”

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.