Job 4:1–2: “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: ‘If one attempts a word with you [Job], will you become weary? / But who can withhold himself from speaking?'”

November 29th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Job was a godly man who was suffering. He had lost everything and was struggling with a terrible disease. He sat down in a pile of ashes and stayed there. In the last chapter, his 3 friends sat with him and just listened to him complain. Now we come to the first of the replies of the 3 “friends,” who all came with the same solution to his problems: “Follow your own advice.”

Eliphaz started off with a polite opening but soon came on strong, hitting Job with both barrels. He told Job that God was righteous and he was not, which of course is true. He was offering advice that was accurate but not helpful to Job. How we believers need to be careful about giving great biblical truths as advice, which doesn’t really help the hearer’s current situation. It seems Eliphaz couldn’t resist the temptation to raise himself up by proving that Job was more talk than substance. When we comfort others who are struggling spiritually, emotionally, or physically, we need to be careful we aren’t tempted by pride. None of us is free from sin and wrongdoing in our lives. The only person who has the right to condemn us is God. But does God condemn us? No. Job’s devastation was not a result of his sins.

Compassion means to feel what others are feeling and go and do something about it. An elementary schoolgirl’s best friend died in a car accident. A week later she visited her deceased friend’s parents. When she got home, her dad asked, “Why did you go over so soon after Shirley’s death?” “To comfort Shirley’s mother,” said the child. “What did you do to comfort her?” asked her dad. “I climbed into her lap and cried with her,” the little girl replied.

“LORD, we desire not to condemn but to comfort others this day, in Jesus’ name.”

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Job 4 KJV

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, ² If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?   ³ Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. ⁴ Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. ⁵But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. ⁶ Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? ⁷ Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? ⁸ Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. ⁹ By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.  ¹⁰ The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. ¹¹ The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad. ¹² Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.   ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: ¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there wassilence, and I heard a voice, saying ,  ¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:  ¹⁹ How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? ²⁰ They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it .  ²¹ Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.