Job 15
THE FATE OF THE WICKED Reading through the book of Job i like following the course of a very aggressive ball game in which there are three periods of antagonistic challenges of the three friends against Job. The lines of verbal battle were certainly drawn in the first series of discourses, and now the second inning begins. This time Eliphaz does not speak as a lofty person who patronized his younger friend Job, but now comes out strong, more intense, rude, and even threatening.
The first debate with Eliphaz was somewhat civil, but this discourse is different. He had been offended by Job's rejection of his assurance that wisdom was on his side because he was more experienced in life. Job had touched a sore spot in his ego and profession opinion of himself and his "counsel.' He was the spiritualist who had a dream and a vision which he felt gave him remarkable experience to which Job should have admitted.
In the speeches of those three men in this second round, they lost their patience with Job because he did not repent of some serious sin, they were sure he was guilty of and he did not take their counsel. Instead, in each case, he took his appeal to God directly after replying to them. So now, beginning with Eliphaz, they expounded on the terrible fate that awaits the wicked, implying that Job is one of the wicked.
Eliphaz starts his discourse by sarcastically saying Job's words were useless, vague, and empty. He plainly stated openly that as far as he was concerned, Job was a great sinner because he would not submit to the conventional wisdom that the righteous prosper and the wicked are punished that Eliphaz had given him. To Eliphaz, Job who claimed to be as wise as his older friends, was full of hot air (east wind). In the fist six verses he accuses Job of vain knowledge because of the outbursts of impatience and frustration. To Eliphaz they were worse them being temperamental because they undermined the fear of God and human religion. He said Job's word came because of a bad attitude, and because he was the oldest of them, he was the wisest. Job's claim to was absurd in comparison to his.
Then he went further in his arrogance by claiming that by Job rejecting the counsel of his friends, he was rejecting God. He deliberately puts Job in his place as a bad person whose eyes flash with anger at being told the truth by his elders. To be told the truth about ourselves is not a bad thing when it is spoken with grace and compassion. "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one, in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." There are principles of behavior Christians should follow, and there are principles of correction and discipline that are God-given for us to practice. Confrontation and discipline always have change of behavior in view.
Eliphaz did make a series of true statements beginning with the truth that all have sinned. "There is none righteous, no not one." What he said about the heavens not being pure in God's sight is also true. In the redemption of mankind, there is also involved a redeemed creation, which includes "A new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." It is true also that mankind is filthy "from the sole of his foot unto his head." Romans chapter one and Romans chapter three make that very clear. But int he context of Job's unique experience of suffering, those true statements had no more bearing on Job than on any other person including the one who spoke those words.
So Eliphaz went back to his original contention that Job is wicked and is hiding his sin from them. He claimed that tradition supported his dogma, and that retribution is for sin, while prosperity is for the righteous. He contradicts Job's view that the ungodly prosper, not just the righteous. His idea is that the prosperity of the wicked is only imaginary, because a person cannot resist the Almighty and not be hurt. Much of he said was true but misapplied.
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar were certainly superior in their understanding of life and of God than many teachers and philosophers today. They say that sin is only relative, and there is nothing that is inherently wrong with people. It is just the way they have been treated or their circumstances in life that make them do things that are condemned by modern society. If a criminal has been treated unfairly by their parents or society as a whole, it is not his fault if he does wrong. The blame lies on others. He just did not know what was "right or wrong."
The description Eliphaz makes of the prosperity of the wicked is that their sinful life is disappointing to them even though one is wealthy, successful and famous. He said that a wicked person may prosper but in the end it will all bring loss and destruction. Then at the end of his second discourse he quotes a couple of proverbs that imply the wicked will not prosper no matter how hard they try. True statements are okay to be stated, but Job's need of comfort had deteriorated into nothing more than a debate that ignored Job's plight.
In essence, Eliphaz said the same things he said before, bit in a more threatening and rude way. It is possible to say right things in a wrong way or for the wrong reason, and all that is right is rejected along with the careless talk, personal opinions and insensitivity that has no bearing on the present need one has. Our speech should always be with grace seasoned with salt. Our Lord's "gracious words" made what He taught understandable and acceptable even though it exposed that which was wrong. We need to give advice that is right in a right way with the right motive with the objective of truly meetings needs. We should guide and guard every word we say lest it have an adverse effect rather than be a benefit, simply because of how we say it.