Join us as we listen to Job chapters 4 and 5 and explore the dialogue between Job and his friend, Eliphaz. With reflections from over three decades of Bible reading, we reflect on the severe counsel Job receives about suffering, integrity, and divine justice. Discover the timeless truths of humility before the Almighty and the comforting truth of His healing hands. This episode encourages us to evaluate our afflictions and see divine correction, guiding us toward the transformative power of God’s love and justice.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Alan J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
Today in Job, it begins the discussion between Job and his three friends. We’ll listen to chapters 4 and 5 today. Friend number one, Eliphaz, speaks, counseling Job that the innocent prosper. Let’s listen in to Job 4 and 5.
Job 4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet, who can keep from speaking? Behold, you have instructed many and you have strengthened the weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling and you have made firm the feeble knees. But now it has come to you and you are impatient. It touches you and you are dismayed. Is not your fear of God your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope? Remember, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed. The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken. The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. Now a word was brought to me stealthily. My ear received the whisper of it amid thoughts from visions of the night. When deep sleep falls on men, dread came upon me, and trembling which made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face. The hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still. but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. There was silence. Then I heard a voice. Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error. How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth, Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces. They perish forever without anyone regarding it. Is not their tent cord plucked up within them? Do they not die, and that without wisdom? Call now. Is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? Surely vexation kills the fool and jealousy slays the simple. I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling. His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them. The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth. For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. He gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.” He frustrates the devices of the crafty so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night. But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty, so the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth. Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves. Therefore, despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up. He shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles. In seven, no evil shall touch you. In famine, he will redeem you from death. And in war, from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth. You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. Behold, this we have searched out. It is true. Hear, and know it for your good.
I turned to my personal Bible reading journals for a little bit of insight on chapters 4 and 5. In 1984, I read Job 3 through 5 on the same day. And I wrote, Job curses the day of his birth. Why? He had been blessed for years. Eliphaz counsels Job, if you sow trouble, you harvest it. Can man be pure before his maker? And I wrote, no, only under the blood of Jesus. Seek God. He does wonderful things. Be happy. even when God reproves you. Thirteen years later, in 1997, I had read Job 2 through 5 on the same day, and I’ve already shared that journal entry, so we’ll move on to 2015. In 2015, I read Job chapters 4 and 5 on the same day. And I wrote, Eliphaz speaks to Job, complimenting his character initially, referring to verses 3 through 6. His point is, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. And that’s verse 8. And can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his maker? And that’s verse 417. The answer for all of us in 417 is no. We are not righteous, pure. We are born in sin. None righteous, no not one. 4.8 is also generally true. We reap what we sow. He suggests Job go to God in 5.8, which is sound advice. Eliphaz also points out God’s mercy. For he wounds, but he binds up. He shatters, but his hands heal. And that’s 5.18. That ends my personal Bible reading journal entries on these two chapters. So let’s take a look at Job 4 and 5. In the opening few verses, Eliphaz accuses Job of not being able to handle his own medicine. He says in verse 3, You have instructed many. You have strengthened the weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling. And you have made firm the feeble knees. But now it has come to you, and you are impatient. It touches you, and you are dismayed. We get a little insight into Job’s character there, that he was a good man. Eliphaz is saying, You’ve given great advice to others, but now that dismay has come to you, can you take your own advice? He then makes his accusation in verse 8, As I have seen those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. So his accusation is that Job has plowed iniquity and now trouble has come upon him. He asks a great question in verse 17. Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his maker? And as I said in my journal, the answer is no. It’s not only no for Job, it’s no for Eliphaz and every one of us. He answers the question in chapter 5 verse 7. But man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. So yes, we are born in sin. Thus we cannot be right before God. And then Eliphaz gives Job some great advice in chapter 5, verse 8. As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause. Amen. Hallelujah, brother. And Eliphaz gives some characteristics of God that are worth looking at. Starting with verse 9. god is one who does great things and unsearchable marvelous things without number he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields he sets on high those who are lowly and those who mourn are lifted to safety he frustrates the devices of the crafty so that their hands achieve no success He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night. But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth. Yes, Eliphaz is right. Those are great characteristics of the God whom we love. But then he turns the screws a little bit tighter on Job in verse 17 of chapter 5. Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves. Therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up. He shatters, but his hands heal. He’s saying, Job, you’ve fallen into the hands of a loving God. And we shout the amen to that. We can all praise the Lord in our own circumstances, that he wounds, but he binds up, he shatters, but his hands heal. Job will respond to these charges in chapters 6 and 7. But what can we apply to our lives out of chapters 4 and 5? First, I think we can all understand that we cannot be right before God without intervention. For Christians, we understand that that intervention came from Jesus on the cross at Calvary. Through him, through his sacrifice, through his resurrection, we have been made pure before our maker. But Jesus reminds us in John 14, 6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me. So, like Eliphaz is accusing Job of being fraught with iniquity, yes, it is true of Job, and yes, it is true of us. And we can also apply the good advice that Eliphaz gives Job, and that’s to take our case before the Lord. I have done that. I’ve been to the foot of Calvary. I hope you have too. That’s the place where our iniquity can be cleansed, forgiven, and set aside. Let’s pray. Father, these three friends come to Job to give wise counsel. We too often turn to our friends when we’re in trouble. As we will learn, we need to be careful what we hear from others. We have to always measure it by what we hear from you and the standard of your word. We understand from these chapters that we are not pure before you, our maker. But we understand from the New Testament that we can be through Jesus. And we are a thankful people. We give you praise. honor, and glory. In the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Artificial intelligence is man’s attempt to imitate God’s special gift to man. He created us. Only the human race is in his image, not birds, fish, plants, or animals. His image includes intelligence. I tackle the subject of artificial intelligence in a teaching called A.I., capital A, small i. It is an insightful message on the first discovery of AI out of the book of Joshua and the battle for the small town called AI after the walls of Jericho fell down. This was the second conquest in the promised land. I offer a better alternative than artificial intelligence. I know you’re going to like it and want to share it with others.
