Job 5: 1 – 27
Hey, Watch Your Mouth
1“Call out now; is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? 2For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one. 3I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. 4His sons are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer. 5Because the hungry eat up his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and a snare snatches their substance. 6For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; 7Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 8“But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause—9Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. 10He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. 11He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. 12He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans. 13He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noontime as in the night. 15But He saves the needy from the sword, from the mouth of the mighty, and from their hand. 16So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth. 17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. 18For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. 19He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. 20In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. 21You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. 22You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. 24You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. 25You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring like the grass of the earth. 26You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season. 27Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”
In Philly we have a vocabulary that is unique. For example consider these two sayings, ‘You see what I’m saying’ or ‘Hey, watch your mouth’. Now, I am sure that you are thinking how can anyone see what a person is saying or for that matter be able to watch their own mouth, unless you are staring at a mirror. So, let me translate for you these sayings. The first statement means – do you understand what I am telling you? And the other quote means – you need to know what is true before you speak.
1“Call out now; is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
The Philly statement, ‘Hey, watch your mouth!’ fits perfectly with the first of Job’s so called friends. Having produced what he believes to be irrefutable evidence against Job, Eliphaz challenges Job, “Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?” (5:1). Eliphaz is turning this into a trial with Job as the defendant in the court room. Smugly Eliphaz implies that heaven has already pronounced the verdict, but, just to prove the case, he suggests Job call on heaven. The Hebrew for ‘saints’ is ‘qâdôsh’ meaning sacred and applies to God, angels or saints. Eliphaz is challenging Job to produce a witness to counter his, i.e. an angelic visitation. Eliphaz is confident that no holy being, either a prophet or an angel will advocate on Job's behalf. The case is opened and closed, Job is guilty.
Eliphaz continues his diatribe with a bunch of religious talk:
1. Who is even going to listen to you (5:1)?
2. Wrath and envy bring the judgment of death (5:2).
3. Fools and their children suffer death and trouble (5:3-5).
4. We make our own trouble (5:6-7).
5. You had better take your case to God (5:8).
6. God is powerful (5:9-10).
7. God elevates the lowly but reproves the wicked (5:11-16).
8. God reproves and then blesses (5:17-18).
9. Then God will bring incredible blessings (5:19-26).
Eliphaz concludes with the assurance that “we” (the other men who are with him), have investigated the matter, and these are the conclusions (5:27). So, how can this have happened? It is possible that they appear to have discussed Job's case prior to their arrival: or perhaps they have gone aside to discuss everything, or it is also conceivable that this guy is taking it for granted that the others agree with him. In any case, he presents his thoughts as a well considered corporate opinion.
I want to also say something else that is brought out here. The statement -To which of the saints wilt thou turn? –I grew up in a religious institution that prayed to saints that were voted in by a committee of men and to angels such as Saint Michael. Now understand this truth. Neither an angel nor saint can help any man unless they are sent from God; and all prayers to them are therefore foolish and absurd.
2 For wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one
Eliphaz is implying that Job is filled with bitterness and envy. That is what is wrong. You are angry and jealous, and that is why you have trouble.
The understanding of sin presented throughout the Book of Job, even by Job's accusers, includes crimes of the heart, or desire, and not just physical actions.
In Eliphaz’s thoughts he feels that the wrath of God is manifested only against the wicked and impious; and if Job was not such then God would not thus contend with him.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. 4 His sons are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer. 5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and a snare snatches their substance.
The evil accusations of this guy towards Job are totally amazing. Look at how he insults this godly man. In his evil understanding Eliphaz is accusing Job of being wicked. The wicked prosperity is short and their destruction certain, (verses.3-5). Job had prospered for a time and it seemed confirmed as he was the wealthiest person in the known world and was secure in his prosperity. He came to the conclusion that Job was like these people and that it was common for foolish wicked men to do so: I have seen them taking root —planted, and, in their own and others’ apprehension, fixed, and likely to continue.
Those who looked only at present things blessed their habitation, and thought themselves happy. Eliphaz however cursed it, that is he suddenly cursed it, as soon as he saw them begin to take root, that is, he plainly foresaw and foretold their ruin; not that he prayed for it (I have not desired the woeful day), but he foresaw it. In a way he is saying ‘I knew that all this calamity was going to come down on you Job because of your wickedness.
Eliphaz tell Job that his prosperity was now at an end, and so has the prosperity of other wicked people quickly been.
Eliphaz now goes on to imply that Job, fits with one whose children “are crushed in the gate” (5:4). This is more than a tasteless remark; it is a clear slap in the face. What a low blow! That is a hidden reference to the calamity that befell all Job's children in one day. Eliphaz is suggesting that such things happen only because there is something wrong in Job's life:
The gate is the city’s main entry and generally served as a place of business, including that of the courts. The implication is that Job’s children didn't just die, but they were judged and condemned by God because of the father's sin.
Eliphaz infers that Job has been accumulated his wealth by spoil and as a result has been lost in the same way. His mocking words -The careful owner hedged it about with thorns, and then thought it safe; but the fence proved insignificant against the greediness of the spoilers (if hunger will break through the stone walls, much more through thorn hedges), and against the divine curse, which will go through the thorns and briers, and burn them together. In other words you thought you had everything well protected but nothing could hold back God’s confiscations.
Eliphaz says he saw these events. So, Eliphaz thought, ‘God is punishing this man.’ And Eliphaz thought that this was fair. Eliphaz was sure that this evil man deserved these troubles. Eliphaz was wrong. Some people, like Job, suffer although they are not evil. Even if the man was evil, God does not always punish evil men immediately. Eliphaz thought that every evil person would suffer like this man. The idea was wrong. Some evil people are successful for their whole lives. But God will punish them when they die.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; 7 Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
The earth or dust, as you know is the stuff mankind is made of. Eliphaz reminds Job that no affliction comes forth of the dust, nor spring out of the ground, as the grass does. It does not come of course, at certain seasons of the year, as natural occurrences do. So, the proportion between prosperity and adversity is not so exactly observed by providence as that between day and night, summer and winter, but according to the will and counsel of God, that is when and as he thinks fit. Some read it, ‘Sin comes not forth out of the dust, nor iniquity of the ground’. If men are bad, they must not lay the blame upon the soil, the climate, or the stars, but on themselves. We must not attribute our afflictions to fortune, for they are from God, nor our sins to fate, for they are from ourselves; so that, whatever trouble we are in, we must own that God sends it upon us and we procure it to ourselves: the former is a reason why we should be very patient, the latter why we should be very penitent, when we are afflicted.
The soil does not cause our problems. The ground does not cause our troubles. But, from his birth, a man will suffer troubles. He cannot choose to avoid trouble. A flame does not choose to burn upwards. Eliphaz linked his dream (Job 4:12-21) with his story (Job 5:1-5). If nobody is innocent, then everybody deserves troubles! "Trouble comes from sin," says Eliphaz. "That's the whole thing Job, if you've got trouble that has to be the reason."
In watching the news have you witnessed the extensive fires that occur especially in the west. Somehow by a man’s stupidity or evil a fire is started. Since this area is so dry everything is quickly ignited. When you add the wind the sparks fly upward and now you have a major fire sweep through thousands of acres.
There is nothing in this world we are born to, and can truly call our own, but sin and trouble; both are as the sparks that fly upwards. Actual transgressions are the sparks that fly out of the furnace of original corruption. The troubles in our lives also arise as naturally as the sparks that fly upwards —so many are they, so thick and so fast does one follow another. Why then should we be surprised at our afflictions as strange, or quarrel with them as hard, when they are but what we are born to?
So, the verdict according to Eliphaz was that Job could not be an innocent man. Job deserved his troubles. Eliphaz’s mistake was that he thought that God punishes every error immediately. So, Eliphaz thought that God was punishing Job for some evil deed. Our God is not cruel. God does not watch us so that he can punish us. God wants to forgive us. God loves us.
8“But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause—9 Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. 10 He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. 11 He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. 12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans. 13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. 14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noontime as in the night.
Eliphaz sounds very spiritual here like some real religious phonies I come into contact with on a daily basis. They say one thing and do the exact opposite. Many people consider these guys very holy yet when you get to know them they are some of the worse people I have ever met. Look at what Eliphaz says again, ‘I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause” (5:8). This carries with it two assumptions: ‘you won't get any sympathy here’ and ‘I know because I am right with God.’
As we know from the narrative, God's pleasure with Job far surpasses that of the three friends. Sympathy would be a better choice to be applied in this counseling session. Eliphaz's presumption of righteousness needs little comment. God will deal with him as we will see in chapter 42:7.
Eziphaz here reproves Job for not seeking God, but quarrelling with him: "Job, if I had been in your shoes, I would not have been thinking or saying the things that you have. I would have acquiesced to the will of God.’’
Isn’t it is easy to say what we would do if we were in such a one’s situation; but when it comes to the actual trial, perhaps it will be found not so easy to do as we say.
Eliphaz highlights that Job must not pretend to pass a judgment upon God’s works, for they are unsearchable and above our enquiries; nor must we strive with our Maker, for He will certainly be too hard for us, and Is able to crush us in a moment.
He recommends to Job’s consideration God’s almighty power and Sovereign Dominion. In general, He does great things (verse 9), great indeed, for he can do anything and everything, and all according to the counsel of his own will—great indeed, for the operations of his power are;
(1.) Unsearchable, and such as can never be fathomed, can never be found out from the beginning to the end.
(2.) Numerous, and such as can never be reckoned up. He doeth great things without number; his power is never exhausted, nor will all his purposes ever be fulfilled till the end of time.
(3.) They are marvelous, and such as never can be sufficiently admired; eternity itself will be short enough to be spent in the admiration of them.
We see in verse 10 some instances of God’s dominion and power. First of all God doeth great things in the kingdom of nature: He gives rain upon the earth (verse 10), put here for all the gifts of common providence, all the fruitful seasons by which he fills our hearts with food and gladness,
Eliphaz then says that our Holy Maker does great things in the affairs of the children of men, not only by enriching the poor and comforting the needy, by the rain he sends (verse 10), but, in order to the advancing of those that are low, he disappoints the devices of the crafty;. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, and so has exalted those of low degree, and filled their hearts with good things.
15 But He saves the needy from the sword, from the mouth of the mighty, and from their hand. 16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
The designs of the crafty are to ruin the poor. Tongue, and hand, and sword, and all, are at work in order to this; but God takes under his special protection those who, being poor and unable to help themselves, being his poor and devoted to his praise, have committed themselves to Him. He saves them from the mouth that speaks hard things against them and the hand that does hard things against them; for He can, when He pleases, tie the tongue and wither the hand.
The effect of this is verse16, - That weak, and fearful saints are comforted: So the poor, who began to despair, has hope.
17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. 18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole
Eliphaz, in this concluding paragraph of his discourse, gives Job advice in which he himself never experienced, a comfortable prospect of the issue of his afflictions, if he did but take control of his temper and think about them. Eliphaz tells Job to consider all that has happened a chastening, which comes from the Father’s love and is designed for his good. We need the rod and we deserve it; and therefore we ought not to think it either strange or hard if we feel the blunt of it. He is happy because he is afflicted; correction is an evidence of his son ship
As the skilful tender surgeon binds up the wounds he had occasion to make with his incision-knife, our Holy Maker binds up by the consolations of His Precious Holy Spirit, which oftentimes abound most as afflictions do abound, and counterbalance all the pain and suffering that we have gone through.
19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. 20 In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. 21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. 22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. 24 You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. 25 You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring like the grass of the earth. 26 You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
This intimates that, as long as we are here in this world, we must expect a succession of troubles. After six troubles may come a seventh; after many, look for more; but out of them all will God deliver those that are his
Eliphaz lists benefits of turning to God and repenting:
1. protection (5:20).
2. strengthening (5:21).
3. no fear (5:22).
4. one with nature (5:23).
5. you shall be in peace (5:24).
6. many children (5:25).
7. long life (5:26).
Eliphaz argues that if you just cast yourself on God's mercy he will forgive you and restore you and everything will be fine. You can be confident that you will be protected and kept, even to a ripe old age. Now of course the truth is, that is not what happens. Anyone who has lived a few years at all knows that you can find godly people who are not protected, and who still go through times of trial and peril and suffering. Though this sounds like good theology it does not take in all the facts. That is why Job is given to us, that we might learn to correct our theology, and to understand that there are deeper reasons for suffering than just sin
27 Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”
Eliphaz is not trying to comfort Job, he is trying to comfort himself. This sentiment doesn't help Job. He is not being punished for sin. Job has no idea why his blessings have fled and curses have taken their place. In the end, all seven of these blessings will come to Job, but at this moment Job's faith in it is lacking and his friend's self-serving reassurance is cold comfort.
Job has every reason to be confused. He has every reason to grieve for himself. He has no earthly reason to believe that God is holding blessings in store for him. Job is groping for a cause, for reason. Without a good reason for his current crisis, Job's faith is severely shaken. In this circumstance, Eliphaz's accusations followed by inappropriate solutions mock Job rather than comfort.
