Job Chapter 5. Quick to Accuse or Quick to Encourage?
1. Eliphaz continues to make accusations against Job and refers to him as being a FOOL and GUILTY OF SIN.
2. Eliphaz therefore concludes that God is disciplining him and that Job should accept it and learn from it versus despising it like it's not really for him.
3. Therefore Eliphaz's advice is for Job to humbly come before the Lord and surrender and confess his sins so that God will deliver him.
It could be argued that Eliphaz is giving good advice because:
1. Yes, God does discipline those he loves – Hebrews 12:5-11.
2. Yes, if one is suffering, then do examine your heart before the Lord and see if sin is present and needs confessed and repented from – I Corinthians 11:28 and Acts 19:17-20.
3. Yes, always come humbly before the Lord with a broken and contrite heart, surrendering all to Him – I Peter 5:5-11.
So these points Eliphaz makes are good points if it's applicable to Job and if he is guilty but Job is innocent. Therefore the greatest advice is DON'T GIVE UP. PERSEVERE. Let people know that you are there for them, to cry with them, to encourage them. More importantly let them know that God is there for them and will give them the strength to persevere and He will sustain them – II Timothy 2:1-13.
The Bible lets us know that good and bad things happen to all of us whether we are righteous or not righteous, just or unjust – Matthew 5:45.
The question is, will we persevere or will we give up?
Job 5:20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
God is our redeemer and protecter. I hope we all persevere while He works in our lives, even in times of need and struggle.
Eliphaz thought he knew what was going on. He drew a logical conclusion, but really only God knows the whole big picture.
I’m reminded of 1 Samuel 16:7.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Yes – May we persevere even when we may not fully understand.