Job 5

"We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself."

(Job 5:27)

The experts have spoken. They have done all of their research, made their conclusions, and presented their case. Now they are appealing to Job to take this counsel they have given and apply it to his own life. Guess what? Sometimes the experts are WRONG!

In our world we are often told to listen to the EXPERT in a given field. We have experts on just about everything these days, even experts on certain pieces of software or video games! In this situation with Job, the question we need to ask is this; where are these guys getting their info? When it comes to things of the spirit, questions of morality and truth; it is essential that we get our information from the Lord, not just from what we observe around us. In the world around us we see things as they are as a result of SIN and its devastating effect. When we go to the Lord, we can see things as they OUGHT to be, we can here from Him how things really work, and what He really wants.

In our context here, Eliphaz has continued his argument with Job. He begins this portion of it by talking about the “fool”, and how the “fool” can appear to be fine, successful, and even wise for a time, but the Lord will judge him eventually. These talks about the “fool” are veiled references to Job, saying he was living wickedly, and has finally been exposed. Now he is being urged to repent, and Eliphaz is telling him AGAIN that righteous people don’t have these kinds of things happen to them. In fact, he says that if a man repents and lives righteously, he will:

• Never experience famine
• Be protected from death
• Be protected from war
• Rocks won’t fall on you
• Animals won’t eat you
• Your home will be safe
• None of your stuff will be stolen
• You’ll have a big healthy family
• You’ll die at a good old age

My question is this: how would the early church respond to this list? They were martyred, beaten, died young, had there things taken… they were poor, lived hard lives and faced evil persecution… and God says He took each one of them home because the world was not worthy of them! God CAN do the things in that list, but it has nothing to do with a man’s righteousness. I have seen many unrighteous men with everything in that list, but they lack things far more important… Love, Joy, Peace; The hope of eternity, the assurance of their place in God’s kingdom. I have also seen many righteous men with few or none of the things in that list… but they have Love, Joy, and Peace… They have the assurance of salvation and hope in the return of Christ... This world isn’t their home, and they look for a reward not here, but in heaven.

Eliphaz is right, Job was a sinner… but so was Eliphaz. The events in Job’s life SHOULD cause Job to do some soul-searching, but they DON’T automatically mean that Job had major life-dominating sin to deal with. Job was good man according to God, tested BECAUSE God new that his faithfulness was unshakeable. The Bible tells us that our speech should be “always with grace, seasoned with salt”. Eliphaz however, poured a salt shaker on Job and then added some cayenne pepper for good measure. Friends, don’t try and be “experts” like Eliphaz. We don’t need any more “experts”. Be messengers of the love of God!