Job 5 Sincere, but Sincerely Wrong

Eliphaz concludes his triade to Job, which contains many truths; yet is established on a faulty foundation. Wisdom can come from those who are sincerely wrong; yet nonetheless sincere.

This man assumed Job must have sinned or transgressed against God and thus counsels Job to turn to Him and find all that he desires; including restored health, property and children. Eliphaz determines that “affliction does not come from the dust” or those who have died. Beginning in verse eight we read of Eliphaz’s perception of what should do, look to Him for assistance.

God produces the rain cycle (vs. 10), He elevates (vs. 11), He frustrates (intentions) the plans of the crafty (vs. 12), He catches (snares) those who are wise in their own eyes and devious plans (vs. 13), He turns their light to darkness (vs. 14), and He gives hope to the poor (vs. 15). He continues on by declaring the man who corrected by the Lord is happy and admonishes Job not to “despise the chastening of the Almighty”.

Here is where Eliaphaz is sincerely wrong; the Lord doesn’t “bruise”. As we saw earlier, Satan was clearly the author of all these calamities.

God does give second and third, etc. chances; which is what Eliphaz is desiring to say to us (vs. 19). Again we read of Eliphaz stating the good and accurate about the Lord, being redeemed from death and the power of the sword (vs. 20); which means the words coming out of our mouths; look at the next verse to see that is the context of what he’s saying.

Job would be able to “laugh at destruction and famine” and fear would not be able to stand.

What is the basis of all this? In verse 25 we read we “have a covenant” that the stones realize and bow their knee to. A benefit of this covenant is we will go to the “grave at a full age” (vs. 26) which speaks of a full life.
As stated earlier, Eliphaz was sincere; but sincerely wrong by operating from the premise that Job’s problem was some type of hidden, unconfessed sin. Even though there were many nuggets of truth in his discourse, he inaccurately presumed about Job. We’ll read of Job’s response to this “comforter” in the next chapter.