seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Job 5:1 “Call if you will, but who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 Resentment kills a fool,
and envy slays the simple.
3 I myself have seen a fool taking root,
but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 His children are far from safety,
crushed in court without a defender.
5 The hungry consume his harvest,
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7 Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 Resentment kills a fool,
and envy slays the simple.
3 I myself have seen a fool taking root,
but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 His children are far from safety,
crushed in court without a defender.
5 The hungry consume his harvest,
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7 Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.
8 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.
9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
10 He provides rain for the earth;
he sends water on the countryside.
11 The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.
15 He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.
I would lay my cause before him.
9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
10 He provides rain for the earth;
he sends water on the countryside.
11 The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.
15 He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.
17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[a]
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 From six calamities he will rescue you;
in seven no harm will touch you.
20 In famine he will deliver you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
and need not fear when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
and need not fear the wild animals.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is secure;
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that your children will be many,
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,
like sheaves gathered in season.
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[a]
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 From six calamities he will rescue you;
in seven no harm will touch you.
20 In famine he will deliver you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
and need not fear when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
and need not fear the wild animals.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is secure;
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that your children will be many,
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,
like sheaves gathered in season.
27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
a. Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job
Trouble.... it happens to everyone.... of course not everyone losses all their children and their financial security in one day.... but trouble usually picks on just one guy like this. His buddies have been sitting with him for a week.... it's time to get back to life. His "buddy" Eliphaz says "snap out of it" Eliphaz is sure Job did something to make God angry. Eliphaz told Job to confess what he did wrong and God would help him feel better. You know.... "confession is good for the soul"
This is from enduringword.com.
Affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground: Eliphaz believed that this trouble did not come to Job from nowhere; it didn’t just spring from the ground. The implication is clear: this affliction came upon Job from God.
“Trouble does not sprout up like weeds in the field. He was implying that one must sow and cultivate trouble.” (Smick)
Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward: This point connects with the one Eliphaz just made. Trouble doesn’t come to man from nowhere; it comes as a judgment from God, or at least because man has sown trouble so now he reaps it. Since just as it is true that as the sparks fly upward, it is also true that man is born to trouble, then it can also be said that all men sin and deserve the affliction and trouble that comes to them.
As the sparks fly upward: Literally, the Hebrew can be translated, as the sons of Resheph fly upward. “We cannot hope for further progress until we can find out who ‘the sons of Resheph’ are. Since Resheph is a Canaanite god about whom we now know a great deal, the possibility must now be faced that we have here another scrap of imagery from old myths.” (Andersen)
Happy is the man whom God corrects: With poetic power, Eliphaz emphasized his point that Job’s problems are because God corrects His sinful children, and Job is one of those sinful children.
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty: Eliphaz did not wish to push Job into despair. He believed that Job should not despise this correcting work in his life, but instead humble himself under it, forsake his sin, and learn from it.
He bruises, but He binds up… He shall deliver you in six troubles: Eliphaz wanted to encourage Job further. “Job, God will heal your wounds and deliver you if you will confess your sin and turn to Him.” Eliphaz continued and described in detail all the blessings of restoration that would come to Job’s life if he would only repent and turn to God (you shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue… you shall laugh at destruction and famine… you shall know that your tent is in peace, and so on).
Eliphaz just would not accept the fact that bad things happen to good people.
Job would not fess up to a sin he did not commit.
If you ask me..... Eliphaz is accusing Job of lying..... Job had been sitting with these men for a week. If Job had done something so horrific that God took his children and his flocks over it.... it would have been something pretty monstrous..... Even if Job were able to shove it deep down in his gut and forget it.... it wouldn't stay down for long....not with his friends constantly asking "What happened?"
Eliphaz and his friends probably wouldn't accept that this is a bad thing happening to a good man..... and that these things happen..... IF they did believe bad things happen to good people.... then something this horrible could happen to them....
If all of this was as simple as throwing another oxen on the alter for a forgotten sin..... Job had that covered..... check this out.....
Job 1:5 Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
So Job was following all the rules.... something bad happened..... bad things happen..... Job was following the law.... it wasn't his fault..... that didn't make it easier to deal with..... Maybe his friends thought Job was being stubborn.....
