January 18 – Reading 18

January 18 – Reading 18

by Chris Rainey | January 18

“THE ‘COMFORTERS’ HAVEN’T COME”
(Job 4:1 – 7:21)

“As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” – Job’s friend Eliphaz (Job 4:8)

In today’s reading, Eliphaz, the first of Job’s three “comforters,” speaks.  Though we as readers know Job has done nothing to deserve the suffering he was experiencing, his comforters are certain that suffering is caused by sin, and so their “comfort” consists of helping Job see the need to confess and repent of his sins. In fact, Eliphaz makes sure that Job understands several things in his opening salvo:

• We reap what we sow (4:8) 
• God gave him a special revelation for Job (4:12-16)
• No one is righteous (4:17)
• Sin affects the entire family (5:1-5)
• Job should seek God and God will lift him up (5:8-16)
• God disciplines us for our good (5:17ff)

All of these statements suggest Eliphaz’s doctrine is orthodox. Each statement is true, but they are being applied to the wrong person, the wrong situation.  Job is not in this predicament because of his sin; rather, he was chosen because of his piety (Job 1:11). Job and his friends will go round and round on this point throughout the book until they finally reach an impasse.  Despite his suffering, Job will be feisty in response, calling out his friends for “withholding kindness” (6:14), suggesting they are rapidly disappearing streams that come in like a torrent only to soon vanish (6:15), and asserting they are “teachers” that he would love to listen to except that they are wrong (6:24).

The Wisdom Books–Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes–have a unique relationship in the Hebrew Bible in that they each contain what some call “compressed experience.” For example, Proverbs contains general wisdom in short pithy sayings, wisdom that is generally true in most situations. But Ecclesiastes and Job critiques that same general wisdom. Ecclesiastes critiques general wisdom philosophically by pointing out some of the inconsistencies of life “under the sun” on earth. The Book of Job critiques general wisdom from personal experience, where Job does everything right and still ends up suffering. His friends’ utter failure to support him shows that, despite excellent doctrine, they lacked the wisdom to apply truth appropriately.  When the only thing a person has is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.  The Book Job teaches us that being with a suffering person is as important as what you say.

Let’s Pray…

Father, I pray that as I speak with those around me, I will be a wise comforter, and a blessing to those in need around me. May my words strengthen and encourage others, and not be a hindrance to their life. May I reflect the love of Christ in all I do and say.