Our Daily Scripture – 10/21/23 (Saturday)

SCRIPTURE:  JOB 5

THE CONCEPT OF ELIPHAZ:

  1. Resentment kills a fool and envy slays the simple. (v. 2)
  2. A fool takes root but his house was cursed. (v. 3)
  3. Children of fools are not safe.  They crushed in court without a defender. (v. 4)
  4. The hungry consume his harvest and the thirsty pant after his wealth. (v. 5)
  5. Hardship does not spring from the soil and trouble does not sprout from the ground. (v. 6)
  6. Man is born to trouble. (v. 7)

ELIPHAZ’S IDEA ABOUT GOD:

  1. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
  2. He sets the lowly on high and those who mourn are lifted to safety. (v. 11)
  3. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. (v. 12)
  4. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. (v. 13)
  5. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. (v. 15)
  6. He binds up the wounds; he injures but he also heals. (v. 15-18)
  7. He will rescue you from six calamities and no harm will befall you. (v. 19)
  8. He will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. (v. 20)

ELIPHAZ’S ADVICE AND COMFORT TO JOB:

  1. Appeal to God and lay your cause before Him. (v. 68)
  2. Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. (v. 17)
  3. Do not fear when destruction comes for He will protect you from the lash of the tongue. (v. 21)
  4. Do not fear the beasts of the earth for you will laugh at destruction and famine. (v. 22)
  5. Have a covenant with the stones of the field and the wild animals will be at peace with you. (v. 23)
  6. Your tent is secure and you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. (v. 24)
  7. You will have many children and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
  8. You will come too the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season. (v. 26)

THOUGHTS:

Eliphaz closed his speech by telling Job to seek and submit to God and accept His correction so that God would bless him again.  He based his experience to justify the facts of life.  If you want to help others, better listen to the suffering person than to speak out your experiences.  Do not blame people for their trouble because not all those whom trouble strikes were due to their fault.  Sometimes excellent advice do not apply to them.  Understand a person’s situation first before giving counsel or advice.

From Job’s suffering, we know that God does not eliminate all hardships even through we are following Him closely and good behavior is not always blessed with prosperity.  Rewards for good and punishment for evil are in God’s hands and given out according to his time table.