18th November 2025

18th November 2025


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Job 22)


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


In his commentary Francis Andersen makes the point that Job's friends initially speak in general terms, their second speeches focus on the fate of the wicked and then says Andersen, the third speeches contain "a certain amount of vituperation." What is vituperation? It is bitter and abusive language - the friends have had enough of Job's cries and this can be seen in their final speeches.


Job had been clear that the wicked do not always seem to suffer and for Eliphaz this was akin to blasphemy. The oldest of the comforters had come to believe that Job was suffering not because of his righteousness (v4) but because he dared to question the Lord's involvement with humanity.


Not only did Eliphaz believe his friend to be a blasphemer but he considered him to be a great sinner. Despite a lack of evidecne, Eliphaz declared Job's evil to be abundant (v5). Apparently Job had oppressed the hungry, widows and orphans (v6-9) and this was obviously the reason that God's wrath had been poured out upon Job (v10-11). The problem was that none of this was true. There is no Biblical evidence to hint that Job was guilty of such wicked deeds and God Himself had made it clear that He counted Job as righteous (Job 1v8). In all that happened to Job he did not sin or charge God with wrong (Job 1v22).


But Eliphaz couldn't be stopped. Not only had he declared Job to be wicked but he also put words into his mouth telling Job that he had said "What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven." (v12-14). Did Job accuse God of being blind? By no means. Eliphaz was doing his best to pin down the trouble with Job and was failing completely. Eliphaz wondered if Job would just keep going in his old wicked way (v15) which would only result in his destruction (v16).


I love Meredith Kline's description of Eliphaz calling him "a friend in the family of faith" or in other words Eliphaz loved the Lord. Nevertheless he was guilty of misrepresenting the Lord and His ways. Eliphaz urged his friend to repent, return to God and give up his earthly treasures (v21-24). If Job delighted in God and turned back to Him (v26-27) then he would surely be restored.


There's nothing terribly wrong with the final words of Eliphaz. Many of us do need to return unto the Lord but Eliphaz had missed the reality of Job's situation completely. Job was a righteous man who had done nothing to deserve the suffering that had been visited upon him. Brothers and sisters, there needs to be room in our theology for undeserved suffering. There will certainly be times in our lives that our problems can be regarded as self-inflicted - if I'm drunk and fall off a wall breaking my legs, then slap it up me. But equally there are other moments that there will be no earthly reason for the trouble that comes.


Is the Lord blind to our suffering? No. Does He care? Yes. So what is the purpose? The Lord is gracious and kind and in suffering he is sanctifying us. For a little while we may be grieved by all kinds of trials but it is only for a little while. Weeping might come in the night but hold on for the joy that comes with the morning (Psalm 30v5). 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.
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