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Eliphaz and the response from Job: Job 4–7

Job’s three friends were in a difficult situation. They clearly wanted to support their friend, but didn’t know what to say. Not one of them knew Satan had done this to Job because God knew Job was righteous.

Eliphaz, trying hard, gave a bit of a speech that amounted to “Your life is worth living, look at all the good you’ve done. But there must be something you did to cause this :

Job 5:6-8 But evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.“If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.

Job’s response was understandable. He claimed the right to complain:

 6:4-5 God’s terrors are lined up against me. Don’t I have a right to complain?

He also made the point that he was feeling terrible (with a graphic description of his sores). He asked his friends to please be kinder, and:

Job 6:29-30 Stop assuming my guilt, for I have done no wrong. Do you think I am lying? Don’t I know the difference between right and wrong?

Naturally, Job appeared to think God was picking on him, and really just wanted it all to be over:

Job 17:17-21 “What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often? For you examine us every morning and test us every moment.Why won’t you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow! If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you? Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die.When you look for me, I will be gone.”