Eliphaz and Job’s eighth speech: Job 22–25

The discussion here turned quite nasty as Elijah’s three friends appear to have been unable to accept they really weren’t helping. Eliphaz started by accusing Job of all sorts of sins:

^22:4-5 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?  No, it’s because of your wickedness! There’s no limit to your sins.

He then listed the alleged sins, padded with a good dose of prosperity theology to make it sound more acceptable:

^22:21 Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.

The effect of this was that Job felt abandoned by his friends and by God. His response was along the lines of “Hey, God, Where are you? I haven’t done anything wrong. Why don’t you punish the wicked like this?”

^23:3 If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. … ^8-9 I go east, but he is not there.  I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden.  I look to the south, but he is concealed.

^24:1 “Why doesn’t the Almighty bring the wicked to judgment? Why must the godly wait for him in vain?

Bildad just fell back on theology, pointing out that no one is good. The implication is that Job really needed to come to terms with his own sinfulness before God could do anything, and perhaps God really had abandoned him.

^25:4-6 How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure? God is more glorious than the moon;  he shines brighter than the stars. In comparison, people are maggots;  we mortals are mere worms.