Job 15

Job 15:1-35

ELIPHAZ’ SECOND SPEECHJob_15:1-35.THE three comforters have run their round. Each has had his opportunity in turn to voice his philosophy of life and particularly of human suffering.Job’s answer to each in turn has been sufficiently adequate to exasperate them all. Sometimes on a transcontinental train, I have seen the men in the smoker fall into argument on the liquor question, or on the matter of party politics, or possibly on the subject of evolution; once in a while on the direct theme of Christianity. Often it will fall out that one man in the party is well equipped on the subject under discussion. He has specialized in it; possibly has been in the forum of debate more than once, and by practice sharpened his wits. It is always interesting to watch the course of such a conversation, to see the multiplied attacks and witness the capable defense; to watch the flank movements, and the sharp attempts to corner and catch, and yet behold the opponents bowled over one after the other until by and by the company wearies of an unequal contest, and drifts away.It would have been interesting to have sat through the debate of Job and his three professed comforters.

It would have been interesting to see the rising heat of the same, and to note the increasing bluntness of speech that came from the lips of men who set out to be sympathetic, but who were stung into exasperation.Eliphaz is the very man who in his first speech was gentle even in reproof. Not so in this second.

Here he shows another spirit. It is in the heat of debate that a man’s true self is exhibited.JOB’S EGOTISM IS He was charged with the speech of egotism.“Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,“Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?“Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?“Yea, thou easiest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.“For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.“Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee” (Job 15:1-6).He was asked to cease from self-esteem.“Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?“Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?“What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?“With us are both the grayheaded and the very aged men, much elder than thy father” (Job 15:7-10).He was told his pride was an offense to God.“Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?“Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,“That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth”? (Job 15:11-13).MAN’S It is perfectly understood here that when Eliphaz ceases from personalities, he does so only in outward form. The fact is that he means to talk further of Job in particular; he counts it better taste to discuss man in general. It may be fairly inferred that everything said about man is intended to apply to the man opposed. Note the descriptives.Man is by nature a child of wrath.“What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?“Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.“How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water”? (Job 13:14-16).Man is by experience the subject of sorrows.“I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;“Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:“Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.“The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.“A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.“He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.“He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.“Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle” (Job 15:17-24).Man’s every action is an affront to God.“For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.“He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers.“Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.“And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps” (Job 15:25-29).MAN’S IS ASSURED Poverty shall be the portion of the wicked.“He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.“He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away” (Job 15:29-30).Vanity is his poor recompense.“Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.“It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.“He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive” (Job 15:31-33).Desolation shall be his final estate.“For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.“They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit” (Job 15:34-35).