For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage:  Job 5:1-7

1 ‘Call if you will, but who will answer you?
    To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 Resentment kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.
3 I myself have seen a fool taking root,
    but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 His children are far from safety,
    crushed in court without a defender.
5 The hungry consume his harvest,
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7 Yet man is born to trouble
    as surely as sparks fly upwards.

A. Find Out

1. What does Eliphaz now ask Job? v.1
2. What does he warn against? v.2
3. What does he say he saw happening? v.3
4. What happened to that man’s children? v.4
5. What happened to his crops? v.5
6. Where do hardship and trouble not spring from? v.6
7. What does he conclude about human life? v.7

B. Think:

1. What is Eliphaz saying in verses 3 to 5?
2. What does he suggest is the cause of all that?

C. Comment:

Eliphaz has just spoken about frail humanity that so easily is taken away and when that happens, he concludes, who will you call to? (v.1). Whether verse 2 to is a warning against becoming resentful and envious of others in your suffering or is a suggestion that it is what causes the suffering is not clear. Eliphaz justifies his position by telling what he has seen – a fool apparently at ease but then suddenly his house cursed (v.3) so that his children are left defenceless (v.4) and others come in and steal his harvest (v.5) Look, he says, trouble doesn’t just grow out of the ground (v.6), it is natural to human life (v.7). The implication is that the sinfulness of mankind brings trouble and, even more, surely he must subtly be pointing at Job himself.

We find here a half truth. Sin does breed trouble; that is certainly true, but unlike Eliphaz’s assertion, we are not alone. We know that we have one who is there for us: “if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 Jn 2:1b) The truth, the New Testament reveals to us, is that God is for us (Rom 8:31) and Jesus is for us. God works in a variety of ways on our behalf (Rom 8:28) so sometimes He delivers us from difficulties and sometimes He delivers us in the difficulties – but He IS there working on our behalf because He loves us!

D. Application:

1. We are not alone in this Fallen World. God works for our good.
2. Sin and Satan may seek our destruction, but God brings our salvation.

Passage:  Job 5:8-16

8 ‘But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.
9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.
10 He provides rain for the earth;
    he sends water on the countryside.
11 The lowly he sets on high,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.
15 He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.

A. Find Out

1. What does Eliphaz say he would do in Job’s position? v.8
2. How does he say God reveals His power? v.9
3. How does he say God’s power changes nature? v.10
4. What does he say God does for the lowly and those who mourn? v.11
5. What does he say God does with the ‘crafty’? v.12-14
6. What does he say God does for the needy and the poor? v.15,16

B. Think:

1. What do you think Eliphaz implies in v.8?
2. What grounds does Eliphaz give for seeking God in v.9,10?
3. What grounds does he give in verses 11-16?

C. Comment:

Eliphaz has just said that mankind is born for trouble (v.7) and has, in the previous verses, implied that Job is suffering at God’s hand. It is also fairly obvious that so far Job is just bemoaning his calamity and making no further comment. Eliphaz now suggests that if it were him he would appeal to God (v.8) because, he goes on, God is great and all powerful and a wonderful provider (v.9,10) – God’s goodness can be trusted. There is perhaps a subtle suggestion that Job should stop just bemoaning his state and should do something about it! Talk to God about it!

But then he speaks about God who deals with people: He cares for the lowly and those who mourn (v.11) but is not fooled by the crafty (v.12) who He deals with. If you are lowly Job He will lift you but if you play crafty with Him, He will deal with you, is perhaps the subtle suggestion here. He will deal with those who are not straight forward with Him, so you’d better be upfront with God now, Job. (v.13,14).

Yes, He does look after the needy and the poor (v.15,16). Is this an implication that because He doesn’t appear to be looking after you Job, you aren’t the poor and needy and this is judgment on your affluence? There is truth in all of these statements but it isn’t how God always works or only works.

D. Application:

1. Be careful against laying down propositions about God in stone!
2. God’s ways of working are far bigger than our understanding.

Passage:  Job 5:17-27

17 ‘Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
    so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[a]
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;
    he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 From six calamities he will rescue you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.
20 In famine he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
    and need not fear when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
    and need not fear the wild animals.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is secure;
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that your children will be many,
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to the grave in full vigour,
    like sheaves gathered in season.

27 ‘We have examined this, and it is true.
    So hear it and apply it to yourself.’

A. Find Out

1. What subject does Eliphaz now move on to? v.17,18
2. How does he portray the Lord? v.19,20
3. How therefore can we feel about problems of life? v.21,22
4. How can we feel about living generally? v.23,24
5. How can we feel about the future? v.25,26
6. What does he maintain as a conclusion? v.27

B. Think:

1. What do these verses teach about God’s discipline?
2. What do they teach about our place in life?
3. What do they teach about our feelings about the future?

C. Comment:

There is much truth here – but it doesn’t apply to Job! God does discipline (v.17) and in so doing He may wound, but He will also heal up (v.18). Yes, the Lord does come and rescue His children (v.19) and will save us from famine or sword (v.20). Indeed He does protect us from those who would speak against us (v.21) and so we can laugh at the calamities that would come against us from this Fallen World (v.22). Even more, although the stones of the field usually hinder our crop growing and wild animals destroy our produce, with God’s blessing on us (implied) these things are brought to a place of peace with us (v.23) and so you will be secure in your home and food production (v.24). The net result of this will be that you will know that the future is assured for your children (v.25) and when death finally comes you will be strong to the end (v.26). This, he concludes, I am sure about. (v.27)

Now we have to say that all of these things that Eliphaz declares in these verses are attested to elsewhere in the Scriptures. These are general truths for the child of God, yet because we live in a Fallen World, things do go wrong for we have an adversary and he has many agents (often people) who will come against us. It isn’t always quite as clear cut as Eliphaz would like to make out and, of course, we know that Job’s circumstances are because of exceptions to the rule!

D. Application:

1. God is good and we can feel secure in His love.
2. Even when things go wrong, He will be there for us.