Suffering Even For The Righteous

In The Word

Read: Job 4-5

 

Eliphaz: Innocent Do Not Suffer

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking?
“Behold you have admonished many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.
“Your words have helped the tottering to stand,
And you have strengthened feeble knees.
“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
It touches you, and you are dismayed.
“Is not your fear of God your confidence,
And the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?
“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.
“By the breath of God they perish,
And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.
10 “The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 “The lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 “Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Dread came upon me, and trembling,
And made all my bones shake.
15 “Then a spirit passed by my face;
The hair of my flesh bristled up.
16 “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can mankind be just before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 ‘He puts no trust even in His servants;
And against His angels He charges error.
19 ‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!
20 ‘Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces;
Unobserved, they perish forever.
21 ‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them?
They die, yet without wisdom.’

God Is Just

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
“For anger slays the foolish man,
And jealousy kills the simple.
“I have seen the foolish taking root,
And I cursed his abode immediately.
“His sons are far from safety,
They are even oppressed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.
“His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the schemer is eager for their wealth.
“For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
For man is born for trouble,
As sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And I would place my cause before God;
Who does great and unsearchable things,
Wonders without number.
10 “He gives rain on the earth
And sends water on the fields,
11 So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 “He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd,
So that their hands cannot attain success.
13 “He captures the wise by their own shrewdness,
And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.
14 “By day they meet with darkness,
And grope at noon as in the night.
15 “But He saves from the sword of their mouth,
And the poor from the hand of the mighty.
16 “So the helpless has hope,
And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

17 “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 “For He inflicts pain, and gives relief;
He wounds, and His hands also heal.
19 “From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven evil will not touch you.
20 “In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.
21 “You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.
22 “You will laugh at violence and famine,
And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.
23 “For you will be in league with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24 “You will know that your tent is secure,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.
25 “You will know also that your descendants will be many,
And your offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 “You will come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.
27 “Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation


Walking In The Word

After all the tragedy that happened to Job, he sat down with his friends for seven days of silence. In Chapter 3, Job vents to his friends. Then his first friend, Eliphaz, speaks up. Eliphaz states that Job was a man who helped others to stand during times when they were weak. He calls Job a hypocrite, because now that trouble has found him, he does not want to be comforted by the same words he preached from his own mouth.

Eliphaz then relies on human reasoning by stating, “Remember now, whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?”  We know that Abel was innocent, and yet he was killed. We also know that Jesus Christ was sinless, and yet he was crucified. Eliphaz then states that Job must have committed a sin because now he is reaping the consequences for it.

1 Peter 2:19-20 and 1 Peter 3:13-17 clearly tell us that there will be suffering for those who do what is right and a suffering for those who do what is wrong. You may be in the middle of a storm or trial in your life, and you are blameless. If this is the case, God is looking for you to patiently endure the storm so that you can find favor with Him. Do not let the enemy accuse you when you are choosing to praise God, but then cursing Him when times are tough. Instead, repent from cursing Him and begin to thank God for all He has done in your life. Be steadfast in whatever storm you are in because God is in the storm with you.

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