Job 4

“For a word was stealthily brought to me, my ear caught only a whisper of it.  In passing thoughts flashing through visions at night, when sleep lies heavy on people, a shiver of horror came over me; it made all my bones tremble. Then a spirit passed in front of my face; the hair on my flesh stood on end.  It stood still, but I couldn’t make out its appearance; yet the form stayed there before my eyes. Then I heard a subdued voice, ‘Can a human be seen by God as righteous? Can a mortal be pure before his maker? God doesn’t trust His own servants, He finds fault even with His angels; much more those living in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust.’” Job 4:12-19 (CJB)

Today’s passage is the first of a series of counsel/rebukes by Job’s friends. When I read the counsel of Job’s friends, I ask the age-old question: With friends like these, who needs enemies?  

This first “counsel” comes from a fellow named Elifaz the Teimani (Hebrew).  Elifaz, in Hebrew, means “my god shines purely as gold.”  Perhaps it is eluding that Job’s friend was an idolater. One thing is sure: Elifaz reveals the source of his counsel: Satan.

In the same way the “snake” slithered up to Eve and struck up that infamous conversation in the Garden of Eden, Satan whispers in Elifaz’s ear in the night.  Interestingly, nothing Satan says is blatantly false. One of Satan’s grand schemes is to present the truth in a negative light. You see, better than getting people to reject God’s Word completely is to convince them to follow God’s Word incompletely! Both tactics keep people from a saving relationship with the Lord through His Son, Jesus. It also keeps followers of Jesus from being effective witnesses and counselors to the lost and hurting.

That is why we read God’s Word every day, asking Him to personally reveal the truth of His Word so we can know it rightly. Then, we ask Him to give us someone to share it with. Why?  Because Satan has many “Job’s friends” planted throughout this world and even in the Church. If it were not so, why would Paul have written these words?

“In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:12-17 (HCSB)

We search God’s Word daily, so we can weigh both the world’s counsel and so-called “Christian” counsel that may deny critical aspects of the Word. Also, we can give Godly counsel to those who perceive their suffering as “for no reason.”