Job 4:9–15

"The breath of his mouth" expresses the inner energy of divine power (whether creative, Ps. 33:6, or judicial, 2 Sam. 22:16, Job 4:9, Ps. 18:15, Isa. 11:4, Isa. 30:33) with which the Lord will dispatch the lawless one.

"The breath, or spirit of his mouth" does not, as far as I can gather from Scripture, mean "the gospel" or the "saving influences of the Spirit." Job 4:9-15, 30; Isaiah 30:28 and 33 all use the phrase of judgment on wicked persons, not of converting influences on men's souls.

Eliphaz had told Job he was a pious and righteous man (verse 6). And now he tells him: "Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?" Only those that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap what they have sown. God makes such to perish in His wrath. They are cut off even if they were like strong lions. What dogmatic logic! Job, if you are righteous and suffering like this, then God is without any justice. But if God is justice, then you have plowed iniquity and sown wickedness, and all your suffering is your own harvest.

Eliphaz shows in a very animated and striking way what is a general modern principle — "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same." But it is not an absolute rule. There are those who have sown and plowed iniquity too, and yet they have reaped a good deal in this world. They have stored up wealth and honour to the highest degree, and have become kings and emperors and all the rest of it. It was extremely short-sighted to talk as he did. "By the breath of God they perish" — sometimes. That is true, and Job never denied it, without making it an absolute truth or an absolute falsehood — "and by the blast of his anger they are consumed."

In his next paragraph (verses 7-11) Eliphaz completely misunderstands the situation. He asks, "Who that was innocent ever perished?" … What about Abel? He perished being innocent. The first disaster recorded after sin entered the world disproved the position Eliphaz took. The righteous Abel was cut off. So the idea, which he developed by his figure of the lions, broke down. Reaping disaster does not necessarily mean that those who reap "plow iniquity and sow trouble."

These sentences make it clear that Eliphaz belonged to the kind of people who argue mostly from their own experience. His motto was, "As I have seen." Now, what we have seen may be true enough, so far as we are concerned. But it is a total mistake to build a general rule on one person's experience, and yet thousands fall into it.

Every word may be true in itself; all is said with the greatest dignity and force; yet it is misapplied and one-sided, and so, in effect, mistaken as a whole. Eliphaz assumes that God is displaying His government right now, measuring out prosperity or hardship to each person exactly as they deserve. This is false ground, and it ruins the application, especially to one like Job.

Then he brings in the lions as a picture. However strong and great and matchless a lion may be, he may still be broken. And so it is with men who play the lion in the world.

He does not even consider the difference between a believer and an unbeliever in the way God deals with them. An unbeliever, because of his sin, may perish by the blast of God and by the breath of His anger. The strength of this evil may be compared to the roaring of a lion, but even the teeth of the young lions would be broken. Job could be compared to a lion in the earlier strength of his wealth, so now he was like a lion that perishes, or a lioness losing her cubs. Eliphaz does not say this to encourage Job. He says it to imply that Job must have brought this disaster on himself by secret sin.

Eliphaz shows in a lively and striking way what is a general modern principle — "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same." But it is not an absolute rule. There are people who have sown and plowed iniquity too, and yet they have reaped a good deal in this world. They have piled up wealth and honour in the highest degree. They have become kings and emperors and all the rest of it. It was very short-sighted to talk as he did. "By the blast of God they perish" — sometimes.

What about Abel? He perished being innocent. The first disaster recorded after sin entered the world disproved the position Eliphaz took up. The righteous Abel was cut off. So the idea he built up with his picture of the lions broke down. Reaping disaster does not have to mean that those who reap "plow iniquity and sow wickedness."

No matter how strong and mighty they are, they are cut off, like fierce lions with their teeth broken out. These things are true in general. But Eliphaz has lost all distinction between the righteous and the wicked. He presses Job into a dilemma Job is already beginning to feel — either he or God is unjust!

What he says is true. Job had comforted others in times of distress, and he should have borne up under his own trials. Yet would we not expect some words of sympathy from a friend — a "brother born for adversity"? Would grace not teach us to "weep with those who weep"? ... This harshness shows a wrong principle in Eliphaz, and it comes out more clearly as he goes on. For him, sin and suffering are root and fruit. He knows no classes of suffering. He fails to tell the righteous and the wicked apart, and so in the end he turns out to be a false accuser of his friend.

Eliphaz begins with a glance at Job's past claim to be righteous, but only to rebuke him for failing to endure... All he sees is that righteousness must win and the wicked must be ruined beyond recovery. He shows it with pictures taken not only from men, but from the wildest of beasts crushed under God's hand.

Then he brings in the lions as a picture. However strong and great and unmatched a lion may be, he can still be broken. The same is true of men who play the lion in the world.

He does not even consider the difference between a believer and an unbeliever in the way God deals with them... Since Job could be compared to a lion in the earlier strength of his wealth, he was now like a lion that perishes, or like a lioness losing her cubs. Eliphaz does not say this to encourage Job. He says it to imply that Job must have brought this disaster on himself by secret sin.

But in his next paragraph (verses 7-11) Eliphaz reads the situation entirely wrong. He asks, "Who ever perished, being innocent?"... What about Abel? He perished being innocent. The first disaster recorded after sin entered the world disproved the position Eliphaz took up. The righteous Abel was cut off. So the idea he built up with his picture of the lions broke down. Reaping disaster does not have to mean that those who reap "plow iniquity, and sow wickedness."

How often had the wicked been cut off, reaping as they had sowed. No matter how strong and mighty, they are cut off, as fierce lions having their teeth broken out. These things are true in a general way. But Eliphaz has lost all distinction between the righteous and the wicked. He forces Job into a dilemma that Job is already beginning to feel — either Job or God is unjust!

They are cut off even if they were like strong lions. What dogmatic logic! Job, if you are righteous and suffering like this, then God has no justice at all. But if God is just, then you have plowed iniquity and sown wickedness, and all your suffering is your own harvest.

Eliphaz describes in the most vivid language a night vision he had experienced in quiet secrecy, one that had a deep effect on him. No doubt God intended by this to awaken the serious attention of Eliphaz, and He succeeded.

In the days of the patriarchs, we may say that God gave no revelation of Himself except to the individual. God made His mind known this way to Noah, to Abraham, and even to those who were largely ignorant of Him, such as Abimelech and Laban (Gen. 20:3, etc.; Gen. 31:24). A dream or vision was often used, but it was a divine revelation. Eliphaz refers to such a communication, in beautiful language, but not as definitely as Elihu does here (see Job 4:12-21). Elihu makes it plain that God speaks to man in this way. When all is silent, He speaks in a still, small voice and makes His mind known. His purpose is to correct wrong thoughts and actions, to draw man back from his own plans, and to hide pride from him.

And now he brings in a vision of the night. He was very serious. And God has often used visions of the night. It is true we have something a great deal better. We have the vision of the day. We have the great vision of Christ shown in human flesh. We have the vision of God showing Himself. He speaks and acts for us in this world of sin and death... "Fear came upon me, and trembling" — clearly he did not have enough of grace; grace does not make people afraid in this way. It is judgment that does so, and this is what these good men are full of; they were full of the spirit of judgment.

Next Eliphaz sets out an oracle of the night, in a mysterious and awesome style. It impressed on his own soul the folly of one claim. Earthly, sinful, weak man claims to be more just than God by putting His dealings on trial.

This is all quite true, and in other settings entirely fitting. But it falls beside the mark, because it does not meet Job's need. Truly, in God's sight all are as an unclean thing. But does that do away with the righteousness found in the children of God? If all are unclean in God's sight, then Eliphaz must take his place beside Job. He is by no means ready to do that. So every explanation of suffering fails.

How true such words are, and how well they apply to all of mankind! But Eliphaz was applying them only to Job, not to himself. He did not consider himself "crushed before a moth" and "broken in pieces."... But a vision or dream is meant to apply directly to the one who has it, and Eliphaz missed that one important fact. In the same way, we may hear good ministry which we think fits others better than ourselves... If Eliphaz had learned the lesson God intended, he would not have spoken to Job the way he did.

From these sentences it seems very clear that Eliphaz belonged to that class of people who argue mostly from their own experience. His motto was, "As I have seen." Now, what we have seen may be true enough, as far as we are concerned. But it is a total mistake to build a general rule on individual experience, and yet it is a mistake thousands make. What, for instance, had the experience of Eliphaz to do with Job?

A deep sleep — tardemah — is a term never used of natural sleep. It is used of sleep that is either supernatural, for a special purpose (Gen. 2:21; Gen. 15:12; Job 4:13; Job 33:15), or spiritual, part of God's governmental dealing with man. (Prov. 19:15; Isa. 29:10.)

In the days of the patriarchs, we may say that God gave no revelation of Himself except to the individual. God made His mind known this way to Noah, to Abraham, and even to those who were largely ignorant of Him, like Abimelech and Laban (Gen. 20:3, etc.; Gen. 31:24). A dream or vision was often used, but it was a divine revelation. Eliphaz refers to such a communication, in beautiful language...

God has often used visions of the night. It is true we have something a great deal better. We have the vision of the day. We have the great vision of Christ shown in flesh. We have the vision of God showing Himself, and God speaking and acting for us in this world of sin and death... Fear and trembling came on him. Clearly he did not have enough grace. Grace does not make people afraid like this. It is judgment that does so, and this is what these good men are full of; they were full of the spirit of judgment.

From verse 12 onwards, the position Eliphaz takes becomes clearer. He starts to describe a terrifying experience of his own. He saw a spirit appear, and heard a word of warning about man's frailty and impurity before his Maker. What he heard is perfectly true. No mortal man can be more pure or just than God. In both he falls infinitely short of God's glory.

Every word may be true in itself; He says it all with the utmost dignity and force. Yet he misapplies it, and it is one-sided, so as a whole it is wrong in effect. Eliphaz assumes that God is displaying His government right now. He assumes God measures out prosperity or trouble in exact proportion to what people deserve. This is false ground. It spoils the application, above all to someone like Job, whom Satan was allowed to attack.

But a vision or dream is meant to apply directly to the one who has it, and Eliphaz missed that one important fact. In the same way, we may hear good teaching which we think fits others better than ourselves. Eliphaz could see that Job's excellence was going away. But the excellence of Eliphaz would go away too, as with all men... If Eliphaz had learned the lesson God intended, he would not have spoken to Job the way he did.

These sentences make it clear that Eliphaz belonged to the class of people who argue very much from their own experience. His motto was, "As I have seen." Now, what we have seen may be true enough, so far as we are concerned. But it is a total mistake to build a general rule on one person's experience. Yet thousands make that mistake.

Next, in words of great solemnity and lofty poetic beauty, Eliphaz describes his vision of the greatness and holiness of God. In the silent hours of the night, an apparition had come before him, making him tremble with a dread he could not name. While seeing nothing, he had felt the whisper of "a still small voice," and it made his hair stand up.

In the days of the patriarchs, we may say that there was no revelation of God except what was given to the individual. God made His mind known this way to Noah, to Abraham, and even to those who were largely ignorant of Him, such as Abimelech and Laban. A dream or vision was often used, but it was a divine revelation. Eliphaz refers to such a communication, in beautiful language, but not as definitely as Elihu does here.

Eliphaz describes in vivid language a night vision he had experienced in quiet secrecy, and it had a deep effect on him. He was evidently in a deep sleep when a fit of fear and trembling seized him (v.14). A spirit passed before his face, making his hair stand up. A form was present, but its appearance could not be made out. No doubt God intended by this to awaken the serious attention of Eliphaz, and He succeeded.

And God has often used visions of the night. It is true that we have something far better. We have the vision of the day. We have the great vision of Christ manifested in flesh. We have the vision of God showing Himself, and God speaking and acting for us in this world of sin and death... "dread came upon me, and trembling" — clearly he did not have enough of grace; grace does not make people fear in this way. It is judgment that does so, and that is what these good men were full of; they were full of the spirit of judgment.

From verse 12 onward, the position Eliphaz takes comes more clearly to light. He begins to tell of a rather terrifying experience of his own. He saw some spirit apparition, and received a word of warning about man's frailty and impurity in the presence of his Maker. What he heard is perfectly true. No mortal man can be more pure or more just than God. In both he falls infinitely short of God's glory.

This is all quite true, and in other connections most fitting; but, as already said, it misses the mark, because it does not meet Job's need. Truly, in God's sight, all are as an unclean thing. But does that set aside the fact that there is such a thing as righteousness in the children of God? If all are unclean in God's sight, then Eliphaz must take his place beside Job — something he is by no means ready to do — and every explanation of suffering fails.

They cried out in fear, for they thought they saw a ghost. The appearance of their Master filled them with more alarm than the fury of the storm seems to have done. That fear — the fear of the unknown — took hold of them, the fear Eliphaz spoke of when he said, "dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake."

With deep seriousness and great poetic beauty, Eliphaz describes his vision of the greatness and holiness of God. In the silent hours of the night, a ghostly figure came before him and made him tremble with a dread he could not name. Though he saw nothing, he felt the whisper of "a still small voice," that made his hair stand up.

Eliphaz uses vivid language to describe a night vision he had in private, and it affected him deeply. He was clearly in a deep sleep when a fit of fear and trembling shook him (v.14). A spirit passed before his face, causing his hair to stand up. A form was there, but he could not make out what it looked like. No doubt God meant this to get the serious attention of Eliphaz, and He succeeded.

God has often used visions of the night. It is true we have something far better. We have the vision of the day. We have the great vision of Christ shown in human flesh. We have the vision of God showing Himself, and God speaking and acting for us in this world of sin and death... The fear and trembling that came over him show he did not have enough grace; grace does not make people afraid like this. It is judgment that does so, and this is what these good men are full of; they were full of the spirit of judgment.

The appearance of their Master filled them with more alarm than the fury of the storm seems to have done. The same fear that Eliphaz described — the fear of the unknown — took hold of them.

He begins to tell of a terrifying experience of his own. He saw some kind of spirit, and he received a word of warning about man's weakness and impurity in the presence of his Maker. What he heard is perfectly true. No mortal man can be more pure or just than God. In both he falls infinitely short of God's glory.

Such words are true, and they apply to all mankind. But Eliphaz applied them only to Job, not to himself... But a vision or dream is meant for the person who has it, and Eliphaz missed that one important fact. In the same way, we may hear good teaching and think it fits other people better than it fits us... If Eliphaz had learned the lesson God intended, he would not have spoken to Job the way he did.

These sentences make it clear that Eliphaz belonged to the kind of people who argue mainly from their own experience. His motto was, "As I have seen." Now, what we have seen may be all true enough, so far as we are concerned. But it is a complete mistake to build a general rule on one person's experience, and thousands make that mistake. What, for instance, had the experience of Eliphaz to do with Job? It went for nothing in Job's case. As soon as Eliphaz stopped speaking, Job went on with the tale of his own sorrows, without paying the slightest attention to his words.