Job 5:17–18

Some of the things Eliphaz says in this chapter are completely true. For example, "Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward," in this world of sin. It is also true that God "takes the wise in their own craftiness," and that "Happy is the man whom God corrects." But we can see that he put all these facts forward in a way that turned them against poor Job.

Every word may be true in itself. He says it all with great dignity and force. Yet he applies it wrongly and one-sidedly, so in effect the whole thing is wrong. Eliphaz assumes that God is displaying His government right now, and that He measures prosperity or hardship exactly to what people deserve. This is false ground. It spoils the application, especially to someone like Job, who had been handed over to Satan's attacks.

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects" (ver. 17). He never thought that this was true of Job. He knew that Job was very unhappy, and so he did not count him as one of these at all... Eliphaz never imagined that it would come true in Job's own case. It was a vague sort of sermon; and although he called Job to apply it, he had no idea that God would apply it.

Again, he voices an excellent principle, "Happy is the man whom God corrects" (v.17). But Job did not feel happy. Of course, God was only beginning His correcting work with Job, and Job did not discern it... If Eliphaz had spoken this to Job in a kind and encouraging way, it might have helped him. Instead he blamed Job for not gaining that blessing by confessing he was guilty of secret sin.

We have the word musahr, meaning instruction, warning, advice; it covers chastisement too; Prov. 1:3; Job 5:17.

God does not only govern the world for outward blessing. He also governs each person directly and personally — a most gracious and precious truth... The Word draws two conclusions from this truth, that it is God's love. It will not be without a cause in me. It will never be without love in God. So I am not to despise it, because there is a cause in me that makes the Holy God of love act this way. I am not to lose heart, because it is His love that does it. It is the correcting of a son in whom his Father delights.

The principle is this: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (v. 19) Hardly anyone would question that this principle applies to those in relationship with Christ (compare Job 5:17-18; Proverbs 3:11-12; Amos 3:2; Hebrews 12:5-8). It lies at the very foundation of the way God governs His people in this world... So this warning comes out of the tenderness and the love of His own heart.

No matter how great the afflictions are, or how often they come, deliverance will arrive in due time... We are led to look past every apparent cause, every human instrument, and even Satan himself. We are led to see that Hand which "will never cause His child a needless tear." So our blessed Lord took that great affliction at the hands of God: "The cup which my Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

The relief also comes from the same blessed source: "His hands make whole." How good it is to know that all the trial and the relief — comes from Him.

Happy indeed is he who receives chastening at the loving hands of God; we are neither to despise nor to faint under such dealings. No matter how great the afflictions, or how often they come, deliverance will arrive in due time... Let the sufferer only say, "It is your hand," "I know that in faithfulness you have afflicted me." The Scriptures are full of this precious truth for the child of God. This truth leads us to look past all apparent causes, all human instruments, or even Satan himself, to see that Hand which "will never cause His child a needless tear."

Every word may be true in itself; all is said with the utmost dignity and force; yet it is misapplied and one-sided, and so, in effect, wrong as a whole. Eliphaz assumes that God at the present time is displaying His government, giving each person exactly the prosperity or trouble he deserves. This is false ground, and it spoils the application, above all to a man like Job, handed over to Satan's attacks and tested by God to the end — not the bitter end, but the sweet.

Again, he voices an excellent principle, "Happy is the man whom God corrects" (v.17). But Job did not feel happy. Of course, God was only beginning His correcting work with Job, and Job did not discern it... If Eliphaz had spoken this to Job in a kind and encouraging way, it might have helped him. Instead he was blaming Job for not gaining such blessing — for not confessing that he was guilty of secret sin.

Abstract truth is altogether useless for the saints of God. Things that are true, but misunderstood and misapplied, may do more harm than many a thing that is false. Misapplied truth gives an error the apparent authority of God. That error carries all the more weight because it comes as the truth. If someone says a foolish thing, or one clearly false, people despise it; but no believer can slight the truth of God. So if people misuse the truth of God — if they use it to crush someone who is an object of intense interest to God at the time, how foreign and offensive to His mind!

Hardly anyone will question that this principle applies to those in relationship with Christ (compare Job 5:17-18; Proverbs 3:11-12; Amos 3:2; Hebrews 12:5-8, and others). It lies at the very foundation of the way God governs His people in this world... It is therefore out of the tenderness, out of the love of His own heart, that this warning proceeds. He never afflicts willingly.

Now Jehovah can lift His hand from the sufferer, and turn all the grievous captivity into full and prosperous recovery. Job can say, I "have received double from the Lord's hand." The relatives and acquaintances who had fled from him and despised him return with gifts and sympathy.