Job 6:1

In his reply to Eliphaz, and in his replies to each of the others, notice that Job addressed them as a group and not one by one. There is, indeed, an answer to the last speaker in each case. But Job clearly recognizes a unity of feeling in the attitude of all three. Each is the mouthpiece of all, and he addresses his answer to them together.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar follow in regular succession, Job replying to each of them... Then follows a new person, Elihu, who silences Job as firmly as Job had silenced the three. Finally Jehovah closes everything, and solves the problem of the book at the last.

He knew Eliphaz had not truly weighed Job's grief. If he had, he would have shown more compassion for the poor sufferer. Job says, "Therefore my words have been rash." He had spoken as one in deepest anguish. So he had inferred that God was not just in allowing this suffering to one who was upright. Of course it is rash to say such a thing. But Job's friends should have seen the state he was in. It practically forced wrong words out of his mouth. Could they not make some allowance for this?

Job's piety made him own that God not only must be, but was, involved in all these calamities; and he was right so far. Job did not blame the raiders from Sheba or the Chaldeans, the lightning, the hurricane, or the disease. He looked far beyond these secondary instruments. He was right to bring God into the trouble. But he was wrong in one of two ways, as we shall find at the end. Either he supposed there was nothing to correct in his soul, or he supposed God could be something other to him than gracious while faithful, and patient while righteous. He did not take account of the power of evil and of Satan, which God allows but also limits. He did not hold fast, as he should have, that God lets His own people suffer in this world in a special way out of love to them.

Now, it was this misapplication of truth that Satan so used in the speeches of Job's friends. Chapter 6 shows that this gave Job a terrible shaking... This was a great mistake. They were the arrows of Satan. God was not against Job. If Job had but known it, God was for him.

Eliphaz suggests to Job that he deserved these afflictions... Because of this, Job is now (Job 6, Job 7) not so much occupied with his misery. He is occupied with his right to complain, and with trying to throw his friend's suggestions back at him. He gives us a history of his troubles, with disappointment in his friends added to the list. He is busy defending himself... What lessons of anguish one has to learn before one sees the wisdom of giving up self! What must the soul pass through in discipline before it reaches that point!

One only, and He for no sin of His own, has felt the arrows of God piercing His holy soul. "Why have You forsaken Me?" He asks. But not for one moment does He doubt the holiness or goodness of God. "You are holy" is enough for Him. In meekness He drinks the bitter cup — perfect in His sufferings, as in everything else. God could not for a moment lay on poor Job the sin of mankind, though there was no one else like him on earth. Of Another He can say, "I have found a ransom."