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Chapter 15

Eliphazs second speech

Eliphaz says that Job is wrong

v1 Eliphaz, who belonged to the people called Temanites, answered. He said:

v2 A wise man should not speak foolish words. He should not make sounds that meannothing, like the wind. v3 He should check that his words are helpful. His speeches shouldalways be good.

v4 But, Job, your speeches do not respect God. You suggest that prayer has no value. v5You have spoken evil words. Your words are clever (but they are not right). v6 I do notaccuse you. But your own words prove that you are wrong.

Chapter 15

Verses 1-3

Job said that he was as wise as his friends (Job 12:3). He even said that they could learn from

his words (Job 13:5-6). But Eliphaz thought that there was a terrible error in Jobs beliefs.Verses 4-6

Job said that good men often have awful lives. And he said that evil men have good lives (Job12:6). Eliphaz could not agree. He believed that God rewards a good man. Eliphaz alsobelieved that God punishes an evil man. So Jobs wo rds seemed not to respect God.

But Eliphaz was not right. Job did respect God. Job continued to praise God even when terriblethings happened (Job 1:20-21).

Job has no special knowledge

v7 You were not born before everyone else. You are not older than everyone else. v8 You donot hear Gods words in heaven. You are not the only wise man. v9 You know nothing that

we do not know. You have no special knowledge that is unknown to us. v10 The old wisemen agree with us. They are older than both you and your father.

v11 But God comforts you. You should be glad to hear such gentle words. v12 But instead,you allow your emotions to control your behaviour. v13 You are angry with God. And youspeak such terrible words.

Verses 7-10

Jobs friends believed that an older man was wiser (Job 32:7). Eliphaz said that many oldpeople believed the same ideas as Eliphaz himself. And many people who lived long ago hadthe same ideas. They thought that an ill person must be an evil person. Even Jesus disciples(special students) had such an idea (John 9:2). But Jesus did not agree (John 9:3).

Verses 11-13

Job said that he wanted to meet God. And Job wanted to reason with God. Job was sincerewhen he said this. He could not explain why God had not rescued him from his troubles. But Jobstill trusted God.

Eliphaz thought that Job was angry with God. So Eliphaz did not realise that Jobs words weresincere. Eliphaz wanted Job to be calm. Then Job could listen to sensible advice.

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Nobody is innocent

v14 Nobody is innocent. Nobody is good. v15 God does not even trust his holy servants.God even sees that heaven is not perfect. v16 So, a man cannot be innocent. Man is evil. Aman even prefers to do evil things than to drink water.

Verses 14-15

Eliphaz repeated the same lesson as in Job 4:17. He said that nobody is perfect. So he thoughtthat Job must be evil too.

Eliphaz was right to say that nobody is perfect. We must all confess our evil deeds so that Godwill forgive us. But Job was a sincere man. He often prayed that God would forgive people (Job1:5).

And Eliphaz was wrong to say that God does not trust his servants in heaven. God even trustedhis servant Job (Job 1:8; Job 2:3).

Verse 16

In fact, many people do not prefer to do evil things. Job always tried to do the right things (Job1:1).

An ancient lessonv17 Listen! I will teach you. I will explain the things that I have seen. v18 Wise men taughtthis lesson. And their fathers taught this lesson to them. v19 God gave them this countrywhen no foreigners lived here.

v20 A wicked man always suffers pain. Such a man is cruel, so he suffers for his whole life.v21 He hears sounds that cause fear. If he is successful, a terrible enemy will attack him.v22 The wicked man does not think that he will ever escape. His enemy waits with a sword.v23 So the wicked man wanders to look for food. And the birds wait for his death, so thatthey can eat his body.

That wicked man knows that he will soon die. v24 He suffers terrible fears. And his troublesseem to him like a powerful king who is ready to attack.

v25 Such men suffer because they oppose God. They dare to fight against God. v26 Theyeven attack God, like an enemy.

Verses 17-24

Eliphaz repeated the friends main idea. Wicked men always suffer a terrible fate. They will havean awful life and a terrible death.

Verses 25-26

Eliphaz warned Job here. Job should not accuse God. Nobody can oppose God. So Job shouldnot argue. Job should agree that he is guilty, like everybody else.

A wicked man cannot avoid Gods punishment

v27 A wicked man might be successful. He might be greedy and fat. v28 But the inhabitants

of his town will leave. His house will fall down. But he will live there, although his house isonly a pile of stones. v29 That man was rich. But he will lose his wealth. He had greatpossessions. But he will lose his possessions.

v30That man cannot avoid Gods punishment. He will die, like a tree that burns. A word fromGod will order that the man must die. v31 That man should realise that he cannot trust hisfoolish ideas. The only reward that such things give is foolish. v32 The man will die while heis still young.

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v33 And that man will have no children. He will be like a tree without any flowers or fruit. v34Wicked men will have no children. Even the home of a man who loves bribes (secret gifts)will burn.

v35 Wicked men will not have children. Instead, they will have trouble. And they will createfoolish things. And they will make up lies, too.

Verses 27-35Job thought that many evil people are successful (Job 12:6). Eliphaz argued that their successwas temporary. Their wealth would not last. Soon, they would lose everything (verse 29).

Job had spoken about a tree that someone had cut down (Job 14:7-9). This idea gave hope toJob. Perhaps God would allow Job to live, even after death. Eliphaz thought that this was afoolish idea. If someone burns a tree, that tree will not live again (verse 30).

Eliphaz seemed to think that a persons spirit dies with that person. He thought that the onlynew life after death was in our children. In other words, our children live after we are dead. Theyare our only hope for the future. And a wicked man would have no children (verse 33). A treewithout fruit has no future after that tree dies. As Jobs children were dead, Jobs own deathwould be his end.

Many people believe such ideas. But the Bible does not teach this. The Bible says that heavenand hell are real places. Unfair things often happen in this world. But, in the future, God will bethe judge of everybody (Philippians 2:9-11). If we trust God, we should not be afraid of death.God has prepared a wonderful home for us in heaven (Philippians 1:23).