THE THREE FRIENDS
Months pass, and three of Job’s friends come to comfort him.
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar
For a week, they do not speak.
Job breaks the silence by cursing the day of his birth. (Job 3)
Man suffers as the result of sin.
Since Job was suffering so grievously, he must have sinned.
With each speech, the friends charge Job and call on him to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.
Job maintains his innocence; he has not sinned!
Yet, he doesn’t know the reason for his suffering.
Patiently listened to all the speeches.
Aggravated friends did a poor job in answering Job.
Elihu speaks.
He charged Job with rash and arrogant speech in denying God’s justice.
He suggested that God owes Job no explanation of his circumstances.
Sometimes, pain is used to chasten us.
He knew God did not hate Job.
God does many things we cannot comprehend.
Man has insufficient knowledge to charge God.
“It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you {according to your} folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” (Job 42:7 – 8, NASB)
“So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite {and} Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job. The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. (Job 42:9 – 10, NASB)
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar
For a week, they do not speak.
Job breaks the silence by cursing the day of his birth. (Job 3)
Man suffers as the result of sin.
Since Job was suffering so grievously, he must have sinned.
With each speech, the friends charge Job and call on him to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.
Job maintains his innocence; he has not sinned!
Yet, he doesn’t know the reason for his suffering.
Patiently listened to all the speeches.
Aggravated friends did a poor job in answering Job.
Elihu speaks.
He charged Job with rash and arrogant speech in denying God’s justice.
He suggested that God owes Job no explanation of his circumstances.
Sometimes, pain is used to chasten us.
He knew God did not hate Job.
God does many things we cannot comprehend.
Man has insufficient knowledge to charge God.
“It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you {according to your} folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” (Job 42:7 – 8, NASB)
“So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite {and} Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job. The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. (Job 42:9 – 10, NASB)