May the Name of the Lord Be Praised, Alan Wolff
DO YOU LISTEN IN ON GOD’S COUNCIL?
Passage: Job 15:1~35  
Key verse: 8
Eliphaz
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:
2 “Would a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?(B)
3 Would they argue with useless words,
with speeches that have no value?(C)
4 But you even undermine piety
and hinder devotion to God.(D)
5 Your sin(E) prompts your mouth;(F)
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.(G)
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;
your own lips testify against you.(H)
7 “Are you the first man ever born?(I)
Were you brought forth before the hills?(J)
8 Do you listen in on God’s council?(K)
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?(L)
9 What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?(M)
10 The gray-haired and the aged(N) are on our side,
men even older than your father.(O)
11 Are God’s consolations(P) not enough for you,
words(Q) spoken gently to you?(R)
12 Why has your heart(S) carried you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you vent your rage(T) against God
and pour out such words(U) from your mouth?(V)
14 “What are mortals, that they could be pure,
or those born of woman,(W) that they could be righteous?(X)
15 If God places no trust in his holy ones,(Y)
if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,(Z)
16 how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,(AA)
who drink up evil(AB) like water!(AC)
17 “Listen to me and I will explain to you;
let me tell you what I have seen,(AD)
18 what the wise have declared,
hiding nothing received from their ancestors(AE)
19 (to whom alone the land(AF) was given
when no foreigners moved among them):
20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment,(AG)
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.(AH)
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;(AI)
when all seems well, marauders attack him.(AJ)
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;(AK)
he is marked for the sword.(AL)
23 He wanders about(AM) for food like a vulture;(AN)
he knows the day of darkness(AO) is at hand.(AP)
24 Distress and anguish(AQ) fill him with terror;(AR)
troubles overwhelm him, like a king(AS) poised to attack,
25 because he shakes his fist(AT) at God
and vaunts himself against the Almighty,(AU)
26 defiantly charging against him
with a thick, strong shield.(AV)
27 “Though his face is covered with fat
and his waist bulges with flesh,(AW)
28 he will inhabit ruined towns
and houses where no one lives,(AX)
houses crumbling to rubble.(AY)
29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,(AZ)
nor will his possessions spread over the land.(BA)
30 He will not escape the darkness;(BB)
a flame(BC) will wither his shoots,(BD)
and the breath of God’s mouth(BE) will carry him away.(BF)
31 Let him not deceive(BG) himself by trusting what is worthless,(BH)
for he will get nothing in return.(BI)
32 Before his time(BJ) he will wither,(BK)
and his branches will not flourish.(BL)
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,(BM)
like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.(BN)
34 For the company of the godless(BO) will be barren,
and fire will consume(BP) the tents of those who love bribes.(BQ)
35 They conceive trouble(BR) and give birth to evil;(BS)
their womb fashions deceit.”
Cross references
- Job 15:1 : S Job 4:1
- Job 15:2 : S Ge 41:6
- Job 15:3 : S Ne 4:2-3; S Job 6:26
- Job 15:4 : Job 25:6
- Job 15:5 : Job 11:6; 22:5
- Job 15:5 : Pr 16:23
- Job 15:5 : S Job 5:13
- Job 15:6 : S Job 9:15; 18:7; Ps 10:2; S Mt 12:37; Lk 19:22
- Job 15:7 : Job 38:21
- Job 15:7 : S 1Sa 2:8; Ps 90:2; Pr 8:25
- Job 15:8 : Job 29:4; Isa 9:6; 40:13; 41:28; Jer 23:18; Ro 11:34; 1Co 2:11
- Job 15:8 : S Job 12:2
- Job 15:9 : S Job 12:3
- Job 15:10 : S Job 12:12
- Job 15:10 : S 2Ch 10:6
- Job 15:11 : S Ge 37:35; S Job 6:10; 2Co 1:3-4
- Job 15:11 : Zec 1:13
- Job 15:11 : S Dt 8:3; S 32:39; S Job 5:17; 22:22; 23:12; 36:16; Ps 119:11, 72; Jer 15:16
- Job 15:12 : Job 11:13; 36:13
- Job 15:13 : Pr 29:11; Da 11:30
- Job 15:13 : Ps 94:4
- Job 15:13 : S Job 11:8; 22:5; 32:3
- Job 15:14 : S Job 14:1
- Job 15:14 : S 2Ch 6:36; S Job 4:17
- Job 15:15 : S Job 5:1
- Job 15:15 : S Job 4:18
- Job 15:16 : S Lev 5:2; S Job 4:19; Ps 14:1
- Job 15:16 : Job 20:12
- Job 15:16 : Job 12:4; 34:7; Pr 19:28
- Job 15:17 : S Job 4:8
- Job 15:18 : S Dt 32:7
- Job 15:19 : Ge 12:1; Job 22:8
- Job 15:20 : ver 24; Isa 8:22; 50:11; 66:24
- Job 15:20 : Job 24:1; 27:13-23; Isa 2:12; Jer 46:10; Ob 1:15; Zep 1:7
- Job 15:21 : ver 24; S 1Sa 3:11; Job 18:11; 20:25; Jer 6:25; 20:3
- Job 15:21 : Job 22:10; 27:20; Isa 13:3; Jer 51:25, 53, 56; 1Th 5:3
- Job 15:22 : ver 23; S Job 5:14; 24:17; 38:15; Ps 91:5; SS 3:8
- Job 15:22 : Job 16:13; 18:19; 19:29; 20:24; 27:14; 33:18; 36:12; Pr 7:23; Isa 1:20; Jer 44:27; Hos 9:13; Am 5:19
- Job 15:23 : Ps 109:10
- Job 15:23 : Pr 30:17; Eze 39:17; Mt 24:28; Lk 17:37
- Job 15:23 : S ver 22
- Job 15:23 : Job 18:12
- Job 15:24 : Isa 8:22; 9:1
- Job 15:24 : S ver 20
- Job 15:24 : Job 18:14
- Job 15:25 : Ps 44:16; Isa 10:32; 37:23
- Job 15:25 : S Job 11:8; 35:12; 36:9; 40:8; Ps 2:2-3; 73:9; 75:5; Pr 21:30; Isa 3:16; 45:9
- Job 15:26 : Jer 44:16
- Job 15:27 : S Jdg 3:17
- Job 15:28 : Isa 5:9
- Job 15:28 : S Job 3:14
- Job 15:29 : S Job 3:15; S 7:8
- Job 15:29 : Isa 5:8
- Job 15:30 : S Job 5:14
- Job 15:30 : ver 34; Job 16:7; 20:26; 22:20; 31:12
- Job 15:30 : ver 32; Job 8:19; 18:16; 29:19; Hos 9:1-16; Mal 4:1
- Job 15:30 : S Ex 15:10
- Job 15:30 : Isa 40:23-24
- Job 15:31 : Job 31:5; Pr 1:16; 6:18; Isa 44:20; 59:7; Mic 2:11; S Mk 13:5; Jas 1:16
- Job 15:31 : Isa 30:12; 47:10; 59:4; Jer 7:4, 8; S Mt 6:19
- Job 15:31 : Job 20:7; 22:13; 27:9; 35:13; Pr 15:29; Isa 1:15; Jer 11:11; Mic 3:4
- Job 15:32 : Ecc 7:17
- Job 15:32 : Job 22:16; 36:14; Ps 55:23; 109:8; Pr 10:27
- Job 15:32 : S ver 30
- Job 15:33 : Hab 3:17
- Job 15:33 : S Job 4:20
- Job 15:34 : S Job 8:13
- Job 15:34 : S ver 30; Heb 10:27
- Job 15:34 : S Ex 23:8; S 1Sa 8:3
- Job 15:35 : S Job 5:7
- Job 15:35 : S Job 4:8; S Isa 29:20; Gal 6:7; Jas 1:15
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
As one of the wise (2) and aged (10), Eliphaz is convinced his theological principles grant him special wisdom Job should follow. Eliphaz restates his conviction of the vileness of people in God’s sight (14-16), and how this results in rebellion (21-26) and a king’s impending judgment (24). He had previously stated that “man is born to trouble (5:7)”, but now states this trouble is self-conceived (35).
Eliphaz mercilessly ties Job’s tragic losses of wealth and houses (27-29) as well as his children (30, 32-33) to sin. We know this is not true: God has already declared Job righteous and upright (1:8; 2:3), in the very council Eliphaz alludes to (8)!
We humans are quick to apply theological principles and condemn yet cannot know the content of hearts. But there is One who does know (Jn 2:25), and he did not come to condemn but to save. The gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection, reveals God’s intention towards us: grace.
Prayer: Father, thank you for letting us listen in on your council as we listen to Jesus. Help us apply the grace of the gospel to ourselves and others.
One Word: Listen in to God’s Council