Job 4:1

1 Then Eliphaz ['Eliyphaz] the Temanite [Teymaniy] answered [`anah] and said ['amar], KJV-Interlinear

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, NASB

The first three chapters of Job, have given us an introduction to life and reality in this devils world. None of us are here, on our own, simply to live and make ourselves better by some means of our own effort. Making ourselves better is more often a matter of someone's opinion as to what humanity should be like.

That opinion is typically woven around many concepts of human righteousness or prejudice. Isaiah 64, has already given us the proper description and place of mans righteousness. In addition, I might add, that the description of mans righteousness does not look as good as Job in his present state. And we all should know by now just how bad Job looks.

Now we have the advent of human opinion. In this world there are but two opinions. The first is Gods opinion, and the second opinion is everything else. Gods opinion is correct, and everything else is not.

Eliphaz is the first of Job's three friends to break their silence. Eliphaz means 'God is fine gold,' or 'God of strength.' However, the emphasis is not on God, but on the gold or strength, the earthly components.

Eliphaz will view these events from his knowledge and experience, from ages of thought and experience. His arguments will represent the best wisdom of the world.

Three rounds of argument will fill the remainder of this book. In the first round, the three friends will hint at Job's sin.

In the second round of arguments, the three friends will move from their suggestion of Jobs wrongdoing, to an insinuation.

In the third round of arguments, they will make emphatic accusations of Job's wrong. That his only way out of all of this, is to repent, to confess his sins and make his peace with God.

Throughout their arguments, the three friends will remain adamant in their theological positions. Their view is that the righteous are rewarded and the unrighteous punished. Life is nothing more than that. Suffering is equated with punishment. Punishment comes to those who sin, Job is suffering therefore Job is being punished, and therefore Job has sinned.

And yet in all this, Job will assert his innocence while also arguing that God has afflicted him. How else could Job explain his agony? Why God was doing it is beyond his comprehension therefore the question, 'Why?'

And in the whirlwind, which will occur later in this book, we will all discover the truth of the entire matter.

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