Job 5:5

5 Whose harvest [qatsiyr] the hungry [ra`eb] eateth up ['akal], and taketh [laqach] it even out ['el] of the thorns [tsen], and the robber [tsammiym] swalloweth up [sha'aph] their substance [chayil]. KJV-Interlinear

5 'His harvest the hungry devour, And take it to a place of thorns; And the schemer is eager for their wealth. NASB

As we noted yesterday, one thing that Eliphaz does wrong, is his interpretation of Biblical principles in his matching them up with life's examples.

In our passage, Eliphaz had stated three principles. First, from yesterdays study, that the children of the sinner, are made to pay the price for the sinner parents' sins, second, that the poor of the land will take from the sinners' wealth because of the sinner's greed, and third, that robbers will take from the sinners' wealth, because of the sinners' oppression.

Each of the children were dealt with individually by God, based on their own individual lives.

Now Eliphaz implies that the poor of the world and even the robbers are the way that they are, because of the rich sinners of the world. It is the rich man who causes the poor to be poor, or the robbers to be robbers.

In other words the rich man, if he is a sinner, then it is he who is responsible for the suffering or actions of others. It is his sins which cause others to be as they are.

Repeating again from yesterdays study, this kind of thinking runs contrary to the principle of self-responsibility and self-accountability for the thoughts, motives, and actions of the individual.

Eliphaz is speaking to Job. Job was wealthy. Job is now under some serious suffering. Job lost his children to a storm, and his wealth to thieves.

Eliphaz implies that the poor entered into the fields of Job and took his harvest, which did not belong to them, because of Job's disinterest and selfishness, and lack of charity.

Typically, when the harvest comes, God expects that the owner will not harvest every last grain. That the owner will leave something for the poor to follow behind the harvesters, gleaning what grain or crop is left behind.

In the ancient world, lots of grain fell in amongst the weeds and thorns. This was sufficient for gleaning, and the poor always had access to this grain or crop which was not included in the normal harvest.

The principle around all of this was that the wealthy would make allowances for the poor. Charity was not always simply given away, but some crops were left in order for the poor to go out and do at least some work for what they were getting.

Eliphaz implies that Job did not even leave the grain which grew up in the thorns, thus, because of his selfishness, the gleaners ignored that which was left for them, and went directly to the good crop, the easy pickings, and took that for themselves. The thorn hedges did not keep them out, and it was Job, or the rich man who is left with the thorns.

And because of Job's oppression, then folks were forced into a life of crime. Thus, the robbers robbed Job of his property.

With this thinking of Eliphaz, the poor are entitled to a welfare share of Job's crops, receiving something for no work. And the robbers are entitled to an unearned payment out of Job's wealth. Thus, we have the beginnings of the principles of the liberal pattern of thinking. The wealth of the rich should be redistributed to the poor, and the criminal is not responsible for his actions. It is the wealth of the rich that causes the poor and the criminal to be the way that they are, not their own decisions.

And of course both of these ideas run contrary to the divine establishment principles designed to protect the world from the jungle laws. If all wealth were given away, then everyone would eventually be poor and there would be nothing for anyone. It takes money to make money is a fundamental principle of economics.

Have you ever been hired by a poor man? The kind of poor man who walks the down town city streets mumbling to himself? Of course not. We all work for companies that have resources of varying types. If those companies are made poor, then who among us will have jobs?

If crime were to run rampant, would there be any safety in life? Of course not. Look to the Middle East or to Africa for good examples of societies swirling in murder, crime, and tyranny.

The criminal does not need to be understood, he needs to be arrested and locked up.

Eliphaz's type of thinking is based on presumption and emotion, and not the accurate application of truth.

Eliphaz is assuming that Job is guilty of something, otherwise all of this horrendous misery would not be hovering over him. Therefore, Job should change his ways, and should have given the poor even more instead of making them work for their gleanings, and the robbers a wage if for no other reason that to keep them away.

However, if you give everything to the poor, will they then be contented? No. They will never have an incentive to work for the things that are important in life.

If you pay off the bullies, the gangs, the terrorists in life, then will they leave you alone? No. They will never learn respect for the property and privacy of others. They will only come back to you for more and more, until you have nothing more, and then they will take your life.

Even though Eliphaz is not applying the principles of truth correctly to Jobs life, he does teach us all, that when you lead a life outside of the spiritual sphere, then there will be an open season against you. To the world you are fair game.

And again, you will not be punished for my sins, and I will not be punished for yours. Likewise the poor or the criminal cannot look to anyone to blame for their circumstances in life. They make their own choices in life.

God provides to each as He sees fit. None of us can earn nor even deserve anything in life. If you are poor, there is a reason. God wants you to be poor, in order to teach or train you for his purposes, or you are just plain lazy.

Likewise, if you are a thief, there is a reason. God allows you to be a thief, to teach and train others. But sooner or later, your thieving days will come to an end, unless you happen to learn the error of your ways.

In either case, no one can look to anyone else in this world and blame them for their circumstances. God gives and God takes away.

Job did not cause the poor to be poor, neither did he cause the criminal to lead a life of crime. Neither is his present misery due to his being a grotesque sinner.

What has happened, is that Job was made wealthy by God, and the world, with its selfish interpretations of what it should have, just took from Job. The world expects everything for nothing. It will rationalize it and justify its beliefs, but in taking everything, will end up with nothing.

In the spiritual life, God expects nothing in terms of mans efforts. God expects only that you pursue your spiritual life, and in turn will give the mature believer, everything.

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