Job 15:1

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

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, NASB

Of the five people who will have something to say in this book, Job, his three friends, and a fourth friend, who will be introduced later in the book, only Jobs remarks possess the soundness of truth.

His friend's comments are typical of secular, elite, liberal attitudes, which give no latitude for tolerance, but instead maintain their rigidity in their opinions, and demand a confession of guilt from Job.

The facts are irrelevant. The truth is irrelevant. Jobs opinions are irrelevant. In fact, any opinion, which does not conform to their own, in their eyes, is obviously a false one. Such is the nature of anyone who does not have a thorough understanding of Bible doctrine in their soul.

From our study of Job 2:11, I'll repeat the following paragraph.

Eliphaz is the first of the three friends. His name means 'God is fine gold,' or 'God of strength,' with emphasis on the earthly nature of these meanings. Eliphaz is the most prominent of the three friends. His speeches demonstrate greater weight and originality. He is a Temanite, which means southerner. His arguments represent the best wisdom of the world. His wisdom is described as the result of ages of thought and experience, Job 15:17-19, of long and ripened study, 5:27, and he claims the ability of revelation.

Eliphaz represents the wisdom of the world. It is limited to what is seen, heard, felt, tasted, smelled, and therefore reasoned, based on the feedback of the senses as well as selective preconceived beliefs.

The spiritual realm is not of this world and therefore is not identifiable, or measurable, or detectable by the mechanisms of this world. The spiritual side of life is foolishness to those who do not have or do not maintain their spiritual link. Unbelievers do not have that link, and negative or out-of-fellowship believers do not maintain their link.

Without a spiritual frame of reference to life, understanding of reality is limited to worldly views. And, by their very nature, worldly views are restricted in their scope, and that inevitably leads to a rigid attitude which rejects other opinions.

People have free will, and therefore have the ability to make decisions. That means that people can change their minds and attitudes. But arrogance is a powerful force and when one embraces their worldly views, making them stiff necked or stubborn, then change is more difficult.

Jobs three friends have made up their minds that Job is guilty of heinous sins. This is the obvious reason for his suffering.

Job not only makes good arguments that he is not guilty of such hypocrisy, but he also gives us a great deal of Bible doctrine, teaching us many fundamentals of life. And Job is the one who is under tremendous misery, pain, and suffering. How is it he can teach and articulate so well under such conditions?

Even under great adversity, the mature believer is able to think and orient to life.

Just listen to the more notable conservative talk radio shows for an accurate picture of the inconsistencies of the politics of our day, and you'll discover that even under a relative peaceful life with no adversity, the negative person, who lacks doctrine in his or her soul, cannot think or relate to reality with any semblance of consistency or accuracy.

Now is the time to post a prayer.