Evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. “If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him. He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.
Job 5:6-9 (NLT2)
There are truisms to be found in the arguments of Job’s friends. Some of them are confirmed in the New Testament. For example, in verse 6 we find that sin and rebellion is not caused by the soil or the earth. Jesus had perfect knowledge and He said, that it is out of the heart of man that evil thoughts and deeds come forth. The Word of God says that the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it. So Eliphaz was correct in his statement in verse 6 but to say one thing correctly and a half-dozen statements incorrectly kind of brings about false doctrine—don’t you think?
Is Everyone is Born for Trouble?
His next statement would seem to be true but wouldn’t that take a loving God out of the equation? He said that everyone is “born for trouble.” God said if we will keep His commandments that He will keep us. As far as we know, Eliphaz did not have the writings of Moses. Some theologians have deduced that the Book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible. I don’t know how they came to that conclusion but they are smarter than I am, so maybe they are correct. Whatever!
Eliphaz was correct when he advised Job to take his case to God because only God was going to be able to help him in his dire situation. There is no better advice that can be given than to “go to God in prayer.” God does do marvelous things; He does heal all diseases and afflictions; He does deliver us out of some of the biggest messes that we get ourselves into; and He does so because He loves us and He always will. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 103:2-5,
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s?” Now that’s encouraging, don’t you think? Amen.
