Dave Burnette's Commentary

Job Chapter 15

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Unknown, possibly Job, Moses, Solomon, and Elihu
Date Penned: (2000-1800 BC)
Overview: Faith in God's Sovereignty Through Trials (c 1-42)
Theme: Three Friends Answer Job (c 3-31)
Message: Eliphaz Second Discussion (v 1-36)

Job 15 Commentary

(15:1) His Friends Intensify Their Arguments - With the first round of talks concluded, each friend, in the same order, pressed his argument further. Again Job answered each argument (Job 15-21). This time Eliphaz was more rude, more intense, and more threatening, but he said nothing new. (See his first speech in Job 4-5) He began by saying that Job's words were vain and unprofitable; then he restated his opinion that Job must be a great sinner. According to Eliphaz, the experience and wisdom of their ancestors were more valuable than Job's individual thoughts. Eliphaz assumed that his words were as true as God's. It is easy to spot his arrogance.


(15:15-16) in Christ alone - "The heavens are not clean in his sight." Eliphaz was repeating his argument that anything created, including angels and people, is not a sufficient basis for trust and hope. Only in God can we have certainty. 


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Restoring those in Need

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Job with Chapter 15. In our text today we see the Second round of discussions between Job and his friends as Eliphaz speaks again and is even more harsh and prideful in his speech. True Godliness would have had compassion as he listened to the evidence of Job in his afflictions. In making application we an example of having the knowledge of the law but not the application of the love of God. Today many believers do the same as they walk past the sinner in judgement with our reaching them with the love and compassion of Christ. Our goal should always be restoration to the sinner no matter what condition they are in. It reminds me of when we visit the homeless on the streets and give them something to eat. As we talk we find some are there as a result of their sin while others tell of circumstances that rival Job's life. Regardless of how they got there as Christians we should reach them with the love of Christ. How about you? How do you treat those who are down and out? Are you like Eliphaz and say "they deserve it" or do you have the heart of Christ that offers restoration? Let us learn from our text today and the example before us in Job to remember have compassion to restore those in need. 

 

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Job 15

Job 15

 1Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

 2Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

 3Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

 4Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

 5For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

 6Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

 7Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

 8Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

 9What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

 10With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

 11Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

 12Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

 13That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

 14What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

 15Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

 16How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

 17I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

 18Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

 19Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

 20The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

 21A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

 22He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

 23He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

 24Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

 25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

 26He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

 27Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

 28And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

 29He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

 30He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

 31Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

 32It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

 33He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

 34For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

 35They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.