Be Patient: Endurance – Episode 4

• “Curse God and die!” was exactly what Satan wanted Job to do, and Job’s wife put the temptation before her husband. Yes, Satan can work through people who are dear to us.
• (Matt. 16:22–23; Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”23Jesus turned and said to Peter,“Get behind me, Satan!You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” •
• Acts 21:10–14);

Eliphaz based his speeches on two things: his own observations of life (“I have seen”—Job 4:8; 5:3, 27 NASB) and a frightening personal experience he had one night (4:12–21). Eliphaz put great faith in tradition (15:18–19), and the God he worshipped was an inflexible Lawgiver. “Who ever perished, being innocent?” he asked (4:7);

Eliphaz had a rigid theology that left little or no room for the grace of God.

Bildad must have been the second oldest of the three since he is named second and spoke after Eliphaz. In a word, Bildad was a legalist. His life-text was, “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers” (8:20). He could quote ancient proverbs, and like Eliphaz, he had great respect for tradition. For some reason, Bildad was sure that Job’s children died because they also were sinners (v. 4). The man seemed to have no feeling for his hurting friend.

Zophar was the youngest of the three (11:6, (20:4–5). Zophar speaks to Job only twice.