Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job’s miserable comforters, asked this question to Job. “What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?” (Job 15:14) These two false statements are answered by the Word, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently WITH A PURE HEART…” (1 Peter 1:22) “…God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD in Him.” (2 Corin. 5:21)
Job’s miserable comforters, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, begin a lengthy discussion with Job that goes on for 29 chapters. Sometimes God will send people into our lives who are constant critics, who become a thorn in the flesh, whose words are never encouraging, to teach us some important lessons in patience, and to help us see that WE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON THE PRAISE OF MEN.
God spoke with Job and told him to pray for his friends (you know, the miserable comforters). “…the LORD accepted Job’s prayer. After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him successful again.”
GOD GAVE HIM TWICE AS MUCH AS HE HAD BEFORE…(Job 42:9-10)
-Bill Stockham