Job’s 2nd Response to Eliphaz

Job 16:1-17:16 | Job’s Flickering Hope For an Eventual Vindication: Job 16:1-17:16

As is expected, Job is in agreement with the sound doctrine of Eliphaz, saying, “I have heard many such things” (Job 16:2). Nevertheless, Job feels unheard! The rift isn’t on the mend. Job’s “grief” grows stronger by the hour (Job 16:5-6). His weariness is visibly manifest on his skin as a texture of “wrinkles” covering his face, even as the “leanness” of his body affects the complexion of his face (Job 16:8).

However, admittedly, while Job cannot deny that he is the target of divine wrath (Job 16:9-14), he also continues to claim innocence despite the circumstances (Job 16:17). This is the crux of the matter for Job’s friends. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar simply cannot agree with this claim! Nevertheless, Job goes so far as to personally invoke the justice of God in the death of an innocent life, saying, “O earth, cover not thou my blood…” (Job 16:18), hoping that both earth and heaven will uphold the record of justice in truth according to the Noahic Covenant (Gen. 9:5-6, Job 16:19). Meanwhile, Job’s friends keep on wagging their heads at their friend in disdain (Job 16:4).

However, despite being offended at this mistreatment, Job isn’t coldhearted or dry-eyed as a result. Rather, the man is visibly overcome with strong weeping all throughout the exercise. Speaking of this, Job says, “My face is foul with weeping…” (Job 16:16)! Not only is this fallen saint weeping profusely throughout the discourse, remarkably, as his “eye poureth out tears unto God” (Job 16:20), Job is offering prayers to the Almighty amidst the tears while claiming that his “prayer is pure” (Job 16:17)! Nevertheless, so long as Job’s friends believe him to be in secret sin, their provocations will continue… and so long as their provocations continue, Job can be heard protesting, “…and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?” (Job 17:2). That is to say, by interpretation, Job’s eyes continue to trickle with tears as long as the provocations continue. Can you imagine looking upon the face of such a man?

However, considering the fact that Job was indeed praying to God amidst the discourse, it’s not surprising to see him graced with sudden flashes of faith! “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” (Isa. 42:3). Lo and behold, Job suddenly found himself reckoning upon an eventual vindication before all (Job 17:4-9)! Meanwhile, Job calls his friends “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2) and “mockers” (Job 17:2). While in total agreement with their doctrine, and in total disagreement with their application, Job denounces their accusations as “vain words” (Job 16:3). Job feels like an object of “scorn” (Job 16:20) because they sincerely believe he is lying! Therefore, Job concludes that God has hidden from their hearts a true “understanding” of the situation (Job 17:4), and so he denounces them as unwise men (Job 17:10).

Job 16:8 | Without Spot: Job 11:15; Leanness: Ps. 106:15, Isa. 10:16, 17:4, 24:16

Job 16:9-14 | The Majesty of the Almighty through the Beast: Ps. 17:13-15

Job 16:9 | Spiritual Enmity

Job 16:10 | Job as a Type of Christ: “gaped upon me with their teeth” – Ps. 22:13, 35:21; “they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully” – Isa. 50:6, Matt. 26:67, Jn. 18:22

Job 16:12 | Broken: Ps. 44:19, Lam. 3:4

Job 16:13 | Spiritual Arrows: Job 6:4, Deut. 32:23, 42, Ps. 7:13, 18:14, 21:12, 38:2, 77:17, 120:4, 144:6; Unsparing Wrath: Job 6:10, 16:13, 27:22

Job 16:17 | Purity / Uprightness; Conditions for Being Heard in Prayer: Job 8:5-6, 15:4, 16:17, 19:8, 22:27, 27:9, 30:20

Job 16:18-19 | The Noahic Covenant: Gen. 4:10-11, 9:4-6; “my witness is in Heaven” – Rom. 1:9, 18

Job 17:4 | “For thou hast hid their heart from understanding” – Matt. 11:25, 15:16, Mk. 7:18, 12:33, Lk. 9:45, 10:21, 18:34, 19:42, 24:45, Col 1:26; Spiritual Secrets

Job expected Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad to have spiritual discernment about what was happening to him according to “the record” of God on high (Job 16:19), rather than hastily misapplying the true and biblical doctrine of the Church to his unique situation.

Job 17:5 | Judgment upon Children: Job 5:4, 8:4, 17:5, 18:19, 21:19 (hereditary judgment), 27:14, 29:5 (the blessing of God), 30:8 (like father like son) [Job 21:11, 24:5 - the delayed destruction of the children of the Wicked]

Job 17:6 | Byword: Job 29:8-10, 30:9, 1 Kings 9:7, Ps. 44:14

Job 17:8 | Stir Up: Ps. 35:23, Isa. 42:13; Purity / Uprightness

Job 17:9 | “he that hath clean hands” – Ps. 24:4; Clean Hands

Job 17:10 | “one wise man among you” – Job 34:34, Eccl. 8:1, 5, 10:12, Jer. 9:12, Prov. 1:5, 9:8-9, 14:16, 29:9, Matt. 7:24, 1 Cor. 3:18, 6:5, James 3:13; Note: this question from Job indicates that there were others there in company besides Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad.

Job 17:11 | Established Purposes / Broken Purposes: Job 22:28 / Job 17:11, 33:17, Prov. 15:22, Isa. 19:10

Job 17:16 | Description of Death: Job 17:11-16, 18:13-14, 33:18-28, Ps. 88:4-8, 143:7, Isa. 38:17-18, Jonah 2:6; Hell (Sheol / Hades / Outer Darkness): Job 7:9, 11:8, 10:21-22, 21:13, 24:19, 26:6 (Isa. 14:11, 38:18, Ps. 88:10-12, Matt. 8:12, Jude 1:13)