The First Address of Eliphaz: Bad Things Don't Happen to Good People” Job Chapters 4 & 5

Tony Bartolucci, Minister of Preaching Christ Church of Clarkson November 10, 2019 “The First Address of Eliphaz: Bad Things Don't Happen to Good People” Job Chapters 4 & 5

INTRODUCTION: AN OVERVIEW OF JOB CHAPTERS 4 - 26

I. Three Rounds of Dialogue Between Job and His Friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar (4:1-26:14) A. Round One (4:1-14:22): 2. Job vs Bildad 1. Job vs Eliphaz a. Bildad Addresses Job the Second Time (18) a. Eliphaz Addresses Job the First Time (4-5) b. Job Replies to Bildad (19) b. Job Replies to Eliphaz (6-7) 3. Job vs Zophar 2. Job vs Bildad a. Zophar Addresses Job the Second Time (20) a. Bildad Addresses Job the First Time (8) b. Job Replies to Zophar (21) b. Job Replies to Bildad (9-10) C. Round Three (22:1-26:14): 3. Job vs Zophar 1. Job vs Eliphaz a. Zophar Addresses Job the First Time (11) a. Eliphaz Addresses Job the Third Time (22) b. Job Replies to Zophar (12-14) b. Job Replies to Eliphaz (23-24) B. Round Two (15:1-21:34): 2. Job vs Bildad 1. Job vs Eliphaz a. Bildad Addresses Job the Third Time (25) a. Eliphaz Addresses Job the Second Time (15) b. Job Replies to Bildad (26) b. Job Replies to Eliphaz (16-17) 3. Zophar Doesn't Participate in this Round

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I. The Observations of Eliphaz (4:1 - 5:7)

A. His Experience as it Relates to Job (4:1-6) B. His Experience as it Relates to Nature (4:7-11) C. His Experience as it Relates to a Vision (4:12-21) D. His Experience as it Relates to Fools (5:1-7)

II. The Opinions of Eliphaz (5:8-17)

A. Seek God (8-16) B. Accept His Discipline (17-26) C. Believe Our Report (27)

III. Closing Thoughts

• Leave Room in Your Theology for Innocent Suffering • Leave Room for Imperfection • Don’t Make General Principles Absolute • Be Patient With Sufferers • Eliphaz’ Contention in 4:7 is Flat Out Wrong • Sometimes Bad Things Do Happen to Good People • The Cross Answers the Question of 4:17