15. A Fool’s Downfall
Hymns: RHC 360 My God Is Any Hour So Sweet, 351 He Leadeth Me, 243 The Comforter Has Come
Job 5:1-5
1Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? 2For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. 3I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance. (Job 5:1-5 KJV)
A Fool’s Downfall
OUTLINE
(1) Call for Your Righteous Witnesses? (v1)
(2) A Fool’s Judgment (v2-5)
INTRODUCTION
Elilphaz has sought to discomfit and distressed Job into confessing that he has been living a fool’s life and therefore now faces a fool’s destruction.
(1) Call for Your Righteous Witnesses? (v1)
(2) A Fool’s Judgment (v2-5)
(1) Call for Your Righteous Witnesses? (v1)
1Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?
Which holy man of God is going to defend you? Anyone saint is able to vouchsafe for you? Surely there is none. It read like the judgment upon the fool who disregarded God’s reproof and instruction in Solomon’s proverbs.
22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. (Prov. 1:22-33 KJV)
The simple ones, the scorners and the fools are apt descriptions of those walking on the broadway who, scorn and mock at the truth, enticed by the sinner, consenting to his persuasion. Why do you hate knowledge? Why do you hate the truth? Why should it be so? It is for our good and yet we reject God’s call. Job is such a one!
Indeed, without the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to our hearts, the truth cannot have a foothold in our hearts but when the Holy Spirit brings conviction to the sinner’s heart, it can give no rest until the sinner surrenders. Eliphaz calls for Job to repent and confess his sins immediately.
Then there are those whose heart the Lord hardens who rejects the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. These the bible says will receive no salvation. We can be listening to God’s Word, day in day out, month in month out but ear in, ear out. The message is urgent because these simple ones, these scorners and fools need a change of heart. We often share the truth with our loved ones but they reject it. Often we come to our wit’s end. We don’t know what to do anymore except to kneel before the throne of grace to plead for God’s mercy to come upon them to open their hearts to the truth. Can Job fall into such a category? Certainly not!
Job 1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
We recall the piety of Job in his daily life. It was one of wholehearted devotion toward God.
God’s longsuffering and patience for the sinner has an end-point. If we spurn the grace of God and convicting work of the Holy Spirit and keep on sinning, judgement will ultimately come and then it’s too late. When their iniquity is full, judgement will come swiftly.
Just as the believer who sins willfully, the Bible says grieve not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is pure and holy. By our evil thoughts, conversation and conduct we quench the Holy Spirit. Quench has the idea of putting out a fire. We are not to extinguish the influences of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
The Word of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. It gives to us doctrines, principles derived from God’s revelation to help us, teach us what to do in all facets our lives, reproof – to show as a warning – here the word repeated in our text is reproof, counsel. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Remember the rich man who fared sumptuously and dressed in purple died and found himself tormented by the fires of hell, it was too late. On the other hand, Lazarus, who did not have many things in this life, had the most important, he believed in Jesus Christ. When he died, he was transported to heaven. Eliphaz was alleging that Job was like the rich man!
He did not have any regard for wisdom’s warnings. No regard for their well-being. There was no fear of the LORD in their hearts. They bear the brunt of their own folly. Notice the most important word in verse 29, the word “choose”. He choose not to walk with God. They choose to fulfil the lust that is in their own hearts. Truly, the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of God in the heart will cause us to want to take heed to God’s Word and cause us to choose the step of obedience, just as Noah did. He has not seen a flood. There was no rain upon the earth before that time. He had to take God at His Word. What is saving faith? We need not just knowledge of the truth, and not just to agree with the truth but to form a conviction in the heart to trust in the truth, this is seen in a change in our conversation and conduct. What we used to do in the old man, we no longer will do. We have put to death the old man and put on the new man in Christ. Job you are a great sinner. Please repent.
(2) A Fool’s Judgment (2-5)
2For wrath killeth[1]the foolish man, and envy slayeth[2]the silly one.
The wrath of God is manifested only against the wicked and impious; and if thou wert not such, God would not thus contend with thee. [Clarke]
The foolish man in his anger commit folly and envy causes a man to do silly things that he has to pay dearly for his folly. You are such a foolish man, Job, that is why all these have befallen you.
The word “slayeth” describes dying because of failure to pursue a moral life (Prov. 5:23; 10:21).
Proverbs 5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
It describes various kinds of death: at the hand of God—the Lord smote Nabal, and he died (1 Sam. 25:37); the execution of the offender in capital offense cases (Gen. 2:17; 20:7); the sons of Job from the violence of a mighty storm (Job 1:19); a murderer could be handed over to die at the hand of the avenger of blood (Deut. 19:12). The prophets declared that many people would die by the hand of the Lord when He would bring the sword, famine, and plagues upon them (Jer. 11:22; cf. 14:12). The present participle of this form may indicate someone who is dying (Gen. 20:3); dead or a corpse (Deut. 25:5; Isa. 22:2). People could also be put to death by legal or human authority (Gen. 42:20; Ex. 10:28).
This was Eliphaz pronouncing the fool’s judgment upon Job.
3I have seen the foolish[3]taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
It is noticed that Ellphaz based his assessment on his observations which vary from case to case and differ from person to person. How could he be so conclusive that just because he has seen a wicked man in his prospetity that it must be God’s judgment on Job.
Clarke observed well here, “I have seen the foolish taking root – I have seen wicked men for a time in prosperity, and becoming established in the earth; but I well knew, from God’s manner of dealing with men, that they must soon be blasted. I even ventured to pronounce their doom; for I knew that, in the order of God’s providence, that was inevitable. I cursed his habitation.”
It read like the psalmist’s words in Psalm 37 with Job as the wicked and foolish man who for his evil ways are receiving his just judgment!
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. 18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. 21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.(Psalm 37:8-21)
But Job was not such a man. He was one who helped others in their distress, it was not a correct assessment. How flawed can our judgment get! A classic example of jumping to conclusion, pronouncing an unrighteous judgment.
4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
Job has lost all his ten children. Calamity has come to them. A foolish man will receive a foolish man’s end. This is what I observe the plight of a foolish man. He is judged with the destruction of his children.
His children are far from safety – His posterity shall not continue in prosperity. Ill-gotten, ill spent; whatever is got by wrong must have God’s curse on it. [Clarke]
5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
Perhaps Eliphaz was alluding to the way Job lost his possessions to intruders. Eliphaz attributed it to God’s judgment upon him for living a foolish life. His gains were unjustly gotten. Therefore, what he sows, he reaps.
Job 1:15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Job 1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Whose harvest – Their possessions, because acquired by unjust means, shall not be under the protection of God’s providence; he shall abandon them to be pillaged and destroyed by the wandering half-starved hordes of the desert banditti. They shall carry it suddenly off; even the thorns – grain, weeds, thistles, and all, shall they carry off in their rapacious hurry. [Clarke]
The robber swalloweth us – Or, more properly, the thirsty, is plain from their swallowing up or gulping down; opposed to the hungry or half-starved, mentioned in the preceding clause. The hungry shall eat up their grain, and the thirsty shall drink down their wine and oil, their strength or power, for the most obvious reasons. [Clarke]
CONCLUSION
What a wrong conclusion Eliphaz has drawn. A frightening audacity to even articulate it against Job. We know from Job 1-2, 42 that it was not true. As such, we realize that such can before God’s people too. May God’s grace come to defend every wrongful accusation. Amen.
[1] H2026. הָרַגhārag̱: A verb meaning to kill, murder, slay. It carries a wide variety of usages. Its first use in the Bible is in the fratricide of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:8). Ruthless violence of man against man.
The word is employed for war and slaughter (Josh. 8:24; 1 Kgs. 9:16; Esth. 8:11); God’s killing in judgment (Gen. 20:4; Ex. 13:15; Amos 2:3); humans killing animals (Lev. 20:15; Num. 22:29); animals killing humans (2 Kgs. 17:25; Job 20:16). It describes wholesale slaughter; both in battle and after battle (Num. 31:7-8; Josh. 8:24; 2 Sam. 10:18).
This is not the word used in the sixth commandment – רָצַחrāṣaḥ: A verb meaning to murder, to slay, to kill. The taking of a human life is the primary concept behind this word. It is used to indicate a premeditated murder(Deut. 5:17; 1 Kgs. 21:19; Jer. 7:9); an accidental killing (Num. 35:11; Josh. 20:3); the ultimate act of revenge (Num. 35:27); and death by means of an animal attack (Prov. 22:13). Provocatively, Hosea refers to the lewdness of the priests that led people astray as being equal to murder (Hos. 6:9).
[2] H4191. מוּתmûṯ: A verb meaning to die, to kill, to put to death, to execute. It occurs in the simple stem of the verb in 600 of its 809 occurrences, meaning to be dead or to die. It indicates a natural death in peace at an old age, as in the case of Abraham (Gen. 25:8; Judg. 8:32).
Dying, however, was not intended to be a natural aspect of being human. It came about through unbelief and rebellion against God (Gen. 3:4) so that Adam and Eve died.
[3] אֱוִיל’ewiyl: An adjective meaning foolish in the sense of one who hates wisdom and walks in folly, despising wisdom and morality. The adjective is used in Jeremiah 4:22, depicting God’s people as a whole, while in Hosea 9:7 God’s foolish people call the prophet a fool. The word depicts a simpleton, fool thirteen times in Proverbs (e.g. 1:7; 7:22; 24:7; 29:9). The wise advisors of Pharaoh in Zoan are ironically called fools (Isa. 19:11).