That’s Life (Eliphaz)
Eliphaz, first out of the blocks, knows the theory (black and white) and will defend it to the death. His counselling skills however are somewhat limited and he doesn't get off to the best start as he wades in at the deep end with a bit of straight talking, telling Job to take his own medicine (4:1-11). Then comes the text book: good people don't suffer; the rest get what they deserve. Come to think of it, nobody can be truly innocent in the eyes of God and most of our problems are of our own making. That's life (4: 12-5: 1-7). Finally, the remedy: if I were you I would pray about it. God is a great disciplinarian; he may hurt, but he will always heal (5: 8-27). Nothing wrong with the sentiments in his day and generation but he hasn't even begun to listen, doesn't get it and Job is not helped.
Job is needled — slightly. If only it were that simple. He knows all that as well as they do. He has built his life on it and (yes) he has preached it. His problem is that personal experience is in conflict with belief. Why? And what next? Eliphaz has not even tried to grasp the depth and reality of the problem, let alone explanations, but has no doubt about the answers. Job believes God alone can help but God seems no longer to be on hand, leaving him an embarrassment to his friends who are unable to tell him where he has gone wrong. He is willing to learn but doubts their ability to teach.
So here is a client, intelligent, 'successful' and hitherto more than capable of handling his life, suddenly finding himself in entirely unfamiliar territory. Yet it is hardly new. Job apparently has already counselled others in similar circumstances. What is new is that it has never before happened to him and now he is discovering that none of his answers, solutions or explanations work. He can't think why, nor can his close friends who have shared his life, as solipsism once again takes over until self-pity is interrupted by Bildad.