A fair amount of Job, especially monologues that come from his “friends,” is a tutorial on how not to counsel people. Those of us who are teachers and who like to help people need to be careful.

Chapters 4 and 5 contain Eliphaz’s first speech, beginning with, as we mentioned a few days ago, Santa Claus Theology:

Whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? (Job 4.7, NKJV)

Later on, Eliphaz knows that Job is being chastened by God:

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. (Job 5.17 – 19, NKJV)

Not bad counsel: “Do not despise the chastening of the Almighty,” except in this case, it’s NOT the chastening of the Almighty. What Eliphaz knows isn’t true. Like I said, we “helpers” need to be careful.

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment…But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (James 3.1, 17, NKJV)