Overview:
Job 4–7
Not all advice is good advice—not even when the one who gives the advice thinks it’s the right advice. Sometimes it is given in all sincerity, but it is still faulty. Job’s first friend, Eliphaz, started the first cycle of dialogue, where all three friends would “take turns” advising Job. Eliphaz moved pretty quickly from comforting to preaching . . . to accusation. Then Job responded, first to his friend and then to the Lord. This is a good place to learn a few lessons of what not to do from Eliphaz and, after that, some lessons of what to do from Job.
Message Summary:
In “Responding to Bad Counsel,” Pastor Chuck Swindoll examines the beginning of the long dialogue between Job and his three friends. Focusing on Job 4–7, the message highlights the unfortunate reality that even sincere advice can be deeply flawed. Job’s first friend, Eliphaz, initiates the conversation with what starts as comfort but quickly devolves into a sermon of accusation.
Swindoll explores the contrast between the “bad counsel” of Eliphaz and Job’s honest response to it. By observing this exchange, we learn critical lessons about the “don’ts” of offering advice to those in pain and the “dos” of responding to unfair criticism. Job’s example shows that it is possible to remain respectful to friends while being brutally honest with the Lord about the depth of one’s suffering.
Message Key Facts:
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The Transition of Advice: Eliphaz moves from empathy to preaching and finally to accusation, illustrating how “sincere” counsel can become a weight rather than a relief.
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Vertical and Horizontal Responses: Job demonstrates a two-fold response: he addresses his human critic (horizontal) but quickly turns his heart toward the Lord (vertical).
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Faulty Sincerity: The sermon emphasizes that sincerity is not a substitute for truth; advice given with good intentions can still be scripturally or situationally incorrect.
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The Danger of Generalization: Eliphaz makes the mistake of applying general theological principles to Job’s specific, unique situation of unexplained suffering.
Message References:
Scripture: Job 4–7
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Job 4:7–8: Eliphaz’s faulty premise: “Who ever perished being innocent? …Those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it.”
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Job 5:17: The common platitude: “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”
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Job 6:14–15: Job’s disappointment in his friends: “For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend… my brothers have been as deceitful as a wadi.”
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Job 7:17–19: Job’s raw honesty with God: “What is man that You magnify him… will You never turn Your gaze away from me?”
Core Principles for Life
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Check Your Counsel for Grace: Before offering advice to someone in a “crucible,” ensure your words are seasoned with grace rather than just religious formulas. Sincerity without empathy is often heard as an accusation.
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Turn the Horizontal into the Vertical: When people give you bad advice, don’t get trapped in a never-ending debate. Like Job, take your case directly to the Lord. He is the only One who truly understands your “Why.”
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Reject Simplistic Platitudes: Don’t let others convince you that your suffering is a mathematical equation of sin and punishment. Sometimes God’s purposes are hidden in mystery, not discipline.
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Be Deeper Than a “Wadi”: A wadi is a stream that looks full but is dry when a traveler needs it most. Resolve to be a friend who provides the “water” of consistent kindness, even when you don’t have all the answers.
