Today Job’s friend Eliphaz continues to try to convince Job that his suffering is a direct result of his wickedness. He accuses Job of being a hypocrite, briber, troublemaker, and liar – “For the company of hypocrites will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery. They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; their womb prepares deceit.”
Job is suffering greatly and is surrounded by people who add to his misery. His friends don’t understand Job’s suffering nor do they understand the Lord. So Job says to his friends “miserable comforters are you all!” Job could use an encouraging word from his friends, which he will not receive. Job says if he were in their place he could heap up words against them but he wouldn’t. Job would strengthen them with his mouth, and the comfort of his lips would relieve their grief. However, the constant berating from Job’s friends leads Job to cry out – “My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.”
Although Job’s friends don’t understand his suffering and are terrible comforters, God always understands and always provides comfort. The hard part is waiting on the Lord to act on our behalf – “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). We have seen through studying the lives of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as the life of Joseph, that God doesn’t always act quickly, but He does act on behalf of His people and His timing is always perfect!
Soon we will see the Lord act on Job’s behalf, but in the meantime we have to wait it out with suffering Job, so keep reading. (Job 15:1-18:21)
Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 