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Software Vault: The Gold Collection
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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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SCOFIELD.001
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V21550
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1992-09-08
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21587
[1] {So these three}
Despite minor differences, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar have one view of
the problem of Job's afflictions. He is a hypocrite. Outwardly good, he
is, they hold, really a bad man. Otherwise, according to their
conception of God, Job's sufferings would be unjust. Job, though himself
the sufferer, will not so accuse the justice of God, and his
self-defence is complete. Before God he is guilty, helpless, and undone,
and there is no daysman (9.). Later, his faith is rewarded by a
revelation of a coming Redeemer, and of the resurrection (19.). But
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar are sinners also as before God, and yet they
are not afflicted. Job refutes the theory of the three that he is a
secret sinner as against the common moralities, but the real problem, Why
are the righteous afflicted? remains. It is solved in the last chapter.
21588
[2] {Elihu}
Elihu has a far juster and more spiritual conception of the problem than
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because he has an infinitely higher
conception of God. The God of Eliphaz and the others, great though they
perceive Him to be in His works, becomes in their thought petty and
exacting in His relations with mankind. It is the fatal misconception of
all religious externalists and moralizers. Their God is always a small
God. Elihu's account of God is noble and true, and it is noteworthy that
at the last Jehovah does not class him with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar
(cf)
# Job 42:7
but he is still a dogmatist, and his eloquent discourse is
marred by self-assertiveness (e.g)
# Job 32:8,9 33:3
Jehovah's judgment of Elihu is that he darkened counsel by words
# Job 38:2
the very charge that Elihu had brought against Job.
# Job 34:35 35:16
Furthermore, the discourse of Jehovah is wholly free from the
accusations of Job with which even Elihu's lofty discourse abounds.