Eliphaz and the Night Spirit (4:12-20)
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Lesson
Eliphaz considers the message of the, “night spirit” a revelation from God. However, at it’s core, this message is inconsistent with God’s attitude toward Job, and creation in general.
Outline
I. Eliphaz Considers This a Revelation From God
II. It Did Not Occur to Eliphaz that his might be a deception
III. The Word for "Spirit" in Hebrew (ruah) Has a Range of Possible Meanings
A. Wind or spirit
B. The spirit of God
C. The spirit of a man
D. A person or animal's biological life
E. The prevalent attitude in a community
F. An autonomous sentient being
IV. The Nature of the Encounter
A. The spirit does nothing to reassure Eliphaz
B. The encounter is described as though it were a nightmare
C. The message from the spirit is described as, "stolen"
D. Parallel in Jeremiah 23:30
E. The word implies that the message is illicit
F. An encounter with God in Psalm 17:15
G. The spirit in Job 4 remains obscure
V. The Spirit's Message is Profoundly Dark
A. The "spirit" describes God as despising his creation
B. The creator has no confidence in anyone
C. Humans are loathsome
D. It is a matter of no importance that humans die
VI. The Spirit's Message and Satan
VII. God's Attitude Toward Job and Humanity
VIII. The Friends Echo the Spirit at Various Points
IX. The Psalmist Laments, "I am a worm and not a man."
X. Psalm 14
XI. Conclusion
