As I read through Job, I am intrigued by Job’s friends. I wish I could know more about them. 

They have jumped to the conclusion that Job’s troubles must be due to sin in his life, and they proceed to chastise him and challenge him to confess the sin and let the suffering be done. 

And I wonder: how many times have I done this as a friend to someone? How many times have I jumped to the wrong conclusion and proceeded to give advice to a friend based on that wrong conclusion? How many times have I challenged/advised others based on wrong or incomplete facts, or on wrong or incomplete knowledge of God and His character? 

God is using this book to challenge me to make sure the counsel I give is filled with wisdom – God’s wisdom, and that it is not based on my personal bias, preferences, or opinions. If I am not diligent to advise based on God’s wisdom, then I become part of the problem rather than part of the solution. 

The flip side of this is: what type of friends are giving us advice? Do they know God’s Word, God’s character and attributes and do they counsel based from that wisdom? Or are they speaking from what seems right in their eyes? When life is tough, unfair, and there just don’t seem to be any answers, what kind of counsel are you receiving from your friends? Eliphaz’ counsel to Job has truth in it, but it’s not all truth; there is error mixed in. This is a challenge for us to examine the counsel we are receive from others and make sure it lines up 100% with the counsel of God’s Word.