Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
The question belongs to the great debate between Job and his three friends concerning his afflictions, a debate arranged in three cycles of speeches. Within that structure it occurs in Eliphaz's second speech, where he brings fresh accusations against Job. It charges Job with egoism and self-conceit, as if he had heard God's secret counsel and kept wisdom to himself, and it is to be understood as an accusation and not as a true description of Job.
The question also turns back upon the friends themselves, who were presenting their own wisdom and observation as if it were the secret of God. Having never known a thoroughly good man to be so afflicted, they reasoned only from what they had seen, so that words generally true were misapplied to Job. Job himself judged to some extent from the same standpoint, and while knowing his own integrity he could not understand God's dealings with him, yet he did not charge God foolishly. Behind the whole dispute God saw the end from the beginning and was working out what would glorify Himself forever after. That purpose has brought comfort and hope to thousands of sufferers and proved a blessing to Job, and it is now revealed in His word.
The question belongs to the great debate between Job and his three friends concerning his afflictions, a debate arranged in three cycles of speeches. Within that structure it occurs in Eliphaz's second speech, where he brings fresh accusations against Job. It charges Job with egoism and self-conceit, as if he had heard God's secret counsel and kept wisdom to himself, and it is to be understood as an accusation and not as a true description of Job.
The question also turns back upon the friends themselves, who were presenting their own wisdom and observation as if it were the secret of God. Having never known a thoroughly good man to be so afflicted, they reasoned only from what they had seen, so that words generally true were misapplied to Job. Job himself judged to some extent from the same standpoint, and while knowing his own integrity he could not understand God's dealings with him, yet he did not charge God foolishly. Behind the whole dispute God saw the end from the beginning and was working out what would glorify Himself forever after. That purpose has brought comfort and hope to thousands of sufferers and proved a blessing to Job, and it is now revealed in His word.