Job 4:12-21 - July 11, 2025 - Visions and Vapors

Reading: Job 4:12–21

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Five-Point Builder:

Who: Eliphaz
What: He recounts a mysterious vision affirming human frailty
Where: In a night encounter, possibly a dream
Why: To reinforce the idea that Job should not question divine justice
How: He uses spiritual imagery to convey fear and submission

Keyword Study:

Clay (Hebrew: chomer - חֹמֶר)
Meaning: Clay, dirt, a symbol of frailty and mortality
Relevance: Eliphaz emphasizes human weakness to highlight that no man can claim righteousness before God.

Insight & Reflection:

Eliphaz recalls a fearsome night vision to assert an important truth: no human is more righteous than God. While his point is theologically correct—humans are frail and sinful creatures—the way he applies it is flawed.

Eliphaz presents this mystical experience as divine confirmation that Job should not question his affliction. But using mystical encounters as weapons in theological arguments is both dangerous and presumptuous. His vision evokes terror but offers no comfort or compassion.

Indeed, Scripture affirms our mortality:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

God knows we are dust—but He does not despise our questions. Job would eventually learn that God's wisdom surpasses all human comprehension, but it was not this cold rebuke that would guide him there.

Prayer:

Father, remind me of my smallness without making me feel unloved. Let my frailty point me to Your greatness, but also to Your kindness. Teach me to discern truth not just in visions, but in Your Word and Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Twitter: https://x.com/docburkhart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/docburkhart
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/docburkhart/
Faith & Values: https://members.faithandvalues.com/members/16975918
Substack: