As if his first accusations were not enough, Eliphaz proceeded still further. “The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.” (4:10)
It is as if Eliphaz were saying, “Oh, how deceitful you were! Here you spoke kindly to others, encouraged them when they were down, strengthened the feeble. Good things came out of your mouth, but your heart was lifted up. As a lion goes about proudly, roaring and tearing, and fulfilling its lust by preying on the helpless, so have you done, and have taught your young ones, your children, to do the same. It seems you have gotten your wealth and your status by oppressing your neighbor and puffing yourself up in your power over him. Your children oppressed them and took advantage of them. But God has broken the teeth of the young lions. They cannot spoil their neighbors any longer. No more will they gain riches at other’s expense and gorge themselves by feasting on their dainties."
“The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.” (4:11)
“Look at you!” Eliphaz exclaimed. “Once you were full and satisfied. You had all that heart could wish. Now you are spoiled and ready to die of hunger. And your whelps, your children, whom you taught to be just like you, are gone. They are scattered. There is not one of them left.”
Oh, what heartless words! Eliphaz had no right to speak them. He did not know Job’s heart. His assumptions and accusations were all based on outward appearances.
We must be very careful never to judge another’s troubles by outward appearances. It is not good for us to assume they are in dire circumstances because of their sin. We do not know their hearts. While it may look on the outside like God is judging them, He may simply be refining them to make them as pure and beautiful as gold.
If our friends do confide in us that they are being chastened for sin, we must not tear them down. No, the Bible says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” God wants us to support them and help relieve them of their load.
If we know certainly that a friend has given in to temptation and has been overtaken by a sin, God has given us the privilege of restoring that person. We can help that person know how to get right with God and have sweet fellowship with Him and with other believers again. Always, we must do this with humility, remembering that we are vulnerable to temptation as well. We must depend on God to keep us from sin while we help others who have fallen in. (See Galatians 6:1,2)