Call now, if there be any that will answer thee.
Moral evil as viewed by an enlightened natural religionist
How does Eliphaz appear to view sin?
I. As excluding the sinner from the sympathy of the good. He may mean here, either, Who will sympathise with thy opinions as a sinner? or, Who will sympathise with thy conduct as a sinner? “Call now, if there be any that will answer thee.” Thy conduct is such that none of the holy will notice thee. This was all untrue as applied to Job, yet it is perfectly true in relation to sin generally. Sin always excludes from the sympathy of the good.
II. As by its own passions working out the destruction of the sinner. “Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.” His own wrath and his own envy. The malefic passions, in all their forms, are destructive.
III. As enjoying prosperity only to terminate in ruin.
1. Sinners often prosper in the world. They “take root.”
2. The prosperity must come to a termination. It is only temporary. It often vanishes during life.
3. At the termination the ruin is complete.
IV. As fated to produce misery wherever it exists.
1. Misery follows sin by Divine ordination.
2. A sinful man, so sure as he is born, must endure trouble. Such was this old Temanite’s view of moral evil, and, in the main, his view is true. (Homilist.)