Eliphaz's Third Speech and Job's Answer
Chapter 22 to 24
This is Eliphaz's third and final speech to Job. When he first spoke to Job (chapters 4,5), he commended Job's good deeds and gently suggested that Job might need to repent of some sin. While he said nothing new in this speech, he did get more specific. He couldn't shake his belief that suffering is God's punishment for evil deeds, so he suggested several possible sins that Job might have committed. Eliphaz wasn't trying to destroy Job; at the end of his speech he promised that Job would receive peace and restoration if he would only admit his sin and repent.
God Gains Nothing from Man's Righteousness (22:1-4)
Eliphaz said that the righteousness and perfection of the best man in the world are no real benefit or advantage to God, and therefore cannot be thought to merit any thing from him. A man cannot make God his debtor by his godliness, and honesty, and obedience to his laws, less still by his good works. He that is wise may be profitable to himself (Proverbs 9:12, Ecclesiastes 10:10). Godliness is profitable to all things, 1 Timothy 4:8. Such is the perfection of God that he cannot receive any benefit or advantage from the action of man.
When God restrains or rebukes us it is not because he is in danger from us or jealous of us. Satan indeed suggested to Eve that God forbade the tree of knowledge from her and Adam for fear of them, lest they should be as gods, and so become rivals with him; but it was a base insinuation. God rebukes His people on the occasions when they fail Him, because he loves them, but never rebukes anyone for the reason of fearing anything from them, no matter how great they may seem to be in our eyes.
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Various Sins (22:5-20)
Eliphaz and his companions had condemned Job, in general, as a wicked man and a hypocrite because of his suffering which they thought could only be the result of sin. But none of them had descended to particulars, until Eliphaz did so here.
He specifically charged him with many high crimes and misdemeanours, which, if he had really been guilty of them, might well have justified them in their harsh censures of him. But when Eliphaz charged Job so unjustly, without any evidence whatever, he was robbing him of his good name, more precious and valuable than the wealth of which he had been robbed.
It is against all the laws of justice, charity, and friendship, to raise or spread slanders and evil conjectures concerning others; and worse if it is done to those that are in distress and so add to their suffering.
Eliphaz could produce no proof of Job's guilt, yet seemed determined to utter slanders against him boldly, and no doubt some would believe him. Innocence in itself is no protection against a false and foul tongue. Job, whom God himself praised as the best man in the world, was here accused by one of his friends, regarded as a wise man, of being one of the greatest evildoer in the land. Let us therefore not think it strange if at any time we are also blackened in some such way, but follow the example of Job and learn to put behind us any such evil accusations and commit our cause, to Him who fully knows us and judges righteously between us.
Eliphaz accused Job of thinking that God was too far removed and of ignoring what went on on earth. That is indeed the thought of many people, so they look for intermediaries to approach Him on their behalf. But this certainly did not apply to Job, although he did say that he would like to plead his case with God, or have someone to mediate between God and him.
After implying that Job was going in the way of those who were killed by God in the flood because of their wickedness, Eliphaz gave a beautiful summary of repentance. He was correct in saying that we must ask for God's forgiveness when we sin, but his statement did not apply to Job, who had already sought God's forgiveness (Job 7:20, 21; Job 9:20; Job 13:23) and had lived closely in touch with God all along.
Job Longed to Appear Before God (23:1-7)
Now Job no longer complained to his friends, but continued the line of thought of Eliphaz, and declared that he wished he knew where he could find God. If he had the opportunity to plead his case before Him, he was sure that God wouldn't overwhelm him with His might, but would listen to an upright man like he and deliver him. This desire was evidence that he was not a hypocrite.
Paul rested on the fact that he would one day be judged by the Lord, therefore was not concerned with man's judgement (1 Corinthians 4:3, 4). He was willing to wait until the time came. Job was impatient, and wanted to have the judgement straight away to be relieved of suffering. James found it necessary to exhort suffering Christians to be patient, until their time came (James 5:7-9).
God, who is invisible, observes our ways (23:8-12)
Job explains that although he cannot see God, no matter where he looks for him, God certainly knows all about him and when tried, he will come pure as gold. How right he was: if only he could now realise that he was being tried to prove this fact! He was getting near.
He was convinced that he had been faithful to God all his life, following His ways, obeying His commandment, and preferring God's word to his own desires. True, just like God said to Satan.
We have probably not been as righteous as Job in our lives, but if we are true believers, we know that all our sins are forgiven because Christ took them upon the cross in our stead (Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1). We can, like Job, stand up to others' accusations because we are justified, made righteous, and will never be condemned.
God's Mind Never Changes (23:13-17)
God is absolutely sovereign and His will is so perfectly pure and right that He has no reason ever to change it. Whatever the LORD pleases he does (Psalm 135:6), and always will, for it is always best. What frightened Job was that God was pleased to make him suffer rather than allow him to die peacefully, and he would not be able to change His mind.
Wickedness goes often unpunished (24)
Job was now on the defensive. Why were God's ways so difficult to understand? Other people who were openly wicked went unpunished.
He listed their sins: some were dishonest, and took advantage of other people, even those who were in need; others committed murder, robbed, and committed adultery; yet this whole evil group was permitted to go down peacefully to the grave like all others.
Not only that, but it seemed that they were immune from justice in this life. They were getting along nicely and it appeared that they were actually favoured, whereas he was sick and destitute.
Job's friends had not helped him. On the contrary, they had given him another cause for complaint. Why did God let this happen to him? It is the same question that comes into the minds of many people. And yet Job had a great faith in God, in spite of the limited knowledge he had of Him compared with what we know now.
R David Jones
Chapter 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 "Can a man be profitable to God, though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
4 "Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, and enters into judgement with you?
5 Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given the weary water to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the mighty man possessed the land, and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see; and an abundance of water covers you.
12 "Is not God in the height of heaven? and see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, 'What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, and He walks above the circle of heaven.'
15 Will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod,
16 Who were cut down before their time, whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?'
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 "The righteous see it and are glad, and the innocent laugh at them:
20 'Surely our adversaries are cut down, and the fire consumes their remnant.'
21 "Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will lay your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, and you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come!' Then He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands."
Chapter 23
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 "Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me.
6 Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 "Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
13 "But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God made my heart weak, and the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness, and He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
Chapter 24
1 "Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, why do those who know Him see not His days?
2 "Some remove landmarks; they seize flocks violently and feed on them;
3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox as a pledge.
4 They push the needy off the road; all the poor of the land are forced to hide.
5 Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
6 They gather their fodder in the field and glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They spend the night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and huddle around the rock for want of shelter.
9 "Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge from the poor.
10 They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing; and they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
11 They press out oil within their walls, and tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
12 The dying groan in the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out; yet God does not charge them with wrong.
13 "There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths.
14 The murderer rises with the light; he kills the poor and needy; and in the night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye will see me'; and he disguises his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses which they marked for themselves in the daytime; they do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; if someone recognizes them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 "They should be swift on the face of the waters, their portion should be cursed in the earth, so that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards.
19 As drought and heat consume the snow waters, so the grave consumes those who have sinned.
20 The womb should forget him, the worm should feed sweetly on him; he should be remembered no more, and wickedness should be broken like a tree.
21 For he preys on the barren who do not bear, and does no good for the widow.
22 "But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
23 He gives them security, and they rely on it; yet His eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, then they are gone. They are brought low; they are taken out of the way like all others; they dry out like the heads of grain.
25 "Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"