Job 22

Ann underwent major surgery. Her daughter-in-law emailed Ann’s friends to ask them to pray for her during the lengthy operation and recovery period. Lori and I were honored to be part of that “prayer chain.” Knowing that people are praying for you when facing a challenging time is significant.

Job’s friends didn’t “lift him in prayer” during his struggle with a debilitating illness. They believed Job’s suffering resulted from his sins. In three rounds of speeches, the friends took turns explaining to Job why he was in pain. Job responded to each friend’s accusations. We will examine the individual arguments and Job’s corresponding replies for our study purposes.

Yesterday, we considered Eliphaz’s first two messages recorded in Job 4 and 15. Today, our focus is on Job 22. In his final confrontation, Eliphaz tells Job, “You are a sinner!” (Job 22:1-11), “You are a hypocrite!” (Job 22:12-20), and “You must repent!” (Job 22:21-29).

Job, you are a sinner! (Job 22:1-11)

Eliphaz began his third discourse with an intriguing question. As Job asserts his innocence, Eliphaz asks, “Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?” (Job 22:3). This question sheds light on Eliphaz’s view of God. He perceives God as an absent parent—distant and uninvolved. However, God’s regard for Job is evident in the initial conversation with Satan: “…The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth…?’” (Job 1:8) The prophet Zephaniah declared, “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17 NIV). We understand that God’s love for his children extends all the way to the cross (Rom. 5:8). 

The accusation that Job was a sinner led Eliphaz to blame him for actions he never committed. Eliphaz claimed that Job loaned money to his relatives and took their clothing as collateral (Job 22:6). He accused Job of withholding water from the thirsty and food from the hungry (Job 22:7). Eliphaz fabricated stories about Job mistreating widows and orphans (Job 22:9). There was no evidence to support any of these charges. Nevertheless, Eliphaz was convinced that grave sin was the cause of Job’s suffering, thus determining that Job must be filled with pride and greed, lacking mercy and compassion.

Job, you are a hypocrite! (Job 22:12-20)

Eliphaz thought Job was concealing his sins. He stated, “But you say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see…” (Job 22:13-14a). The accusation is that Job was being hypocritical. Job’s friends Bildad and Zophar will present similar charges against him (Job 8:13; 20:5). Bible scholar, Warren Wiersbe wrote,

A hypocrite is not a person who fails to reach his desired spiritual goals because all of us fail in one way or another. A hypocrite is a person who doesn’t even try to reach any goals, but he makes people think that he has. His profession and his practice never meet.^[1]

The Puritan preacher Stephen Charnock stated, “It is a sad thing to be Christians at a supper, heathens in our shops, and devils in our closets.”^[2] This was Eliphaz’s charge against Job, criticizing him for the hypocrisy that caused the foundations of his life to be “washed away” (Job 22:16).

Job, you must repent! (Job 22:21-30)

Eliphaz was adamant that Job’s pronounced sin caused his tragic distress. He said:

Job 22:21-27
Agree with God, and be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
     ²² Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
     ²³ If you return to the Almighty you will be built up;
if you remove injustice far from your tents,
     ²⁴ if you lay gold in the dust,
and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
     ²⁵ then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
     ²⁶ For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
     ²⁷ You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.

This poetic passage beautifully conveys truth about repentance. When we turn away from our sins, we find peace with God, accept his guidance, and delight in him. I love the statement that the “Almighty will be your gold.” However, there is one issue. Eliphaz speaks from a place of ignorance. We know Job didn’t sin to bring about his troubles. Eliphaz is sure that Job is hypocritical and hiding his sins from God.

Before we leave Eliphaz, I want to consider one of his statements in Job 4:17. He asked, “Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his

“Maker?” We know the impetus behind that question arises from Eliphaz’s judgment that Job has sinned. At face value, it is a compelling question. The truth is that neither Job, nor you, nor I, can stand before God as right and pure based on our own merit. We all fall short of God’s perfect standard (Rom. 3:23), but God intervened.

God is the only One who can make us righteous and pure. The apostle Paul said, “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). So, can we, mortal men and women, stand “right before God” and “pure before our Maker”? Thank God that, because of Jesus—his death, burial, and resurrection—we can confidently say, “Yes!” today and throughout eternity.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Job 22
Observe the three parts of Eliphaz’s third round of accusations: Job was a sinner (22:1-11). Job was hiding his sins (22:12-20). Job needed to repent (22:21-30).

Talking to God
Talk to God about your pain. Ask him for the strength not to lose faith in testing. If there is past sin, pray Psalm 32:5.

Have Questions?
Since Jesus is the only way to God, how can an Old Testament believer be right before God? That’s a great question to discuss with our team. They are here to assist you as you explore God’s Word. Submit your question below, and we will reply soon.

This week’s podcast is a must-listen for parents. I have a conversation with professional counselor Heidi Erickson, who explains the effects of pornography on children and how we can protect them. Visit The Journey with Ron Moore Podcast, Episode 68.

^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Patient, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 91.

^[2] Charles R. Swindoll, Job: A Man of Heroic Endurance (Thomas Nelson, 2004), 188.