Dave Burnette's Commentary

Job Chapter 22

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Unknown, possibly Job, Moses, Solomon, and Elihu
Date Penned: (2000-1800 BC)
Overview: Faith in God's Sovereignty Through Trials (c 1-42)
Theme: Three Friends Answer Job (c 3-31)
Message: Eliphaz Third Discussion (v 1-30)

Job 22 Commentary

(22:1) Eliphaz Continues His Accusation - This is Eliphaz's third and final speech to Job. When he first spoke to Job (Job 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.


(22:12-14) Eliphaz Continues His Criticism -  Eliphaz declared that Job's view of God was too small, and he criticized Job for thinking that God was too far removed from earth to care about him. If Job knew of God's intense, personal interest in him, Eliphaz said, he wouldn't dare take his sins so lightly. Eliphaz had a point -some people do take sin lightly because they think God is nonexistent or far away and doesn't notice all we do. But his point did not apply to Job.


(22:21-30) False Application -Several times Job's friends showed a partial knowledge of God's truth and character, but they had trouble accurately applying this truth to life. Such was the case with Eliphaz, who 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 in this instance to Job, who was innocent (7:20-21; 9:20; 13:23) and had lived closely in touch with God all along.


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Talk is Cheap

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Job with Chapter 22. In our text today we see the third round of discussions as Eliphaz speaks but still doesn't listen to Job as he outlines repentance of which Job is not in need of. What catches my eye in all of this dialog is why wont his 3 friends help Job instead of giving advice. In making application we see that talk is cheap when a hand of help is needed. Yes, sin is sin and it is judged by God but our role is to restore the individual. If Job was truly suffering as a result of sin then his friends should of restored him first and preached to him later. How about you? Do you offer a hand first before you explain how they arrived in their position? Let us learn from our text today and the dialog of Job and His friends to remember that talk is cheap when a hand of help is needed.

 

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Job 22

Job 22

 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

 2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

 3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

 4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

 5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

 6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

 7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

 8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

 9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

 10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

 11Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

 12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

 13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

 14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

 15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

 16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

 17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

 18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

 19The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

 20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

 21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

 22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

 23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

 24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

 25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

 26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

 27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

 28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

 29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

 30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.