(The previous post covered Zophar's Second Round perspective and Job's response. Job summarized his position and then proved his three "friends" had been unprofitable in their comfort towards him. Job proved his three friends had been false/contradictory in their answers to him.)
Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
(Again, Eliphaz was the first "comforter" to respond to Job. This time it was the Third Round.)
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Is it for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
(Eliphaz was saying there was no benefit to God when we were righteous and perfect/profitable.)
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
(Eliphaz falsely accused Job of not helping the weary and hungry. If this was true, why did Eliphaz wait until now to bring it up? Also, God confirmed that Job was perfect (Job 1:1-8). Clearly, Eliphaz was in the wrong and the course of the debate had put Eliphaz in a box that would only lead to contradictions by Eliphaz. What more could he say?)
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,
11 Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.
(Now the accusations were that Job hadn't helped widows and orphans.)
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.
15 Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?
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 them to scorn,
20 Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee.
(How does stating, "be at peace" help Job figure out why he is suffering?)
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.
(Again, does telling Job to "lay up His words in thy heart" help Job understand? Hasn't Job been trying to find the words of understanding to lay up in his heart?)
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
(Eliphaz attempted to cover his tracks by saying abstract platitudes that sounded great. (v. 21: "be at peace," v. 22: "lay up His words in thine heart"). Eliphaz created his own doctrine and was trying to appear like he was speaking for God.)
24 And lay thou thy treasure in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.
26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say, There is lifting up; And the humble person he will save.
30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
(This was an appeal to works. Eliphaz was saying "Do these things and God will overlook your sin." During the First Round, Eliphaz told Job to focus on appearance. When Elipaz could not answer Job's questions, his Second Round response was to attack Job's attitude as being prideful. Now, we see the end of Eliphaz's argument was contradictory: Job should use his ability to please God, after Eliphaz told Job he was prideful for thinking he had any ability.
Eliphaz was analogous to Determinists: people who create their own doctrine, and cannot answer questions about their man-made doctrine without being contradictory and accusing people of being prideful...yet telling people to use their abilities to do works that are pleasing to God and prove they are saved.)
Job 23
1 Then Job answered and said,
(Job's Third Round response to Eliphaz.)
2 Even to-day is my complaint rebellious: My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!
4 I would set my cause in order 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 unto me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me.
7 There the upright might reason with him; So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
(Job had a great understanding of God. Job ignored Eliphaz's response. Job attempted to teach Eliphaz God's process: God would answer those who were not prideful with a reason and God would end up being Right. Job essentially argued for God's power and against Eliphaz's view of God being not excellent enough to be able to answer Job.)
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
9 On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
10 But he knoweth the way that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held fast to his steps; His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
(Job stated that he had done the things Eliphaz stated from the previous chapter (v. 22). With that comment, Eliphaz was effectively proven to be completely wrong. Now, Job could focus on resolving his issue without Eliphaz.)
13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth that which is appointed for me: And many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I terrified at his presence; When I consider, I am afraid of him.
(Job admitted he was afraid of God.)
16 For God hath made my heart faint, And the Almighty hath terrified me;
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
Job 24
(This chapter's theme was "people in pain because they did not have understanding." Job was hoping that his pain would help others get understanding so they would not be in pain.)
1 Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know him see his days?
(Job began with two excellent questions.)
2 There are that remove the landmarks; They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way: The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
(The wicked tormented the poor to the point the poor had to isolate themselves in order to exist.)
5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; The wilderness yieldeth them bread for their children.
6 They cut their provender in the field; And they glean the vintage of the wicked.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge of the poor;
(This was a list of various things the wicked got at the expense of the poor.)
10 So that they go about naked without clothing, And being hungry they carry the sheaves.
11 They make oil within the walls of these men; They tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 From out of the populous city men groan, And the soul of the wounded crieth out: Yet God regardeth not the folly.
13 These are of them that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof.
(Verses 12-13 were concerned with wicked men who rebel against God without fear of punishment, and cause pain to others.)
14 The murderer riseth with the light; He killeth the poor and needy; And in the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light.
17 For the morning is to all of them as thick darkness; For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 Swiftly they pass away upon the face of the waters; Their portion is cursed in the earth: They turn not into the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth Sheol those that have sinned.
20 The womb shall forget him; The worm shall feed sweetly on him; He shall be no more remembered; And unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He devoureth the barren that beareth not, And doeth not good to the widow.
22 Yet God preserveth the mighty by his power: He riseth up that hath no assurance of life.
(It did not appear there was any punishment for being wicked, however...)
23 God giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone; Yea, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
(God was aware of this injustice and the wicked gained only in the short term. Job essentially justified God and proved God was Awesome...in response to Eliphaz stating God was not excellent enough to give an answer.)
25 And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech nothing worth?
(Job openly asked to be proven wrong! Would Bildad respond? Would he have a better response than Eliphaz?)
(This post covered Eliphaz's weak Deterministic Third Round perspective and Job's response.)
Day 149
1 Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know him see his days?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what these questions are asking?
These questions set the context for this entire chapter (Job 24). Job was asking: why do the wicked not get punished right away? And why do those who know God not see the judgment?
DeleteJob was still trying to search for understanding that would help him resolve the injustices that happened to him. He wants to know when justice will get equaled out.