Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25   

Study No.15                  Passage: Job 22:1-11         

Title: Eliphaz 3 - Accusations

A. Find Out

1. What questions does Eliphaz start off with here? v.2

2. What further question does he ask? v.3

3. What two opposing sets of questions does he then ask? v.4,5

4. List the sins of which he accuses Job. v.6-9

5. What does he conclude? v.10,11

B. Think:

1. What is his point in verses 2 & 3?

2. But what does he then go on to argue?

C. Comment:

The gloves are off! Eliphaz now comes fully on the attack. Presumably Job's devastating critique of Zophar's defensive argument has got under his skin and he now attacks Job. Initially he simply asks how any one of us can be of benefit to God (v.2) and what pleasure God would get from our righteousness (v.3). Well of course he gets pleasure from us being His children and of course He wants us to be righteous; this is just silly arguing. But, as if realising the futility of that argument Eliphaz quickly turns away from that and says that what has been happening to Job (v.10,11) has been because of his sin.

God wouldn't attack you if you were pious, he argues (v.4). Oh no, it has to be for your wickedness (v.5). He then comes out with a list of supposed things that Job has done – although of course we know that these cannot be true because God has declared him blameless (1:8). He says, you must have been unjust in your handling of men (v.6), you obviously didn't care and provide for needy men (v.7) and failed to use your power properly (v.8). You obviously disregarded widows and orphans (v.9) and it is for these reasons that God has obviously trapped you with suffering (v.10) and why darkness seems to envelope you (v.11). Eliphaz thus assumes Job has done these wrong for after all, he argues, God doesn't bring judgment on the pious, only on the wicked – so you must be wicked! Of course we know from the first two chapters that this is completely erroneous arguing!

D. Application:

1. Bad things don't only happen because of our sin.

2. Bad things can happen because of Satan and the Fallen World.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.16                  Passage: Job 22:12-20         

Title: Eliphaz 3 – God sees & blesses

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.17                  Passage: Job 22:21-30         

Title: Eliphaz 3 – repent & be restored

 A. Find Out

1. How, does he say, prosperity will come to Job? v.21,22

2. How, does he say, Job will be restored? v.23-25

3. What will he find? v.25,26

4. What else will change? v.27,28

5. What example of that does he give? v.29

6. To what extreme will that go? v.30

B. Think:

1. What things does Eliphaz say Job need to do?

2. What will the Lord do in return?

3. What impact will that have on the world?

C. Comment:

Eliphaz's starting place in the first part of the chapter has been that Job must have sinned for all this to have happened to him. He also warned Job against appearing godless. Now he moves on to basically call Job to repentance. He gives a list now of things that Job needs to do. First in heart attitude submit to God and accept His will (v.21). Accept God's instruction (v.22) and return to the Lord (v.23a) and put aside any wickedness (v.23b) and not put his reliance in any way in his wealth (v.24) so that the Lord is the most valuable thing in his life (v.25).

When Job does these things, he maintains, then the Lord will bring peace and prosperity (v.21) and restoration (v.23). All of this means that then Job will be able to delight in the Lord again (v.26a) and be able to pray again (v.26b,27). Moreover the Lord will answer his prayers (v.27,28) so that he will have a ministry of lifting up the downtrodden (v.29) and will even enable the guilty to receive the forgiveness of God and be restored (v.30).

Now all of this is good stuff, and this sort of things does happen, except it is based on a false premise – Job's guilt! The truth we know from the opening chapters is that Job is not guilty in this way and all these “if-then” logic things won't work because this is a matter of testing and not judgement!

D. Application:

1. Repentance does open the way for God to bring blessing.

2. Refusal to repent does hinder an ongoing relationship with the Lord.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.                  Passage: Job 22:1-33        

Title:    Synopsis of Eliphaz's Third Speech

Eliphaz now attacks Job. Initially he simply asks how any one of us can be of benefit to God (v.2) and what pleasure God would get from our righteousness (v.3). Eliphaz quickly turns away from that and says that what has been happening to Job (v.10,11) has been because of his sin. God wouldn't attack you if you were pious, he argues (v.4). Oh no, it has to be for your wickedness (v.5). He then comes out with a list of supposed things that Job has done. He says, you must have been unjust in your handling of men (v.6), you obviously didn't care and provide for needy men (v.7) and failed to use your power properly (v.8). You obviously disregarded widows and orphans (v.9) and it is for these reasons that God has obviously trapped you with suffering (v.10) and why darkness seems to envelope you (v.11).

He now brings two corrective warnings. The first one is simply that God sees what is going on. God may appear to be distant (v.12) but that doesn't mean He doesn't see. Job had questioned whether God had seen what was going on (v.13,14 referring back perhaps to 19:8) but the truth is (implied) that He does see everything and therefore Job should be careful! The second warning is to avoid the example of evil men from the past (v.15). Because of their sin they received the judgment of God and died prematurely (v.16). They had been godless in their attitudes and outlooks (v.17) without realising that all the good things they had had been the gift of God (v.18a). Their counsel was foolishness and we should stand aloof or away from it (v.18b), for their activities and their end are very obvious to all (v.19) who clearly see that their end is an act of judgment (v.20). His somewhat obscure or oblique warning is that Job should not similarly appear godless in his speeches otherwise he too might be utterly swept away in God's judgment.

  Now he moves on to basically call Job to repentance. He gives a list now of things that Job needs to do. First in heart attitude submit to God and accept His will (v.21). Accept God's instruction (v.22) and return to the Lord (v.23a) and put aside any wickedness (v.23b) and not put his reliance in any way in his wealth (v.24) so that the Lord is the most valuable thing in his life (v.25). When Job does these things, he maintains, then the Lord will bring peace and prosperity (v.21) and restoration (v.23). All of this means that then Job will be able to delight in the Lord again (v.26a) and be able to pray again (v.26b,27). Moreover the Lord will answer his prayers (v.27,28) so that he will have a ministry of lifting up the downtrodden (v.29) and will even enable the guilty to receive the forgiveness of God and be restored (v.30).

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.18                 Passage: Job 23:1-9        

Title: Job 8 – where is God?

A. Find Out

1. What was Job feeling about God? v.2

2. What did he wish he could do? v.3

3. What would he then do if that was possible? v.4,5

4. What did he believe about such a hearing? v.6,7

5. But what was his frustration? v.8,9

6. Yet what confidence does he have? v.10

B. Think:

1. What does Job see as the cause of his suffering?

2. Yet what confidence does he have in God?

3. But how is that frustrating for him?

C. Comment:

Job replies (v.1) which means he responds to what he has just heard. Remember, Eliphaz made him out to be guilty. Job accepts that he is feeling bitter because, yes, God's hand does seem to still be heavy on him (v.2), even though he groans for help. Job wants to seek out God (v.3) so that he could lay out his case before Him (v.4). He would just like to know what God would say about it all (v.5).

As he ponders on it he doesn't think God would just overpower him with His might, no, God would press on against him (v.6). He has a confidence in the Lord that if an innocent man presents himself before the Lord, the Lord would deliver him from whoever is the actual source of this misery (v.7). But herein is the frustration: wherever he looks, he can't seem to find the Lord (v.8,9). Despite all this Job is utterly confident that God knows what is going on and when this test comes to an end, he's going to come out of it good (v.10)

In this final declaration Job is more accurate in his assessment of the situation than any of the others. The IS a test! God IS watching! Job will be vindicated and delivered! No wonder he was eventually commended by the Lord as having spoken rightly (42:7)

D. Application:

1. When all is not going as well as it should, can I come through to a

    place of accurate assessment and still praise the Lord?

2. Beware the superficial. Seek understanding.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.19                  Passage: Job 23:10-17      

Title: Job 8 – confidence & fear

A. Find Out:

1. What does Job maintain he has done? v.11,12

2. Yet what does he feel about God? v.13

3. What has He done and is yet to do? v.14

4. How has that left Job feeling? v.15,16

5. But what??? v.17.

B. Think:

1. What is Job's confidence?

2. Yet what is his fear?

3. But how does he yet react?

C. Comment:

Job has just declared that he is sure that when the Lord has finished testing him he will come out to the good (v.10). He goes on to say why: he is sure that he has kept to God's way and hasn't gone off at a tangent (v.11), he hasn't gone away from God's commands and he has valued God's words more than anything else (v.12). That is the place of his confidence. As he looks back he is sure about this – and he's right!

But then he is faced with the reality of what is happening and the fact that God seems to stand at a distance from him and is so great that He cannot be withstood (v.13). God seems to be carrying out His plans against Job and Job feels that there is yet more to come (v.14). That is why, when he thinks about it, he realises that he is terrified by God (v.15). The Lord and His activity have made Job feel weak and have scared the life out of him (v.16). That is quite an admission!

But that isn't the end of it. Job has this confidence about his past attitudes and behaviour and so despite the awful darkness that seems to overshadow him – the anguish of suffering and loneliness – he will not stay silent! (v.17) Yes, he is in a terrible place but he is sure in himself that he is not there because of his past behaviour and because of that certainty he is going to keep talking! James was later to write, “ the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete.” (Jas 1:3,4)

D. Application:

1. Can we be confident before the enemy of our righteousness?

2. Can we hold to that in the face of dark circumstances?

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.20                  Passage: Job 24:1-12     

Title: Job 8 - Why evil?

A. Find Out:

1. What does Job now ask about God? v.1

2. What examples of obvious sin does he cite? v.2-4

3. What first way does it leave the poor struggling? v.5,6

4. How does it also leave them vulnerable? v.7,8

5. What further illustrations are given? v.9-12a

6. What is Job's complaint against God? v.12b

B. Think:

1. What sort of world is Job portraying here?

2. What does he wonder about the Lord?

C. Comment:

Again and again in these chapters this same apparent mystery is confronted: why does God not act against evil? Why doesn't God step up and judge evil-doers even as they do evil? (v.1) Job sees men sinning against other men: they move boundaries and steal land and flocks (v.2), they oppress and steal from the weak (v.3,4). The result of this is that the poor are left struggling to survive. They struggle to get food (v.5,6), they struggle for shelter (v.7,8), orphans are snatched (v.9), and are utterly destitute (v.10,11) and the sounds of death are constantly heard (v.12a) but God apparently seems to do nothing (v.12b)! Why?

Such are the cries of any thinking person. They are legitimate cries. It is all right to ask such questions. The frustrating thing is that answers are not given here. The truth is that we live in a world that God has made and He's made human being to have free will to choose how we live. So often we choose to live badly. If God immediately put out a warning hand to stop us acting in such ways it would no longer be free will. Does God judge wrong doers? In that He makes things so that our wrong bounce back on us or we live with the fruits of them, yes. Sometimes He steps in and removes a wrong doer for the general good, but often He waits until after death for there to be an accounting, and that so often leaves us complaining about the less than godly and less than righteous lives we see around us. And we forget our own sin too.

D. Application:

1. Sin does bring its own ‘fruit', so beware.

2. God will judge – sometime!

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.21                  Passage: Job 24:13-21    

Title: Job 8 – Workers in darkness

A. Find Out:

1. Who does Job now speak about? How are they described? v.13

2. Who is the first example of this that he gives? v.14

3. Who else uses darkness to commit sin? v.15

4. Who else makes use of it? v.16

5. How is darkness to them? v.17

6. Yet what is their destiny? v.18

B. Think:

1. What is the significance of darkness in these verses?

2. How does this passage flow on from the previous one?

3. Yet how does it progress and conclude?

C. Comment:

Job has just been considering the injustices of this world (v.2-12) and wondered why God doesn't act. Now he focuses his thinking on those who seem to get away with sin under the cover of darkness. He starts with the moral contrast of light and darkness and speaks of those who reject the light (v.13), but although we use light and darkness to contrast good and evil, Job now shows how literal darkness aids and abets or, perhaps, enables men to do the sinful acts that start in their hearts.

There is the murderer (v.14) who plots murder but waits until the daylight has gone so that he may carry out his evil deed unseen by the world around. Similarly there is the adulterer (v.15) who plans a wrong liaison but waits until dark, for the same reason. Likewise the burglar (v.16) operates in the dark for the same reason. For each of them the arrival of darkness is like the start of a working day (v.17); it is the time when they move into action to perform their sinful acts and they share in the deeds that cause terror to others.

Yes, these are some of the sinners who appear to get away with it. But Job doesn't finish there. These men are like the foam that you sometimes see on the surface of rivers that will soon be blown away (v.18), their lives are cursed and will soon be gone. That is what Job is going to move on to. They appear to get away with it, but death is just waiting for them and then will come an accounting!

D. Application:

1. Yes, men do appear to be able to hide their sins – but not for long!

2. There will come a time of accounting to God.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.22                 Passage: Job 24:22-25     

Title: Job 8 - But God will act

A. Find Out:

1. What happens to these sinners? v.19,20

2. What have they been seen to do? v.21

3. But what happens to them? v.22

4. How may they be deceived? v.23,24a

5. But what is their end? v.24

6. What does he then ask his friends? v.25

B. Think:

1. What point does Job make about these sinners?

2. How may that appear not so sometimes?

3. Yet what is the guaranteed end?

C. Comment:

Job has spoken about social injustice and then the nature of sinners who carry out their blatant sins out of the public eye so that they think they get away with it. But, he now continues, they will get their comeuppance (v.19) for death will eventually get them. In these verses Job doesn't so much warn that they will be judged prematurely as point out the fact that one day they will eventually die and then have to face God (implied).

Whatever they do now, one day death will come and their evil deeds will soon be forgotten (v.20). In the present they may prey on those weaker than them (v.21) but one day God is going to deal with them (v.22). He may leave them for a while so they seem established (v.22b) but that is only a temporary thing. They may feel secure (v.23) but the Lord is watching them and planning for a time of accountability (implied). For a while these evildoers may appear to be exalted, well off and doing well (v.24a) but that is a temporary thing for like everyone else their lives are limited and there will be a time of facing the Lord (v.24 implied).

Come on, says Job, isn't what I am saying right? (v.25). In all of this Job has worked through from a place of questioning to a place of answers. Yes, there is wickedness but it is only temporary and evildoers will answer to God! He has thought it through and come to a right answer.

D. Application:

1. Do we bother to think through our questions?

2. Do we ask the Lord for help with our questions?

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.                  Passage: Job 23:1-24:25    

Title:  Synopsis of Job's Eighth Speech

Job replies (v.1) which means he responds to what he has just heard. Remember, Eliphaz made him out to be guilty. Job accepts that he is feeling bitter because, yes, God's hand does seem to still be heavy on him (v.2), even though he groans for help. Job wants to seek out God (v.3) so that he could lay out his case before Him (v.4). He would just like to know what God would say about it all (v.5). As he ponders on it he doesn't think God would just overpower him with His might, no, God would press on against him (v.6). He has a confidence in the Lord that if an innocent man presents himself before the Lord, the Lord would deliver him from whoever is the actual source of this misery (v.7). But herein is the frustration: wherever he looks, he can't seem to find the Lord (v.8,9). Despite all this Job is utterly confident that God knows what is going on and when this test comes to an end, he's going to come out of it good (v.10). He goes on to say why: he is sure that he has kept to God's way and hasn't gone off at a tangent (v.11), he hasn't gone away from God's commands and he has valued God's words more than anything else (v.12).

But then he is faced with the reality of what is happening and the fact that God seems to stand at a distance from him and is so great that He cannot be withstood (v.13). God seems to be carrying out His plans against Job and Job feels that there is yet more to come (v.14). That is why, when he thinks about it, he realises that he is terrified by God (v.15). The Lord and His activity have made Job feel weak and have scared the life out of him (v.16).

Job has this confidence about his past attitudes and behaviour and so despite the awful darkness that seems to overshadow him – the anguish of suffering and loneliness – he will not stay silent! (v.17) Again and again in these chapters this same apparent mystery is confronted: why does God not act against evil? Why doesn't God step up and judge evil-doers even as they do evil? (v.1) Job sees men sinning against other men: they move boundaries and steal land and flocks (v.2), they oppress and steal from the weak (v.3,4). The result of this is that the poor are left struggling to survive. They struggle to get food (v.5,6), they struggle for shelter (v.7,8), orphans are snatched (v.9), and are utterly destitute (v.10,11) and the sounds of death are constantly heard (v.12a) but God apparently seems to do nothing (v.12b)! Why?

Now he focuses his thinking on those who seem to get away with sin under the cover of darkness. He starts with the moral contrast of light and darkness and speaks of those who reject the light (v.13), but although we use light and darkness to contrast good and evil, Job now shows how literal darkness aids and abets or, perhaps, enables men to do the sinful acts that start in their hearts. There is the murderer (v.14) who plots murder but waits until the daylight has gone so that he may carry out his evil deed unseen by the world around. Similarly there is the adulterer (v.15) who plans a wrong liaison but waits until dark, for the same reason. Likewise the burglar (v.16) operates in the dark for the same reason. For each of them the arrival of darkness is like the start of a working day (v.17); it is the time when they move into action to perform their sinful acts and they share in the deeds that cause terror to others. Yes, these are some of the sinners who appear to get away with it. But Job doesn't finish there. These men are like the foam that you sometimes see on the surface of rivers that will soon be blown away (v.18), their lives are cursed and will soon be gone. That is what Job is going to move on to. They appear to get away with it, but death is just waiting for them and then will come an accounting!

But, he now continues, they will get their comeuppance (v.19) for death will eventually get them. In these verses Job doesn't so much warn that they will be judged prematurely as point out the fact that one day they will eventually die and then have to face God (implied). Whatever they do now, one day death will come and their evil deeds will soon be forgotten (v.20). In the present they may prey on those weaker than them (v.21) but one day God is going to deal with them (v.22). He may leave them for a while so they seem established (v.22b) but that is only a temporary thing. They may feel secure (v.23) but the Lord is watching them and planning for a time of accountability (implied). For a while these evildoers may appear to be exalted, well off and doing well (v.24a) but that is a temporary thing for like everyone else their lives are limited and there will be a time of facing the Lord (v.24 implied). Come on, says Job, isn't what I am saying right? (v.25)

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Study No.23                  Passage: Job 25:1-6     

Title: Bildad 3 – man righteous?

A. Find Out:

1. How does Bildad describe the Lord? v.2

2. What does he ask about Him? v.3

3. What does he then ask about mankind? v.4

4. How does the moon compare with God? v.5

5. So what is man in comparison? v.6

B. Think:

1. What is Bildad answering in Job's previous speech?

2. What point is he making?

C. Comment:

When there has been a long argument (as in the previous two chapters!) the listeners tend to just pick on one bit of it. From what is being found in this short chapter, Bildad is responding to Job's claim in 23:6,7) that God would not find him guilty. Hold on, replies Bildad, are you saying you are righteous? Is any man righteous before God? To explain this he points out how great God is, having established Creation (v.2), and being Lord over myriads of angels (v.3). How can a man possibly compare with God's greatness? (v.4) Look, the moon is almost dull in comparison with God's glory (v.5 implied) so how much less is a human being going to be? (v.6)

Can man compare with God? Of course not! But does that mean that a man or woman cannot be righteous? No, it's a different sort of measurement. If we look at the Old Testament we will see that there are many references to us being able to be righteous. In the Law, righteous acts are described (e.g. Deut 24:13). Noah was described as a righteous man (Gen 6:9). The psalms often talk about ‘the righteous' (e.g. Psa 1:5, 68:3) as do the Proverbs (e.g. Prov 2:20 , 10:3). ‘The righteous' in all of these cases (and very many more in the Old Testament) are those who walk with God and follow His ways and are morally upright. Abram believed God and his belief was credited to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6) and today ‘faith' is credited us as righteousness (Rom 4:5). Bildad speaks without knowledge!

D. Application:

1. It IS possible to be righteous.

2. God declares all believers in Jesus Christ as righteous.

Book: The Questions of Job (Job, chapters 15-31)

Series 2 of 3 in Job: Part 3 of 5: Chapters 22-25

Title: RECAP 3: " Eliphaz, Job & Bildad” - Ch. 22-25

SUMMARY :  

In this third group of 9 studies we have seen :

a) Eliphaz (3)

- assuming Job must have sinned

- warning Job that God sees

- listing things Job should do

b) Job (8)

- wanting to talk to the Lord

- confident that he is blameless

- observing that sinners take advantage of darkness

- noting that God will take them.

c) Bildad (3)

- objecting that no one can be righteous

COMMENT:

These speeches have become very interactive. Eliphaz starts it off by imputing sin to Job – why else would God judge him? Job declaring he wants to speak with God for then he will be shown to be blameless. Bildad objects to this for, he reasons, no one can be righteous before Almighty God. Remember the friends speak inaccurately but Job speaks truthfully.

LESSONS?

1. Don't condemn other people

2. Don't be afraid to declare your righteousness in Christ

3. Sin does often bring judgement in the present – and the future.

PRAY:

Thank the Lord that He has declared you righteous in Christ. Ask for His daily help (grace) to help you live out a righteous life and purpose to stay away from unrighteousness.

PART 4: Job's final speech (1) – chapters 26-28

Job's final speech is long so we will only take half of it in the next section. In it we will see Job declaring that God is mysterious in power. He also declares that he is righteous. The godless are hopelessness and the fate of the wicked is decreed – and this isn't me (implied.) Finally he ponders on wisdom