Daily Scripture Reading Job 21:23 - 22:22

Throughout Christianity, there is a lot of emphasis upon conducting church services, singing to and about God, and praising our Creator. We talk often about serving God at work, during our recreation time, and perhaps as full-time Christian workers. We teach the value and efficacy of prayer.

In the midst of the dialogue between Job and his friends, Eliphaz asked a simple question that casts doubt on the value of anything we do for God. This excellent question is an opportunity for us to make sure we understand what, if anything, we can truly do for our Creator.In the 14th section of Job, Job asked why wicked men prosper, and then made the argument that evil people live prosperous, care-free lives.

Hebrew poetry is about repetition and contrast. Notice the contrast within verses 23-25.

Job 21:23 One dies in his full strength,

Being wholly carefree and at ease;

Job 21:24 His sides are filled out with fat,

And the marrow of his bones is moist,

Verses 23-24 declare that some men die carefree and at ease.

Job 21:25 But another dies with a bitter soul,

Never even eats anything good.

Verse 25 declares that some men die bitter and poor.

Job 21:26 Together they lie down in the dust,

And worms cover them.

Regardless whether men live rich or poor, happy or sad, or healthy or sick, all men are buried underground when they die, in the dust, and then worms cover them.

Job 21:27 ¶ “Behold, I know your thoughts,

And the plans by which you do violence against me.

Job 21:28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the nobleman,

And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’

Don’t miss the quotation marks. Job quoted his friend as asking for the location of the dwelling places of the wicked, the implication being that the dwelling places cannot be found because the wicked do not prosper.

Job 21:29 Have you not asked those who pass by along the way,

And do you not recognize their witness?

Job 21:30 That the wicked is reserved for the day of disaster;

They will be led forth at the day of fury.

Job 21:31 Who will declare to his face about his actions,

And who will repay him for what he has done?

This is a rhetorical question. The implied answer is that no one can or does repay a wicked man for his deeds.

Job 21:32 While he is led forth to the grave,

Men will keep watch over his tomb.

Not only do wicked men die in prosperity and at ease, when they are buried, they are celebrated and their body is protected.

Job 21:33 The clods of the valley will gently cover him;

Moreover, all men will draw up after him,

While countless ones go before him.

Job 21:34 How then will you vainly comfort me,

Indeed when your answers remain full of falsehood?”

Job 22:1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Notice the name “Eliphaz”. This verse begins the 15th section.

Job 22:2 “Can a mighty man be of use to God,

Or an insightful man be useful to himself?

The implied answer to this question is no.

Job 22:3 Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,

Or profit if you make your ways perfect?

Eliphaz stated out by making a very good point. The answer to his questions in verses 2-3 is no. God needs nothing. Man cannot help God. God does not need human obedience, worship, or praise. God existed well before the universe and humanity existed. He is capable of existing quite well without us again.

Having said that, the Bible tells us to love God and we love God by obeying Him, so it is possible for humans to love God. Loving God is the one thing we can do that He cannot get without our existence.

If a machine obeys your command, that is not love because the machine has no free will. It cannot choose to obey or not obey. On the other hand, if your child obeys your command, that is love because the child has free will and can choose whether or not to obey.

God created us and gave us free will. He gave us commands to obey. When we obey Him, we demonstrate love. Love is something God cannot receive from inanimate objects or spirit beings that do not have free will. Only living beings with free will, such as humans, can truly, genuinely love God.

Job 22:4 Is it because of your reverent fear that He reproves you,

That He enters into judgment against you?

This was a sarcastic question. The obvious answer is that God does not reprove men for fearing God; therefore, Eliphaz believed Job was suffering because he did not fear God.

The following verses are a list of Job’s supposed sins. Keep in mind, we know from the first two chapters of Job that Job was a blameless man; therefore, we know that Eliphaz’s accusations in the following verses were not true.

Job 22:5 Is not your evil great,

And your iniquities without end?

Job 22:6 For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause,

And stripped the clothing of the naked.

Job 22:7 To the weary you have given no water to drink,

And from the hungry you have withheld bread.

Job 22:8 But the earth belongs to the mighty man,

And the highly respected man inhabits it.

Job 22:9 You have sent widows away empty,

And the might of the orphans has been crushed.

Job 22:10 Therefore snares surround you,

And sudden dread terrifies you,

Job 22:11 Or darkness, so that you cannot see,

And an abundance of water covers you.

Job 22:12 ¶ “Is not God in the height of heaven?

Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!

Job 22:13 You say, ‘What does God know?

Can He judge through the dense gloom?

Job 22:14 Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;

And He walks on the vault of heaven.’

Take note of the quotation marks in verses 13-14. The first two words of verse 13 are “You say”; therefore, we know Eliphaz quoted Job. The original Hebrew text does not have punctuation marks, so we have to make an educated guess as to when Eliphaz’s quotation ended. The quotation marks are the translators opinion as to when Eliphaz started and stopped his quotation of Job.

Job 22:15 Will you keep to the ancient path

Which wicked men have trod,

Job 22:16 Who were snatched away before their time,

Whose foundations were washed away by a river?

In verses 15-16 Eliphaz implied that Job was following the path that had been trod by wicked men before him. He was refusing to amend his wicked ways which would result in his premature death.

Job 22:17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’

And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’

Job 22:18 Yet He filled their houses with good things,

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Job 22:19 The righteous see and are glad,

And the innocent mock them,

Job 22:20 Saying, ‘Truly those who rise against us are wiped out,

And their abundance the fire has consumed.’

Notice the quotation marks in verse 20. According to Eliphaz, wicked people do not prosper; therefore, their victims are able to say the statement in verse 20.

Job 22:21 ¶ “Yield now and be at peace with Him;

Thereby good will come to you.

Eliphaz promised that is Job would yield to God, then good would come to him.

Job 22:22 Please receive instruction from His mouth

And set His words in your heart.

Throughout Christianity, there is a lot of emphasis upon conducting church services, singing to and about God, praising our Creator, serving God, and praying. However, Eliphaz asked a very good question that applies to all that activity. Eliphaz asked if man can be of use to God.

In many ways the answer to that is no. God does not need anything. God does not need humans.

Having said that, the Bible tells us to love God and we love God by obeying Him. If a machine obeys your command, that is not love because the machine has no free will. On the other hand, if your child obeys your command, that is love because the child has free will and can choose whether or not to obey.

God created us and gave us free will. He gave us commands to obey. When we obey Him, we demonstrate love. Love is something God cannot receive from inanimate objects or spirit beings that do not have free will. Only living beings with free will, such as humans, can truly, genuinely love God.

What are ways you need to start obeying God; thus giving God the love He cannot get from inanimate objects?

Thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. If you have already joined my email list, thank you and please tell others about Bible Mountain. If you have not joined my email list yet, please do so now. In order to join, go to Bible Mountain dotcom, click on subscribe, and that will take you to a page where you can sign up. Your email address will not be sold nor given away. Once again, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain.

“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”