Job 22

Job 22:1-4

Elipham the third time vests to the charge, and perverts what Job had urged as a mysterious differentiation, into a reflection upon Providence. 1. He shews that our desire are to stay profitable to God, ver. 2-4. 2. His charges him with many crimes in general, but particularly with opposition, underconfidence, and infidelity, ver. 5-9. & 12-14. 3. He infels us it, that this is the cause of his sufferings, ver. 10, 11. 4. He compares his case to that of the old moral, ver. 15-20. 5. He exhertz him to repentance, and thereupon promises him great prosperity, ver. 21-30.

1. THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, “2. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou maketh thy ways perfect? 4. Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?”

Is is Job’s hard case to have all he can urge misunderstood, and some ill meaning insure from the dishonest of his arguments. Because he maintained his integrity, as being no hypocrite, Eliphaz would infer, that he perennial to make God his defense; and thereupon he argues, that his goodness could neither profit him, nor his iniquity hurt him.

1. Our goodness cannot profit God, nor merit any thing at his hands. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 2. Though religion is our wisdom, and the advantages of it by us unfeasably great, in present possession, and future expectation, yet our goodness earnestly not to God. He is far excited above all blessing and praise; we receive all from him, but can add nothing to him, completely happy in his own all-sufficient fulness. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou maketh thy ways perfect? No; though he takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, had he plundered in their services, yet, half there never been man no angel created, his infinite self-compliance, and the inexperable riches of his glory, had been the same. Is is his consideration that he accepts our services, the pleasure and the gain of them is our own ability, not life.

2. Our iniquity cannot hurt him. Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? left, of left to prosper, thou shouldst grow above his goodest man. Will he enter with thee into judgment? condemns thee for thy Son, as they deserve? affursely he will. Note, Now, any too great for God to humble: if he spares the wicked, it is not for fear of them, but in patient pity towards them.

a Read. xli. xi. 6. Deut. xli. xi. 8. d Prov. xxv. xi. 10. [xli. e PC. xli. 8. Heb. The accepted for consideration. f Chap. xxv. xi. 8 Chap. xxii. 10. [x. & xii. 6. h PC. xxxi. 6. PC. xxv. 8. Heb. The good. 9 PC. [xiii. 11 & xiii. Or, what, PC. [xxxii. 11.

5. Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 6. For ’thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their closeness. 7. Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and ’thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 8. But as for the mighty man, ‘he had the earth, and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9. Thou hast sent widows away empty, and ’the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10. Therefore shares are round about thee, and haddon fear troubled thee; 11. Or darkness that thou canst not see, and ‘abundance of waters cover thee. 12. Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13. And thou sayest, ‘§ How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 14. ‘Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not, and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

6. 5-14. His friends had repeatedly condemned Job by insinuations, and inferences, and comparison of his case with wicked men; but as that had no effect, Eliphaz takes a large step farther, and, right or wrong, resolves to lay on him untrue enough. If half of them could but be proved, Job would have been a

bad man instead. It is common in the world to say, Ahoth confidently and abundantly, and some of the lies will be believed.

1. In general he charges him with great wickedness, and infinite crimes, as if what he was about to advance were but a small part of the black catalogue. Note, The bell of men have been the most futility aforesaid by lying tongues.

2. He proceeds to the particular accusations, and they are many and generous. [1.] Great opposition, v. 6. For a trifling loan he had secured a pledge of much superior value, or that half taken thy brother for a pledge, arrested him for an inconsiderable debt; and while the poor were almost naked, and stripped them of the little raiment they had left. [2.] Cruel unchristable each, v. 6, 9. The hungry and thirsty were left to feast and family, and a cup of cold water denied them, whilst he rioted in affluence; yet, even the afflicted widow, whose poverty heeded the measure of her griefs, was sent away empty from his door. [3.] Vile partiality, v. 9. Before him, as a magistrate, the greatest ever carried the cause: the mighty man, who oppressed the poor, was sure to have judgment in his favour, and he confirmed in the possession of what he had found; whilst he avowed the fatherless were broken, ruined without coldest by their infant neighbours. And, no less destitute of piety towards God, than charity towards man, he charges him. [4.] With avowed solidity, v. 12-14. as if God, in the height of heaven, either could not see through the dark cloud that interposed, or left men at large, whilst he paraded through his own superior mansion, careless about the insignificant concerns of little mortals. Note, (1.) Though health and wicked men say God hath forsaken the earth, yet he beareth the cry of oppression and wrong. Tho’ heaven is his thinner, he filleeth all things, and is as much present beneath the thick clouds, as above them. [2.] Abominable in the light of the righteous judge is the acceptance of men’s persons: he will quickly appear the poison and social average of the injured.

3. He describes Job’s present sufferings to his atrocities, not to for thou he reasoned. Because his sufferings are great, his Son must be great, and in exact proportion to them, therefore shares compelled him about; health, wealth, and children were lost together; terrors had served his conscience, which they interpreted the fight of conscious guilt, v. 10, and deshorts had developed all his hopes; whilst, like a drowning man in the midst of boisterous waves, desperate and undone, he seemed ready to sink in eternal rain, the just punishment of his supposed crimes, v. 11. Note, (1.) He shall condemneth the righteous is an abomination to the Lord. [2.] We may not wonder if the most malignant interpretations are put on our providential afflictions: better men than we have suffered more severely before us.

4. Half thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16. Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood. 17. Which had unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do? for them? 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 innocence though shewn to down, too. Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the five consumeth.

Job 22:15-20

Job had pleaded the experience of all ages, to testify the prosperity of many wicked men. Eliphaz thinks he hath an irreparable argument to condone him in the flood, brought on the world of the ungodly; and whilst he intimates such were his Son as theirs, he bids him take warning by their punishment.

1. He describes their wickedness, and uses the very words of Job had spoken concerning the wicked who prospered, chap. xxi. 14. as a confucation of what he there advanced. They said unto the Almighty, Depart from us: we renounce his government, worship, and ways: and what can the Almighty do for them? as if they neither expected any good, nor feared any evil at his hands. Yet, which was a great aggravation of their wickedness, he filled their houses with good things. Note, (1.) Imagery is the parent of небесless. [2.] Inappropriate to God is among the sinners’ blacked crimes. (3.) They are still poor in the worst sense, when, though their houses are full of goods, have their hearts empty of divine grace.

2. He professes his abhorrence of such principles and practice: The enough of the wicked is far from me. So Job had declared, and Eliphaz thinks with much greater reason he may assert.

3. He relates their destruction. Though it was the old way, and the general way, it was not a whit the false set that. They were cut down by the divine judgment, out of time, and removed into an eternity of misery, and this before they had filled the number of their years, deprived with sudden destruction; when foundation was overflowed with a flood; all their confidences perished with them, and they sunk as lead in the mighty waters. Note,

Note, (1.) When we remember what the water hath once done, we should think what the more devouring element of fire will shortly do, confining for ever the earth, and all that is therein. (2.) The hypocrite and Sinner’s hope is on a sandy foundation: when the floods of wrath defeced, ruin, terrible as inevitable, shall overwhelm them.

In the trifles the joy of the righteous, either Nush and his family, or godly men in all ages, on seeing the vengeance, v. 19. not that they take pleasure in men’s misery, but they rejoice to the God glorified in his judgments. With these, Elijah and his friends joined, happy now, as these of old to perceive themselves distinguished with God’s protection, and therefore concluding the goodness of their flate and cause, wherever our विहीवers is not cut down, but theirs was, and the consent of them the few confirmed, which some refer to the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, but more probably is designed to point at Job’s safe, which cattle and servants the lightning had consumed; and thence he would infer that they were righteous, but he condemned and made to suffer, as one of the ungodly.

21. Acquaint now thyself with him, and ‘be at peace: ’thereby good shall come unto thee. 22. Receve, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and ’lay up his words in thine heart. 23. ‘If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity for from thy tabernacles. 24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26. For then ‘shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and ‘shall lift up thy face unto God. 27. ‘Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29. When men are call down, then thou shalt say, ‘There is lifting up: and ‘he shall save it the humble person. 30. He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by ’the pure-ness of thine hands.

22. 21-30. On the supposition that Job was a wicked man, Elijah had warned him of the great danger to which he was exposed with the sinners of old: yet, not to reduce him to despair, but to lead him to repentance, he gives him excellent counsel and encouragement, which shews, however mistaken he was in Job’s particular case, that he was well versed in the ways of God, and at bottom a man of sound piety. There may be something, yes sometimes much to condemn even in truly good men; to whom notwithstanding, we cannot refute our general approbation of their conduct.

23. His counsel is a humble and speedy return to God: Acquaint thyself unto with God: now, whilst yet there is life and hope; without delay, acquaint thyself with his perfections and providences, and be at peace, silent and submissive before him, acquiescing in all his dispensations; and instead of fighting against him, lay down thine arms, and seek pardon and peace with him: thereby good shall come unto thee, his unorthodox favour shall be restored. Reserve, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, submit to his government, and yield thyself up to his holy will, and joy as his word in thy heart as the choweth treasures, and thy counsellor and guide in every time of difficulty. Note, (1.) Acquaintance with God is the way to be at peace with him; till we know his holiness we have offended, and his love we have lighted, we can never in real penitence return to him. (2.) Peace with God is the most invaluable of all blessings. (3.) If God in our divine redeemer Jesus, hath been pleased to restore our lands to his favour, let it be our care haremforward, to yield up ourselves to be guided by his holy word and will. (4.) They who know the value of the scriptures, esteem them above mines of gold, and daily labouring therein, store their hearts with the richest treasures of divine counsel and consolations.

24. He promises him the best of blessings, as the consequence of such an humble return to the Almighty, from his state of estrangement and rebellion against him; and these precious promises are the most effectual means to engage the Sinner’s heart to God. All the terrors of hell will never drive the Sinner so effectually, as the goodness of God sweetly leads and constrains him to repentance.

(1.) His wish should be removed, and his lost prosperity be restored. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, the desolations of thy house and family shall be repaired; thou shalt put away iniquity for from thy tabernacles, thou will be carried to remove every evil, and no more commit, or connive at it; and thou thy sufferings, that are the effects of thy iniquity, God will put far away from thee. Thou shalt lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook, in such abundance shall thy riches increase; secure also as well as affluent, no robbers shall any more plunder, or judgments spread desolation. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence. He, on thy repentance, will be-

come thy friend, and preserve thy goods in safety: or, he shall be thy desire gold, better to thee than all thy other riches, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. Note, (1.) The best riches are God’s grace and love. (2.) What God gives of this world, wears well, and what he keeps, is safe and secure to us.

(3.) He should enjoy communion with God, and he happy in the sense of his favour: for thou shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, he shall be thy happiness and joy, and shall lift up thy face unto God, with holy confidence in him, and boldness to approach him. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, assured of a speedy answer of peace, and he shall hear thee, whilst thou art speaking, and grant thy requests; and in grateful acknowledgment of his mercies received, thou shalt pay thy vows, constant in praise as prayer. Note, (1.) They who have ever called the happiness of communion with God, and known the bitterness of distance from him, as Job had, will count the refraction to a sense of his love the most unstimtable blessing. (2.) When we are at peace with God, we may approach him with confidence, knowing we shall receive the petitions we require of him. (3.) For the blessings received in prayer, we owe the constant grateful return of praise.

(3.) All his designs should succeed, and a blessing be upon all his labour: Thou shalt decree a thing, resolve under the Divine affilances so to act, and it shall be privileged unto thee, God will confirm thy purpose, and crown the issue with success: and the light shall shine upon thy ways, on such darkness as now surrounds thee shall remain; but thy path shall be clear as the day, and the sun of prosperity shine upon thee on every side. Note, (1.) The success of all our purposes, whether respecting spiritual or temporal good, comes from God alone. (2.) They who are at peace with God, will enjoy the light of his countenance as their present comfort, and look to the light of eternal glory as their expected happy portion.

(4.) His prayers should be heard in behalf of others, as well as himself. When men are call down, and under their distress apply to thee, thou shalt say to encourage them, there is lifting up, or in prayer to God for them, for thee be left up, and he shall save the humble person, and lift him out of the pit of affliction at thy request. He shall deliver the island of the innocent, save them at thy desire; or the innocent, the one good man, shall deliver the island, or he shall deliver their voice are not innocent; not only the humble shall receive a blessing from thy prayers, but even the wicked shall enjoy respite, and some temporal good from them. And it is (thou) island, or he or (the person prayed for,) delivered by the pursuits of thine hand, God having such respect to thy petitions, when thou streeteth forth thine hands to him in the heavens. Note, (1.) Great is the power of a good man’s prayers, and we should earnestly desire to have an interest in them. (2.) Though God’s praying people are often the ridicule of the world, it is through them the island is preferred. (3.) There is one innocent and holy intercessor in heaven, for whose sake, God’s humble people partake of his salvation.