Job 22:12 - Exposition

Is not God in the height of heaven? From taxing Job with definite open sins, Eliphaz proceeds to accuse him of impious thoughts and principles. He does not acknowledge, Eliphaz says, either the majesty or the omniscience of God. Here he has, at any rate, some tangible ground for his reproaches. Job's words have been over-bold, over-venturesome. He has seemed to forget the distance between God and man ( Job 9:30-33 ; Job 10:2 , Job 10:3 ; Job 13:3 , etc.), and to call in question either God's omniscience or his regard for moral distinctions ( Job 9:22 , Job 9:23 ; Job 21:7-13 , Job 21:23-26 ). Hence Eliphaz is enabled to take a high tone and ask, "Hast thou forgotten that God is in the height of heaven, far up above all us poor wretched mortals? Dost thou need to be reminded of this? He is above the stars, and yet behold the height of the stars, how high they are! Even they are infinitely above men, yet how far below him !" (comp. Job 35:5 ).