Job 22:21-30 - Homiletics

Eliphaz to Job: 3. An uncalled for exhortation.

I. THE PATHWAY OF PENITENCE .

1 . Acquaintance with God . The word points to such an intimate knowledge of God as might be secured by dwelling with him on familiar terms in the same house. The meaning is that Job required, as a first step towards temporal and spiritual recovery, to disabuse his mind of the obviously false impressions of the Divine character which he entertained, and to get to know God as he really was in the excellence and beauty of his Person. Ignorance of God—of his character as a God of love; of his purpose as a purpose of salvation; of his Gift, Christ Jesus, the outcome of his grace; of his gospel, which contains a free invitation to fallen sinners—is the fruitful cause of unbelief and sin ( Ephesians 4:18 ), as, on the other hand, a thorough appreciation of God's Name and character as revealed in Christ invariably leads to repentance and faith ( Psalms 9:10 ). Such acquaintanceship with God can only be realized in and through Christ, who, as the "Image of the invisible God" "dwelt among us'" that men might see his glory; that, so to speak, God might become familiarized to man; that man might be able to get on speaking terms with God, and so come to understand God better than he had ever done before ( John 14:7 , John 14:9 ).

2 . Reconciliation to God. The second clause, though sometimes read as consecutive, may be taken as jussive, and as intimating the second step in the sincere penitent's return. There naturally rises out of a better acquaintance with God a laying aside of enmity towards him, or a making friends with him. Already God is reconciled to the sinner ( 2 Corinthians 5:18 ); or rather, he has objectively and legally set the sinful world in a state of reconciliation towards himself, i.e. he has turned away his judicial wrath from the world, so that now nothing prevents the instantaneous establishment of "peace," friendship, at-one-ment, between God and man, except man's own disinclination and enmity. The publication of God's reconciling work is the message of the gospel ( 2 Corinthians 5:19 ); the invitation addressed to man to discontinue hostility against God, to lay down the arms of rebellion, to live no more in a state of war against God, but o! amity and peace with God, constitutes the ministry of reconciliation.

3 . Instruction from God. Accepting God's gracious offer of forgiveness and salvation, and entering with him into a covenant of friendship, the penitent must next submit his seal to the Divine teaching (verse 22). God's Law, first written on the tablets of the heart ( Romans 2:15 ); afterwards promulgated from Sinai ( Exodus 20:1 ); at a subsequent period amplified, illustrated, and enforced by the prophets ( Hebrews 1:1 ); in the fulness of the times exemplified in the Person, character, and work of Jesus Christ ( John 3:2 ; Hebrews 1:2 ); now reaches its find stage when engraven on the renewed heart by the Holy Ghost ( 2 Corinthians 3:3 ; Hebrews 8:10 ). To this Law God requires submission as one of the imperative conditions of enjoying his friendship; and this submission must be

4 . Holiness before God. Equally does the grace of repentance involve a hearty forsaking of sin and a steadfast resolution after new obedience (verse 23). This sentiment is a repetition from Bildad's second oration ( Job 11:14 ; vide homiletics), but is nevertheless true. No man really returns to God who continues to adhere to sin ( Isaiah 55:7 ). If a man does return to God, he will "cease to do evil, and learn to do well" ( Isaiah 1:16 ). Conversion means death to sin, but life to righteousness ( Romans 6:6-22 ). Follow holiness is the all-comprehensive precept of the gospel ( Hebrews 12:14 ). The Christian life is essentially an upward progress towards personal purity. This is assuredly the grand lesson of the grace of God that bringeth salvation ( Titus 2:11 , Titus 2:12 ).

5 . Renunciation of all besides God. The genuinely contrite man must complete the evidence of his sincerity by abjuring everything in which he has formerly placed his trust, in particular his riches, even though these should happen to have been justly and honourably acquired, "laying down in the dust his gold, and placing among the pebbles of the brook the gold of Ophir" (verse 24); i.e. he must esteem them as absolutely worthless in comparison with religion—language which seems an anticipation of the sublime utterance of St. Paul ( Philippians 3:7 , Philippians 3:8 ). So Christ exhorted the rich young ruler to sell all that he had ( Matthew 19:21 ), and called his disciples to leave all ( Matthew 4:20 ). And so must saints still be willing to part with every treasure that might dispute with Christ the supreme affection and control of the heart ( Matthew 10:37 , Matthew 10:38 ; Matthew 16:24 ; Luke 14:26 ); in particular, neither trusting in uncertain riches ( 1 Timothy 6:11 ), nor attempting to serve God and mammon ( Matthew 6:24 ).

II. THE REWARD OF PENITENCE .

1 . Inward peace . The first effect of such a penitent return to, and reconciliation with, God would, according to Eliphaz, be deliverance from mental disquietude (verse 21, Authorized Version). Laying down its weapons of rebellion, and closing with the Divine overtures of pardon, the contrite soul would experience a holy calm, "a peace above all earthly dignities, a still and quiet conscience." True peace of mind is unattainable in sin and under condemnation ( Isaiah 57:21 ). It is only possible as the result of acceptance with God ( Job 33:26 ; Psalms 29:11 ). Hence it is described in the gospel as the first effect of justification ( Romans 5:1 ), as the great, gift bestowed by Christ upon his people ( John 14:27 ; John 20:19 ), and as the certain experience of every believer ( Romans 8:6 ; Romans 14:17 ; Romans 15:13 ). It is also represented as s peace which the world can neither give nor take away ( John 14:27 ), as a peace which passeth all understanding ( Philippians 4:7 ), whether by a saint or by a sinner.

2 . Outward good. The subsequent enumeration of blessings attendant on the lowly penitent almost leads to the surmise that Eliphaz was thinking mainly of spiritual good (verse 21). Yet it is certain that temporal enlargement was not excluded from his contemplation. Probably he intended both; and "good" in the widest acceptation of the term is promised to believing followers of God in both the Old and New Testaments ( Psalms 34:10 ; Psalms 84:11 ; Romans 8:28 ). Even things that in themselves wear an adverse aspect are transformed into benefits for the child of God ( Hebrews 12:11 ). St. Paul gives an inventory of the saint's "good" things ( 1 Corinthians 3:21 ). And these good things come to the saint without his labouring for them ( Matthew 6:33 ), simply as the gift of God.

3 . Domestic prosperity. The building up alluded to (verse 23), while capable of wider reference, may here be understood of family enlargement. Children are like olive plants about the table, i.e. noble sons and fair daughters; and to have many of them was a special mark of Divine favour under the Law ( Psalms 128:3 ). Indeed, all right-thinking persons regard a numerous offspring as a blessing rather than a curse.

4 . God for the soul ' s Portion. In exchange for the castaway gold and silver, Job is promised that which constitutes the true riches, via. the Almighty himself, who should be to him "gold from the mine, and silver of the brightest lustre" (verse 25). So God represents himself as his people's Portion ( Jeremiah 10:16 ; Jeremiah 51:19 ), and as such he is claimed by his people ( Psalms 16:5 ; Lamentations 3:24 ). His salvation also is depicted as the soul's true treasure ( Luke 16:11 ). At this point the recitation of the penitent's reward may be said to culminate. The undermentioned benefits, though here exhibited as co-ordinate with the foregoing, are really nothing else than the unfolded contents of the last benefit recorded. The man who has God for a Portion will in consequence possess all the privileges that follow.

5 . Delight in God ' s presence . Instead of sitting melancholy and dejected, sullen and gloomy, before God, like another Cain, he will be able to lift up a serenely joyous face to God as a father reconciled (verse 26), and will not only exult in his acceptance ( Romans 5:2 ), but delight in his Portion, i.e . take pleasure in studying God's character as unveiled in Jesus Christ ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ), in learning God's will as revealed in the Bible ( Isaiah 58:2 ), in obeying God's Law as promulgated in the gospel ( Romans 5:1-21 :22), in enjoying God's society in every situation and phase of life ( 1 John 1:7 ).

6 . Acceptance in prayer. Taking God as his Portion, Job should have

7 . Success in his own undertakings. Job, or the penitent, would only need to "decree a thing" and it should be "established" unto him, so that" the light" of prosperity should shine on his ways (verse 28). The same promise is given to the Old Testament saint ( Psalms 37:4 6) and the New Testament believer ( Mark 11:22-24 ); and the promise was verified in the cases of Abraham's servant ( Genesis 24:12 ), Nehemiah 1:11 , Elijah ( 1 Kings 17:1 ; James 5:16-18 ), and others.

8 . Helpfulness to others in their troubles.

Learn:

1 . That many a noble sermon is preached to the wrong hearers. The discourse of Eliphaz, though lofty in its conceptions and moving in its strains, was not adapted to the case of Job.

2 . That men's creeds are sometimes better than those who hold them. The piety and spirituality of this exhortation stand at a higher elevation than the character of him who uttered it.

3. That more gospel light may be possessed by those outside the Church than those within suspect. Eliphaz's sermon sounds like an anticipation of New Testament teaching.

4 . That there is only one way of salvation for all countries and all times. Eliphaz preached to his listener what St. John Baptist, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. John proclaimed to their hearers, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out."

5 . That true happiness can be reached by none who do not first return to God. "There is no peace, saith our God, to the wicked."

6 . That the pious poor man is richer than the godless millionaire. God is better as a Portion for the human soul than gold of Ophir.

7 . That the royal road to all genuine success in life lies in establishing a friendship with Heaven. The man who delights in God shall have his desires granted, his prayers heard, and his plans fulfilled.

8 . That the most influential men on earth are the truly pious. God's Israels have power with both God and man.

9 . That the wicked world is more indebted to the Church of God than it imagines. God's saints and Christ's followers are the salt of the earth.