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Job 22 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
When we do not pay attention to the needs before us, true care can turn to condemnation. This is what summarizes Eliphaz’s words to Job. He has a mold of what he understands to be the solution to the problem, and he continues to force Job into that mold, even though it doesn’t fit.
Shockingly, Eliphaz gives some fairly specific sins that he claims Job to have committed. Among the accusations is the scathing rebuke in verse 17 that compares Job to someone who doesn’t believe God can harm them. It’s almost like calling him an atheist.
Are you determined to walk in the paths that evil people have always followed? 16 Even before their time had come, they were washed away by a flood. 17 These are the ones who rejected God and believed that he could do nothing to them.
Job 22:15-17 GNB
I’ve known people before who, when they don’t know the details, will try and speak on behalf of God. I had one situation where an individual tried to offer reasoning as to why I was suffering with so many severe health issues. There was no sympathy or compassion behind their words as they charged forward like a truth train.
I left the conversation questioning my relationship with the Lord. I had a crisis of sorts as I wondered if my health could be “earned back” with faith, repentance, or good deeds. If, as this person said, God’s desire was for complete healing and wellness, then the only other possibility was that I was lacking something.
It was my fault… or was it? Even though I had prayed for healing. Even though I had prayed for more faith. I started to believe that because I wasn’t healthy, my relationship with Jesus was inadequate and there was something wrong with me. But that’s not how I learned Christ. I did not place my faith in my own abilities, but in Christ alone.
It would be soon after this that I realized my health problems were producing something mysterious in me. I drew closer to the Lord during my struggles, asking for strength and perseverance. I had many revelations. I realized that my fruitfulness was not solely based on my physical health, but on my response to suffering. In other words, God would get more glory through an ailing physical body that was still choosing to praise and worship God despite.
For the longest time I believed (wrongly) that I needed to be at my peak physically, mentally, and emotionally in order to make the biggest difference in God’s Kingdom. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Lord taught me self-control, patience, gratitude, and humility. My faith actually grew stronger — not in restored health, but in the fact that Jesus was producing a stronger and more resilient child of God.
This didn’t happen overnight. I had nervous breakdowns. I told God many times, “I’m done.” At times, it felt like it was way more than I could handle. I can also say that today I am a far different person spiritually than I was before. Completely different. And I can say with honesty I wouldn’t trade in my sufferings for what I’ve gained.
Here’s the bottom line — don’t be like Eliphaz. If we look at his track record we see that not once does the “righteous” Eliphaz plead for Job’s restoration. Not once does he compassionately offer to assist him in his worst time. He meets absolutely none of Job’s needs. He claims to speak on behalf of God but offers none of God’s grace and mercy.
His call for Job to repent is a true statement but it really means nothing in the end because of how it’s delivered. If we are called to bring others to repentance, we must be flexible enough in our theology to communicate from a place of love. Exhibiting grace doesn’t mean compromising truth. It just means that you are trying to be like Jesus.