Job 22:1-3

In Job 21:14-15, Job spoke about the attitudes of wicked people. Such people will not serve God because there is no benefit for them. But Job would not behave like them.

Even when Job lost all his possessions, he praised God (Job 1:21). Job was still loyal to God when his children died. And when Job became ill, he still trusted God (Job 2:10).

Job was a good man because he respected God. So Job did not expect to benefit from God (Job 21:23-26). But Eliphaz had made a list of many benefits that God gives (Job 5:20-26). And Eliphaz believed that prayer has real value (Job 15:4).

They were both right. God gives many good things to us (Matthew 5:3-9). But we should not serve God merely for the benefits that we receive (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Whatever happens, we should still trust God (Matthew 5:10-12).

Job thought that good behaviour brought no benefits for the good man (Job 21:23-26). Eliphaz thought that this was nonsense. Eliphaz thought that our good behaviour cannot benefit God. Eliphaz thought that God is too great to care about anyone’s behaviour. But Eliphaz was wrong. God knew Job personally. God was proud of Job’s good behaviour (Job 2:3). In fact, Satan opposed Job because Satan wanted a reason to accuse God (Job 1:9-11; Job 2:4-5).

Eliphaz decides that Job is really an evil man

v4 God does not accuse a holy man. v5 God accuses you, Job, because you are very evil. You have done so many evil deeds.

• v6 When you lent even a small loan, you forced your brothers to hand over their property. You even took their clothes, so that they were naked.

• v7 You did not provide water for people who were weak. You did not provide food for hungry people. v8 But you were a powerful man, who owned much land. You were a man whom people respected.

• v9 You gave nothing to widows.

• You caused children to suffer. And those children had no fathers to protect them.

v10 This is why you have so many troubles. This is why you are suddenly afraid. v11 You are like a man who cannot see in the darkness. Then a flood drowns that man. v12 But God is in the highest heavens. His home is even higher than the stars. v13 But you say, ‘God does not know about me. He cannot see me because of the darkness. v14 Thick clouds surround God, so that he does not see us. He belongs in heaven.’

v15 These are ancient ideas, but they are the ideas of evil men. v16 Such men died when they were still young. The flood killed them. v17 They said to God, ‘Go away! God does nothing that affects us.’ v18 But God filled their houses with good things. This is why I refuse to obey a wicked man’s advice.

v19 A good man is glad when evil men suffer. An innocent man laughs. v20 He says, ‘God has punished our enemies. So, fire burns their possessions.’