Job 21:1 ¶ But Job answered and said,
Job 21:2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
Job 21:3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Job responds to Zophar’s speech by asking his friends to allow him one bit of comfort or compassion—to pay attention to what he has to say. After that, they can continue mocking him.
Job 21:4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
Job 21:5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Job 21:6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
Job points out that his argument had not been directed at men; if that had been the case, he would not be so troubled in spirit. In other words, my argument has been directed to God; I’m more concerned about His treatment of me than of your treatment of me. This should amaze you. In fact, when I think about it, I begin to tremble in fear. In other words—How can I possibly be talking this way to God? How can I deign to question Him?
If Job’s friends would have just opened their closed minds a bit, they might have recognized Job’s insistence of his innocence in light of his fear of God as ringing true. They might have admitted that they didn’t know everything. There was obviously evidence around them supporting Job’s assessment of the wicked that prosper, and he was going to challenge them to take note of that fact.
Coffman made a good observation, quoting from the Layman’s Bible Commentary: “When we compare Job's position with that of his friends, ‘It is easy to see that both understandings are unrealistic extremes; and both betray a fundamental error.’ What is that error? It is simply this that, ‘The rewards of either wickedness or righteousness are limited to what occurs in one's earthly lifetime.’"
Job 21:7 ¶ Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Job 21:8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Job 21:9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Job 21:10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
Job 21:11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
Job 21:12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Job 21:13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Job basically takes issue with what his “friends” have been saying. He notes that there are plenty of wicked men that live and become men of great wealth. They have children and live in safety without suffering God’s judgment. Their livestock continue to multiply. They entertain and make merry. They live prosperous lives until they die.
I liked Guzik’s comment: “Job challenged the moral order of the universe as previously understood by Job’s friends. He challenged them to see that if it was possible for a wicked man to be seemingly blessed, then perhaps also a righteous man like Job could seem to be cursed.”
Job 21:14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
Job 21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Job then reasons that is why they see no purpose in getting to know God and serving Him. How would it profit them to seek His favor?
Job 21:16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job 21:17 ¶ How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
Job 21:18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
Job realizes that everything good is from God despite what men think. Then he wonders why God doesn’t judge the wicked. Implied—Yet he judges me so grievously, a man who has tried to serve Him in obedience.
Still, Job knows that the wicked will eventually be rejected by God, like chaff that is carried away by the wind.
I am pretty sure that David was quoting from Job in Psalm 1.
Psalms 1:4 “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”
Job 21:19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
Job 21:20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Job 21:21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
Most other translations clarify that the beginning of verse 19 implies something like—“You say” or “It is said,” God will punish the children of the wicked. Job posits that it would be better, however, if God judged the wicked and not their children. He suffers nothing if his children are judged after he dies.
We know that scripture declares that every person is judged for his/her own sin.
Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
Deuteronomy 24:16 “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”
John 3:17–18 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The sad truth is that more often than not, the children follow in the ways of their fathers.
How hard it is for people of faith to try to make sense of all that we see—especially when it comes to the prosperity of the wicked vs. the suffering of the person of faith. It’s so hard to look beyond the here and now to recognize that there is a greater purpose in what God allows to touch the lives of His people—as is the case with Job, though he doesn’t know it.
Job 21:22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
Job 21:23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
Job 21:24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
Job 21:25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
Job 21:26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
Job realizes that there is no one that can teach God anything; He is the ultimate Judge. He goes on to identify a conundrum. Some men die having lived in health, peace and security, and some men die bitter of soul, having never known the good life. In the end, as the old saying goes, “Death is the great equalizer.” In death they are no different; both are buried and become food for worms.
This is only true of physical death. Spiritual death proves to be the great separator.
Job 21:27 ¶ Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Job 21:28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
Job 21:29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
Job 21:30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
Job 21:31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
Job 21:32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
Job 21:33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
Job tells his “friends” that he knows what they are thinking about him, and it is not true. He knows that they consider all that he has suffered as evidence testifying to the fact that he is a wicked man. If they would but do a little investigation, they would find out that he is right about the truth that there are many wicked people who prosper and rise to positions of leadership and influence. There are many wicked people who die and are honored with great funerals attended by many.
So, as quoted from Guzik above, “perhaps also a righteous man like Job could seem to be cursed.”
Job 21:34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
I liked the NIV version: ““So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”
Job 22:1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Job 22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Job 22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Job 22:4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
We’re back to Eliphaz for round three. This time he blatantly accuses Job of sin and even begins to enumerate the ways in which he thinks Job may have sinned.
Eliphaz starts by asking questions to make a point. My summary—God doesn’t need anything from man, and nothing man does profits Him. He doesn’t judge a man that fears Him for no reason.
This is basically true. However, it does not take into account that God created man for His pleasure, to bring Him glory.
Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Isaiah 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
I think an excerpt from my journal on Revelation applies here: “Revelation emphasizes that all things were created for His good pleasure. In Isaiah the emphasis is on the fact that those called by His name are created for His glory. Is there a difference in glory and pleasure? In looking at the definitions from the original languages and Webster, I think there is a distinct difference. All things were created according to the pleasure/choice/will/desire of God, but not all things give Him glory. Those who are called by His name have been created with the express purpose of glorifying/honoring God; we are to reflect Him in our lives—by how we act, speak, and think.”
Eliphaz didn’t consider the possibility that Job’s suffering could be serving God’s good purpose and bringing Him glory.
Job 22:5 ¶ Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Job 22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Job 22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Job 22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
Job 22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Job 22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Job 22:11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
As we read through this list of Job’s probable sins according to Eliphaz, we know that he is guilty of none of them. The heart of Eliphaz is so hard that he continues to refuse the possibility that he is wrong—not Job. In general, he accuses Job, a man blessed with great wealth, of not showing compassion to the poor and needy—in spite of past evidence to the contrary. It must be because of these sins of selfish pride and omission that he is suffering God’s judgment.
That really gives one food for thought. How “wicked” am I when it comes to showing compassion to the poor and needy? I am sure I can do much more.
Job 22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Job 22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
Job 22:14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
Eliphaz thinks Job has a wrong view of God’s omniscience, so he seeks to correct him. No matter how high God is above the earth or how far away from us He is, He can see us at all times. Though Job must think the clouds hide him from God as He walks about heaven, they don’t.
“the circuit of heaven” – The Hebrew references a circle, a compass. Just as God created the earth, the sun, the moon, the planets and stars, it seems that heaven is also a sphere.
Job 22:15 ¶ Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
The KJV is a bit confusing, I think, in this verse. Most translations, supported by the Hebrew, make reference to Job following the example of wicked men of times past.
For example, the NIV: “Will you keep to the old path that evil men have trod?”
Job 22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Job 22:17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Job 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Eliphaz points out that those wicked me died young and lost their lives in the flood (obviously referring to the flood in Noah’s time). None of them were interested in knowing God and experiencing the blessings of following Him even though He had given them riches and possessions. Though they appeared to be blessed with many good things, they did not escape God’s judgment. In other words, circumstances did not correctly reflect their standing before God.
Eliphaz declares he will never follow their example.
Job 22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
Job 22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
When the righteous see the wicked man judged for his sins, they are glad and are quick to mock them—as amply in evidence by how these three “righteous” men treated Job, whom they perceived to be wicked. Righteous men escape such treatment. Implied—And we are examples of that truth.
Job 22:21 ¶ Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Job 22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
Job 22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Job 22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Job 22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
Eliphaz changes his tune to urge Job to make his peace with God. If he will but turn back to God in obedience, hide His word in his heart and repent of his sin, He will build you back up and once again bless you with riches. God will become your greatest treasure.
Job 22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Job 22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Job 22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Job 22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Eliphaz continues…If you will turn back to God in repentance (implied), He will once again hear your prayers as you keep your vows to Him. You can then become an effective man of prayer, a man of spiritual influence that can make a difference in the lives of others.