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Job Chapter Twenty-Two

1. Eliphaz gives a third and final try to urge Job’s repentance (Job 22:1-30). Bildad will also speak a third time, giving a short rebuke and not bothering with a repentance call (Job 25:1‑6). Zophar doesn’t even bother with a third speech.
2. Eliphaz launches a barrage of rhetorical questions to introduce his condemnation of Job (Job 22:2‑5).
   1. Can human strength and wisdom be useful? It is useless to both God and man (v.2).
   2. Is there pleasure or profit to human righteousness and morality? Not to God (v.3).
   3. Is it the fear of the Lord that prompts Divine judgment? Clearly not! (v.4).
   4. Aren’t you the great and unceasing sinner? Obviously! (v.5).
3. Eliphaz recites a litany of accusations as proof of Job’s guilt (Job 22:6-11).
   1. He accuses Job of being an unfair creditor (v.6).
   2. He accuses Job of a lack of compassion to the poor, and partiality to the rich and powerful (vv.7-9).
   3. The conclusion: Job can have no hope (vv.10,11).
4. Eliphaz admonishes Job concerning God’s omnipresence, & omniscience, and the certainty of God’s judgment (Job 22:12-14).
5. Eliphaz reminds Job concerning the evil of the ancient world that God destroyed with the flood (Job 22:15-20).
6. Eliphaz concludes with an appeal for Job’s repentance and confession (Job 22:21-30).
   1. “Submit” (NIV), “Yield” (NASB), “Acquaint” (KJV, NKJV), “Agree with God” (RSV, NRSV) (Job 22:21).
   2. הַסְכֶּן־נָא hasken-na’ [v.hifil.imper.] סָכַן sākan ^#5532: to be of use, service, profit, or benefit. [hifil]: to be used, exhibit use, show harmony with, be familiar with, know intimately. Two uses of sākan aren’t much help here, with Balaam’s ass, and David’s bed-warmer (Num. 22:30_x2; 1st Kgs. 1:2,4).
   3. Know intimately is a use of sākan that would be consistent with Ps. 139:3.
   4. “Be of use to God” is a use of sākan that would be consistent with Job 22:2. See 2nd Tim. 2:21-23 for the application of usefulness in the Christian Way of Life.
   5. The core of the confession message (v.23).
      1. A mental-attitude return to Shaddai. שׁוּב shuwb ^#7725: to turn back, return.
      2. A removal of all unrighteousness. God is pleased to accomplish this on our behalf as we confess our sins (1st Jn. 1:9).

Job Chapter Twenty-Three

1. Job announces another day for complaint and rebellion (Job 23:2a), and denies that prayer has any value (Job 23:2b).
2. Job laments his inability to enter evidence before God’s judicial seat (Job 23:3-17).
   1. He knows that he cannot match God’s power (v.6a), but he is confident that he can match God’s wisdom and judgment (v.6b,7).
   2. Although Job can’t observe God (vv.8,9), God observes him and his post mortem lifework evaluation will shine brightly (v.10), having spent his life abiding in the Word of God (vv.11,12).
   3. Job is awed and humbled by God’s majesty (vv.13-16), but won’t yet close his mouth (v.17 cf. 40:4,5; 42:1-6).

Job Chapter Twenty-Four

1. Job demands an explanation for why God is so slow to judge the wicked (Job 24:1). The Days of Shaddai seems to be the anticipated times of judgement stored up against wickedness (Jude 14-15).
2. The wicked pursue their own evil (Job 24:2-4a) leaving their victimized society in a terrible state (Job 24:4b-12).
3. A culture of darkness operates exclusively in the night hours (Job 24:13-17).
4. Such sinners may have a brief security in their day, but depart with no one’s regret (Job 24:18-25 cf. 2nd Chr. 21:20).

Job Chapter Twenty-Five

1. Bildad follows Eliphaz with a third and final rebuke for Job (Job 25:1-6).
2. Bildad’s message is short and simple: God is God and you’re a maggot.
3. Bildad reasserts his conclusion that Job isn’t even saved, and needs God’s gracious provision to be made righteous & clean.
   1. צָדַק tsādaq ^#6663: be just, righteous.
   2. זָכָה zākāh ^#2135: be clear, pure.
      This was the also a feature of Eliphaz’ second speech (Job 15:14-16).