Monday, August 1, 2022

Bible in one year 8/1/2022 Job Chapter 22-26 Job’s third debate to his friends’ speech By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 8/1/2022  Job Chapter 22-26 Job’s third debate to his friends’ speech

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce                                                                                                          

Christian Arts Ministries : Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

 

Chapter 22 Eliphaz’ Third Speech

 

            Eliphaz accuses Job of gaining his now lost wealth by robbing the poor(20:19). Naked. Without the outer garment which could be taken as a pledge but not kept overnight (Ex;25-27 and Amos 2:8)  Eliphaz presumes to accuse Job of secretly thinking that God is so exalted and removed that wicked man has nothing to fear from Him. He said,

            Can a man be benefit to God? Can even a wise man benefit him? What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you? Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless? You demanded security from your brothers for no reason; you stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry. Though you were a powerful man , owning land and honored man, living on it and you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless. That is why snares are all around you, why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.(vv.2-11).

            Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars! Does he judge through such darkness? Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us as he goes about in the vaulted heavens. (vv.12-14).

  Will you keep to the old path that evil men have trod? They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood. They said to God, ‘ Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us? Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked. The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying, ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.’ (vv.15-20).

“Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart. (vv.21-22).

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the gravies, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will life up your face to God. (vv.23-26).

You will pray to Him, He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your way. When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the downcast. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.(vv.27-30).

 

Chapter 23 Job’s third reply to Eliphaz

            Job declares his longing for God and asserts once again his innocence. Job claims to have kept God’s law, commands and instruction (vv.11-12). He acknowledges that his sufferings are in the will of God, though the thought trouble him.(vv.14-16)  The way that I take (v.10). Lit., the way that is in me., my conduct. The last part of the verse does not refer to the refining effect of suffering, but to his innocence. When the Assayer tries him, he will find not secret dross cleverly concealed from men ( as his friends charged), but gold.  Job replied,

            Even today my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning. If only I knew where to find Him; If only I could go to His dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what He would answer me, and consider what he would say. Would he oppose me with great power? No, He would not press charges against me. There an upright man could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge. (vv.1-7).

            But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take, when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.  My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread. (vv.8-12).

            But he stand alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever He please. He carries out His decree against me, and many such plans He still has in store. That is why I am terrified before Him; when I think of all this, fear Him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the think darkness that covers my face. (vv.13-17)

Chapter 24 Job’s reply to Eliphaz

            Job complains that God does not have fixed times for the punishment of evildoers (v.12) and describes the rampant evil in the world, which God apparently tolerates. Job challenges his friends to disagree with him. Job replied,

            “ Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? Men move boundary stones; they drive away the orphan’s donkey and take the widow’s ox in pledge. They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter. The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives among the terraces, they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.(vv.1-12).

            There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth life a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, ‘ No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed. In the dark, men break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light. For all of them, deep darkness is their morning they make friends with the terrors of darkness. Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one goes to the vineyards. As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. (vv. 13-19).

            The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; evil men are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow show no kindness. But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life. He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways. For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brough low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. If this is not so, who can prove me false and reduce my words to nothing? (vv.20-25).

Chapter 25 Bildad’s third speech

            Bildad does not attempt to prove Job wrong but simply declares that Job is presumptuous in thinking he can argue with God.(v.4). He said,

            “ Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes order in the heights of heaven. Can His forces be numbered? Upon whom does His light not rise? How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in His eyes,  how much less man, who is but a maggot a son of man, who is only worm!” (vv.1-6).

Chapter 26 Job’s Third reply to Bildad

            Job sarcastically accuses Bildad of not having an original though in his head! (vv.1-4). A remarkable description of what we now know to be a scientifically accurate description of the earth (v.7). Full moon (or throne).(v.9). The meaning is that God veils the heavens with clouds. Rahab(v.12) A figurative expression for pride. By his breath (v.13) the wind blew away the storm clouds so that the skies became fair. Job magnificent conclusions this: How much knowledge of God there is beyond what we can see and hear. (v.14).  He replied,

            “ How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the arm that is feeble! What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed! Who has helped you utter these words? And whose spirit spoke form your mouth? (vv.1-4).

            The dead are in deep anguish, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. Death is naked before God; Destruction lies uncovered. He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. (vv.5-10). The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at his rebuke. By his power he churned up the sea; by His wisdom He cut Rahab to pieces. (vv.11-12)

 By His breath the skies became fair; His hand pierced the gliding serpent. And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him ! Who then can understand the thunder of His power? (vv.11-14).

Bibliography,

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986 

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