Job 22:21 - Meaning and Application

I can almost forgive Eliphaz for the harsh things he said at the start of the chapter, though those words were unfair and unkind. He closes with such good counsel and encouragement that it is hard to do otherwise. Even though he wrongly thought Job was a bad man, he still saw hope that Job could become both godly and prosperous.

It is strange that the same mouth, almost in the same breath, should send out both sweet water and bitter. Good people can sometimes, after a sharp exchange, speak themselves into a better frame of mind. Eliphaz had first set before Job the miserable end of a wicked person, hoping to frighten him into repentance. Now he turns and sets before him the happiness that comes to those who repent, hoping to draw him toward it.

Ministers need to use both ways when they deal with people. They must speak from Mount Sinai, with the terrors of the law, and from Mount Zion, with the comforts of the gospel. They must set before people both life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse.

Here we should notice the good counsel Eliphaz gives Job. It is good counsel for all of us, even though, in Job’s case, it rested on a false assumption that he was a wicked man and estranged from God.

First, "Acquaint now thyself with God." Some take this to mean, "Submit to God and rest in his will." That is our duty at all times, especially in trouble, to fit ourselves to God’s providence and quiet our hearts in it. Others take it to mean, "Join yourself to him," meaning, side with God and stop resisting him. Our translation puts it well: "Acquaint yourself with him." Do not live as a stranger to him, as Job had done by giving up the fear of God and stopping prayer before him.

It is every person’s duty and benefit to become acquainted with God. We must gain knowledge of him, set our love on him, join ourselves to him in a covenant of friendship, and keep up steady fellowship with him in the ways he has appointed. It is our honor that we can know him. It is our misery that sin has broken that closeness. It is our privilege that Christ calls us back to it. And it will be our great happiness to grow in that friendship.

Second, "Be at peace." Be at peace with yourself, not restless, troubled, or confused. Do not let your heart stay unsettled, but be calm and steady. Be at peace with your God, meaning, be reconciled to him. Do not keep up this sinful war. You complain that God is your enemy, but be his friend.

This is the great concern of every one of us, to make peace with God. It is also necessary if we are to enjoy real fellowship with him, for how can two walk together unless they agree? (Amos 3:3) This must be done quickly, while there is still time. Agree with your adversary while you are on the way. We are strongly urged to do this. Some read it as, "Please acquaint yourself with him, and be at peace." God himself pleads with us, and ministers, in Christ’s place, beg us to be reconciled. How can we refuse such earnest appeals?

Third, "Receive the law from his mouth" (Job 22:22). After you have made peace with God, submit to his rule and resolve to be governed by him, so you can keep in his love. We receive our very being and support from God. From him we hope to receive our happiness, and from him we must receive our law. "Lord, what do you want me to do?" (Acts 9:6) In whatever way God makes his will known, we must look to him. Whether he speaks through Scripture, ministers, conscience, or providence, we must take the message as coming from his mouth and bow our hearts to it.

Even though Job’s day may not have had a written Bible as we do, there was still a revelation of God’s will to be received. Eliphaz saw Job as a wicked man and urged him to repent and change. That is what the turning of a sinner looks like, receiving the law from God’s mouth instead of from the world and the flesh. Since Eliphaz is now arguing with Job, he calls on the word of God to settle the dispute. "Receive that, and let it decide the matter." To the law and to the testimony.

Fourth, "Lay up his word in thy heart." It is not enough to hear it. We must keep it, as wisdom says (Proverbs 3:18). We should store it away as something precious, so it stays safe. We should also hide it in our hearts, because it is useful there, ready when we need it, so that we do not lose it or stand helpless in a time of need.

Fifth, "Return to the Almighty" (Job 22:23). Do not only turn away from sin, turn back to God and to your duty. Do not only move toward the Almighty with some good feelings and first steps, but come back fully to him. Return home to him, all the way to him, so that your life comes under a full change, a complete inward and outward reform, with a firm purpose to cling to him.

Sixth, "Put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle." This was the same advice Zophar gave earlier (Job 11:14). Do not let wickedness live in your tent. Put sin far away, as far as you can, not only from your heart and hand, but from your house as well. It is not enough that you yourself are not wicked. You must also correct and restrain sin in those under your care. Family reform is necessary reform. We and our house must serve the Lord.

Eliphaz also gives Job strong encouragement, saying that if Job takes this good advice, he will be very happy. In general, "Thereby good shall come unto thee" (Job 22:21). All the good that has left you, all the good your heart can desire, whether for this life, for the soul, or for eternity, will come to you. God himself will come to you in covenant and fellowship, and he brings all good with him, because all good is found in him. You are now ruined and brought low, but if you return to God, you will be built up again, and your ruins will be repaired. Your family may be built up in children, your estate in wealth, and your soul in holiness and comfort.

The promises Eliphaz gives Job here fall into three parts. First, his estate would prosper, and material blessings would be given to him in abundance, for godliness has promise for the life that now is. He says, "You will lay up gold as dust" (Job 22:24), in such great abundance, and will have plenty of silver (Job 22:25), while now you are poor and stripped bare. Job had once been rich. Eliphaz suspected that Job got his wealth by fraud and oppression, and that is why it was taken away. But if Job would return to God and his duty, he would have more wealth than before, not only thousands of sheep and oxen, the wealth of farmers, but thousands of gold and silver, the wealth of princes (Job 3:15). Far greater riches, true riches, are gained in God’s service than in the service of the world.

He should also have something more secure. “You will put your wealth in safe hands, and what you gain by godliness will be held by a surer title than what you gained by sin.” The silver you have will be strong silver, that is, honestly earned silver that will last well, like steel.

By God’s grace, he would also be kept from loving riches so much, as Eliphaz thought he had done. Wealth is truly a blessing when we are not trapped by loving it. You will store up gold, but you will treat it as dust and as the stones in a stream. You will value it so little, and expect so little from it, that you will lay it at your feet, not close to your heart (Acts 4:35).

Still, he would be very safe. Riches often put people in danger, and Job had admitted that in his prosperity he was not safe (Job 3:26). Now he could be secure, because the Almighty would be his defender. Yes, he would be his defense (Job 22:25). The margin reads, “He shall be your gold,” using the same word as for gold in Job 22:24. It can also mean a stronghold, since money is a defense (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

People of the world make gold their god, but God’s people make God their gold. Those who are enriched by his favor and grace truly have the best kind of gold, and it is stored up well. Another possible sense is that God would protect him from attacks by nearby raiders, so that his wealth would not lie open to Sabeans and Chaldeans, as it once did. Then the wrong planned against him would be turned away and would not reach him. Those must be safe indeed who have the Almighty himself as their defense (Psalm 91:1-3).

His soul would also prosper, and he would be enriched with spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings. Then he would live in delight toward God. “You will take pleasure in the Almighty,” and in that way the Almighty becomes your gold, because you delight in him as worldly people delight in their money. He will be your wealth, your defense, and your honor, because he will be your delight. The way to have the desires of our heart is to make God our heart’s delight (Psalm 37:4).

If God gives us himself as our joy, he will not withhold anything that is truly good for us. Right now, God is a terror to you, as you have said yourself (Job 6:4; Job 16:9; Job 19:11). But if you return to him, then, and only then, he will become your delight. Thinking of him will become a joy instead of a pain. No delight compares with the delight gracious souls find in the Almighty. Those who know him and fully yield themselves to him will find that his favor is not only their strength, but also their song.

He would also have humble, holy confidence before God, like those whose hearts do not condemn them (1 John 3:21). “Then you will lift up your face to God with boldness, and you will not be afraid to draw near to him.” Your face is bowed down now, and you look crushed. But once you have made peace with God, you will no longer blush, tremble, or hang your head as you do now. You will come to him gladly, with a good hope, pray before him, and expect blessings from him.

He would also keep steady fellowship with God. Once the relationship was settled, it would continue to his deep comfort. It would be as though letters were exchanged between earth and heaven, both regularly and from time to time (Job 22:27). He would send letters to God by prayer. “You will pray,” or more fully, you will multiply your prayers to him, and he will not find your letters troublesome, even if they are many and long. The more often we come to the throne of grace, the more welcome we are.

In all your burdens, needs, fears, and worries, you will send to heaven for guidance, strength, wisdom, comfort, and success. God will answer those prayers through his providence and grace, and he will give you what you ask for, either in the thing itself or in his kindness. He will hear you, and he will show that he hears by what he does for you and in you. Then you will answer his gracious replies with praise. You will pay your vows, and that will please him and bring you more mercy. When God does what we asked for in distress, we must be careful to do what we promised then, or we are not being honest. Even if we promised nothing else, we promised to be thankful, and that includes everything (Psalm 116:14).

He would also find inward peace in handling all his outward affairs (Job 22:28). “You will decide a matter, and it will be established for you.” In other words, you will plan your work with such wisdom, grace, and surrender to God’s will that the outcome will satisfy your heart, just as you wanted. You will trust your works to the Lord by faith and prayer, and then your thoughts will be settled; you will be at ease and content, whatever happens (Proverbs 16:3). God’s grace will work this in you. At times, God’s providence will even give you the very thing you asked and prayed for, in the way, manner, and time you desired.

When an affair turns out just as we planned, and our measures are not upset or changed, we should see the fulfillment of this promise: “You will decide a thing, and it will be established for you.” Right now you complain of darkness all around you, but then light will shine on your ways. That is, God will guide and direct you, and from that it will follow that he will prosper your undertakings. God’s wisdom will be your guide, his favor your comfort, and your path will be under both lights. Then you will enjoy what is present and look ahead with peace (Psalm 90:17).

Even in times of shared trouble and danger, he would have great joy and hope (Job 22:29). “When people are brought low all around you, low in their affairs, low in spirit, sinking, discouraged, and near despair, then you will say, ‘There is lifting up.’” You will find in yourself what not only supports you under trouble and keeps you from giving up, but also lifts you above trouble and enables you to rejoice always. When people’s hearts fail them because of fear, Christ’s disciples will lift up their heads with joy (Luke 21:26-28). In this way they are made to ride on the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14), and what lifts them up is the belief that God saves the humble person. Those who humble themselves will be exalted, not only in honor, but also in comfort.

He should be a blessing to his country and an instrument of good to many (Job 22:30). God, in answer to your prayers, will deliver the island of the innocent, and he will do it with regard to the purity of your hands, which is needed for our prayers to be acceptable (1 Timothy 2:8).

But since we may think the innocent do not need deliverance, as guilty Sodom needed Abraham’s prayer, I lean toward the marginal reading: “The innocent will deliver the island,” by their wise advice (Ecclesiastes 9:14-15), by their prayers, and by their standing with God (Acts 27:24). Or the meaning may be, “He will deliver those who are not innocent, and they are delivered by the purity of your hands,” which seems the more likely sense.

Note this: a good man is a public blessing. Sinners benefit from saints, whether they realize it or not. If Eliphaz meant to suggest, as some think, that Job’s prayers were not powerful and his hands were not clean, since then he would have helped others even more than himself, he was later proved wrong. When it became clear that Job had a better place with God than Eliphaz had, Job and his three friends, who were not innocent in this matter, were delivered by the purity of Job’s hands (Job 42:8).