56. Return to the Almighty

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Hymns: RHC 7 God Moves in a Mysterious Way, 30 When This Passing World Is Done, 43 God Is Still On the Throne

Job 22:12-30

12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 19The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. 21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. 27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. 30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. (Job 22:12-30 KJV)

Return to the Almighty

OUTLINE

  • Seek God’s Peace (v12-21)
  • Receive God’s Word (v22-23)
  • Finding God’s Forgiveness and Favour (v24-30)

INTRODUCTION

When man is alienated from His Creator because of his sin, he finds no peace. When a man receives God’s Word in his heart, he shall be sanctified. When a man repents of his sins, he shall be restored to fellowship with God and find God’s favour. These were the advice of Eliphaz for Job. Come back to God, though receive God’s peace, forgiveness of sins and God’s favour.

Was Job alieniated from God? He was not. Does he need to return to God? He is already in fellowship with God.  The opening verses of this verse affirms this.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name wasJob; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Job 1:5 And it was so, when the days of theirfeasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings accordingto the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Does Job have peace with God? The Bible says so – Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Does he live for God’s glory? Yes. 

Romans 5:2-5 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

This was Job’s testimony in the midst of affliction.

However, there is another perspective to Job’s testimony that Eliphaz is pontificating. He is alienated from God and needs to repent and come back to Him.

  • Seek God’s Peace (v12-21)
  • Receive God’s Word (v22-23)
  • Finding God’s Forgiveness and Favour (v24-30)
  • Seek God’s Peace (v12-21)

12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 19The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. 21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 

Eliphaz reasoned with Job, albeit according to his own wisdom and wittiness which amounts to nothing because it is untrue in the sight of God. Eliphaz forced his opinion, using God for his justification in wrongfully condemning Job.

He alluded to the mysterious counsel of God that Job does not understand and draw it to the conclusion it is linked to Job’s wickedness and therefore his lack of peace of mind.

Dear friends, we need to distinguish between Job’s perplexity that stems not from his sin but to fact that he was not given the insight that his trial is a test of faith to disprove Satan’s charge that Job will abandon God when calamity befell him.

But Job had deep watered faith. A faith that enables him to find strength in God to trust Him although he could not unravel the mystery of God’s providence.

Job 13:15-16 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall bemy salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

Job 13:17-18 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. Behold now, I have ordered mycause; I know that I shall be justified.

  • Receive God’s Word (v22-23)

22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

Eliphaz urged Job to go back to God’s Word and be obedient to God’s will. Repent of his sin and come to God.

At first sight, it seemed an innocent advice to go to God’s Word! Aren’t we suppose to do that? 

As the psalmist would certain advice the believer – Psalm 119:9-15 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed theretoaccording to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed artthou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much asin all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

The Word of God cleanses the soul. Defilement of sin in the believer’s life can be cleansed. 

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us oursins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The secret is in the believer’s quiet time, “with my whole heart have I sought Thee”. Not only is God’s Word a cleansing power for the young man, it does the same for the old.

The believer’s quiet time is private devotion time, set aside for the purpose of cultivating a rich spiritual life. It is an appointment with God. The believer’s quiet time seeks to move him/her from a state of stress to a state of rest. The cultivation of a calm spirit in the peace and joy of God is the frame of a man in touch with God. The believer’s quiet time is the high point of private worship. The elements of private devotion are prayer, the reading and meditation of God’s Word. He considers God’s Word as true riches (v14).

What is God’s message for me this day? The quiet time must not deteriorate to a thoughtless routine. It must not take away the excitement and delight of the soul in the pursuit of God. Yet there is a need to have self-discipline to cultivate a habit of life-long devotion to God.

When we hide God’s Word in our heart, it has a sanctifying effect in the believer. Therefore, he encourages us to rejoice, meditate and delight in God’s Word. The cleansing power of God’s Word must be experienced. Is this your experience?

16 All scripture isgiven by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim 3:16-17 (KJV)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the knowledge of God and from God in Scripture is the highest knowledge, the apex of all knowledge and Paul is commending the perfect precepts of Scriptures to Timothy. It is the basis or foundation of our faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Just that Job was already a follower of God and obedient to His precepts.

  • Finding God’s Forgiveness and Favour (v24-30)

24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. 27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. 30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

If only Job would hearken to God and repent of his sins, God will certainly do him good. This is the promise of God in His Word. As we read what Eliphaz said, it is very true. Indeed, God will be restored by God later at the end of his trial when he proved himself faithful.

Let every sincere Christian therefore resolve in his or her heart that if God’s word be of the highest authority, then I must give it the highest place in my heart; I must live by the word, and act by the word and die by the word. 

For our encouragement, Scripture gave to us in the book of Job, the earliest recorded writing of Scripture such a man of God – Job 1:1 “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed (hate) evil.” The word “perfect” does not mean sinless perfection but holiness. He was a man who walked with God, who made right with God by that close communion with God. He made right with God and he interceded for his children daily. God Himself pronounced him “perfect.”

Amen.