How should Job 22:1 influence our perspective on righteousness and its purpose? “Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,” Setting the Scene • Job 22 opens Eliphaz’s third and final speech. • Up to this point, Eliphaz has insisted that Job’s suffering proves hidden sin (Job 4–5; 15). • Job 22:1 signals yet another human attempt to explain righteousness and suffering without divine revelation. What We Learn About Human Counsel • Even the most seasoned friend (“the Temanite,” regarded for wisdom) can misread God’s ways. • Righteousness judged by appearances leads to faulty conclusions (cf. John 7:24). • Before embracing any teaching on righteousness, test it against God’s whole counsel (Acts 17:11). Shaping Our Perspective on Righteousness • Righteousness is defined by God, not by the assumptions of well-meaning people. • Eliphaz’s opening reminds us to approach every human opinion—ours included—with humility (Proverbs 3:5-6). • The scene cautions against equating prosperity with God’s favor and hardship with His displeasure. The Purpose of Righteousness • To please and glorify God rather than to prove ourselves right before others (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31). • To walk in the works God prepared for us, not to manipulate outcomes (Ephesians 2:10). • To be a testimony of God’s character regardless of circumstances (1 Peter 2:12; Philippians 1:27). Practical Takeaways • Weigh every teaching about righteousness by Scripture, not by pedigree or persuasiveness. • Pursue holy living for God’s honor, not for personal advantage. • When suffering surfaces, resist the reflex to assign blame; instead, seek God’s perspective through His Word (James 1:5). Job 22:1 may be only an introduction, yet it quietly warns that human commentary on righteousness can miss the mark. Let it nudge us to ground our view of righteousness—and its purpose—in God’s revealed truth rather than in human reasoning. |
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