How does Job's concern for his children connect to Proverbs 22:6? Setting the Scene “When the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children and purify them. Early in the morning he would offer burnt offerings for each of them, for Job said, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular practice.” “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Job’s Fatherly Vigilance • The text shows a settled pattern—“This was Job’s regular practice.” • He rises “early in the morning,” placing his children’s spiritual welfare ahead of his own comfort. • His sacrifices reflect a deep awareness of sin’s reality and God’s holiness. • Job acts before there is visible evidence of wrongdoing; he shepherds their hearts, not merely their behavior. Proverbs 22:6 – The Call to Shape Hearts • “Train up” (Heb. ḥānaḵ) carries the idea of initiating, dedicating, directing. • The verse promises enduring impact—“when he is old he will not depart.” • The wisdom assumes intentional, lifelong investment by parents. Points of Connection 1. Intentionality – Job’s planned, habitual sacrifices mirror the purposeful “training” Proverbs commands. 2. Heart-Level Focus – Job worries about hidden sin—“in their hearts.” Proverbs likewise targets the inner way a child “should go,” not mere external compliance. 3. Spiritual Leadership by Example – By offering sacrifices himself, Job models dependence on atonement. Parents who live the gospel before children give the clearest training. 4. Early and Consistent Action – Job rises “early”; Proverbs urges beginning the process while the child is moldable. Both stress persistence over time. 5. Covenant Mind-Set – Job’s intercession anticipates the priestly role later described for parents in passages like Deuteronomy 6:6-7 and Psalm 78:5-7. Proverbs 22:6 stands in the same stream of covenant responsibility. Encouragement from the Rest of Scripture • Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children…” • Psalm 78:5-7: “…that they should teach them to their children, so that the next generation would know them…” • Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” These texts reinforce that Job’s concern was not an isolated impulse but a pattern God expects of every parent. Practical Takeaways for Parents Today • Build rhythms (morning prayer, family worship, gospel conversations) that teach by repetition. • Address the heart, asking what children love and trust, not only what they do. • Intercede regularly; the unseen labor of prayer parallels Job’s sacrifices. • Lead visibly—let children observe repentance, forgiveness, and joy in Christ. • Start early and persevere, trusting the Proverbs 22:6 promise that godly training leaves an indelible mark. Job embodies the principle later crystallized in Proverbs 22:6: parents who actively shepherd their children toward God can anticipate lasting spiritual fruit. |
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