Job and the Formula God

Synopsis     Job 21:21-22:19     6/23/2021 

Job continued his response to Zophar’s accusation. In this portion, he refuted Zophar’s claim that the children of evil people suffer. In fact, he pointed out that even if that were true, an evil person wouldn’t care about their progeny after death.  

In this way, Job pointed out that nothing matters to someone after death. As he observed, people with pleasant lives and people with unpleasant lives both end up covered with worms. So, for evil people, death is a way to escape the justice they deserve. 

Then, Eliphaz responded to Job. With sarcasm, he asked if God was reproving Job because of his righteousness.  

Afterward, he lectured Job. Once again, he adjured Job to repent from whatever secret sin had caused his situation. And he assured him that God would forgive him and restore his fortunes once he repented.  

Job and the Formula God 

Zophar and Eliphaz argued that Job would be restored to prosperity as soon as he repented. But, because Job had not sinned, he could not repent. And so, the formula of repentance and restoration wasn’t valid for him.  

God Wants My Heart 

Walking with Jesus means accepting a certain detachment from the values of this world. In this way, the primacy of relationship with God becomes my central response to value. And then, every other potential value finds its place.  

“My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes keep to my ways” Prov 23:26