DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2015 January 12
Andromache Mourning Hector (1783)
Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825)
Neoclassical Style
Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Job 22 Eliphaz begins the third and final series of dialogues between the friends. The painting above depicts the plight of a widow and a fatherless child. It is the kind of affliction which, according to Eliphaz, Job supposedly brought upon the innocent.
[ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: . ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. Job 23. Job 24.]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
Eliphaz began his accusation with rhetorical questions; he asked, in various ways whether a man could be profitable to God by being wise, or righteous, or perfect. The obvious answer was no (1-3). He then asks, ironically, (in the ESV) "Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?" Thereby Eliphaz states the obvious truth that God is not afflicting Job for his righteousness, i.e., his fear of God. However, by saying this, Eliphaz rejected all that Job had said in previous chapters about being afflicted in spite of his righteousness. Indeed, in Job 1:1, 1:8, 2:3, God himself affirmed Job's righteous, blameless character and said that he sent afflictions on Job "without cause." The theology of Eliphaz and Job's other two friends made no allowance for any such possibility (4).
Eliphaz therefore accused Job of great wickedness and infinite iniquities (5). He then went quickly to specific accusations. He said Job had cheated people out of the pledge (or security deposit) which they had left with him as a guarantee for a loan. He accused Job of stripping the naked of their clothing -- a reference to the fact that clothing was sometimes left with a creditor as a security deposit. He said that Job had withheld water and food from the needy. Job, said Eliphaz, used his power to steal land. He sent widows away empty and broke the arms (i.e., enfeebled) the fatherless (6-9). It was for such reasons, according to Eliphaz, that snares, sudden fear, darkness, and floods of trouble had come upon Job (10-11).
Eliphaz also accused Job of deluding himself into believing that God was too far away in heaven to know what Job was doing. He accused him of believing that his evil deeds were covered with thick clouds. He reminded Job of how the wicked were cut down and overflown with a flood of destruction. They told God to depart from them and said that the Almighty could do nothing for them. Yet, in spite of their rejection of him,God filled their hoses with good things; but Eliphaz kept far from them. And the righteous and the innocent (and, presumably, Eliphaz among them) saw the destruction of the wicked and were glad and laughed them to scorn when they saw these wicked adversaries cut off and their possessions devoured by the fire (12-20).
Eliphaz therefore asked Job to agree with God and receive peace and blessing from him. He asked Job to receive God's law and lay it up in his heart, to return to the Almighty, and put away his sin. Then, said Eliphaz, Job would have abundant riches; the Almighty would be his defense; he would delight in the Almighty and would be able to lift his face toward God. He would then be able to pray to God and be heard, and would be able to pay his vows. His purposes would be established; light would shine on his path; he would be able to lift up the fallen; and he would be able to deliver the humble and the innocent (21-30).
Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
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