WHERE IS GOD IN MY HOURS OF GREATEST NEED?
Job 22-24

Now the elder of Job's friends, Eliphaz begins his third speech or debate.   Job has steadfastly
claimed that he is not a secret sinner nor a hypocrite but that he was blameless, upright, one that
feared God and shunned evil.   Blameless does not mean that Job was perfect, but there were no
outstanding faults in his character and no habitual sin in his life.

  1. Eliphaz's Charges (Chapter 22)

    1. Eliphaz responds to Job's declarations that God does not always punish the wicked
      by asking "Can a man be profitable unto God...?"   He is saying, since God is too great
      to be benefitted or disadvantaged by human actions, it is only logical that His
      judgment could be for no other reason than the good of the individual.   Job 22:2,4.
      To Eliphaz, it was ridiculous that God would punish one for being righteous.   Eliphaz
      then makes three accusations against Job.
      1. First Eliphaz agrees with his two friends that Job is a very wicked man.   Job
        22:5.
        1. Job is then accused of sins of omission.   Job 22:7,9.
        2. God, in the Old Testament commanded His people to have compassion on
          the needy.   Ex. 22:22; Deut. 15:7.
        3. It is just as evil not to do the good we should as it is to commit an evil act.
          James 4:17.
      2. Secondly, Eliphaz accuses Job of thinking he can hide sins from God.   Job
        22:13,14.   He continues to assert that the wicked will be "cut down" before their
        time.   Job 22:16.
      3. Lastly, Eliphaz was sincere in his call for Job to repent with what are really
        excellent words of advice.   Job 22:21, 22.   Eliphaz's "cut and dried" theology,
        his "black and white" philosophy, could see nothing else that would be causing
        Job's suffering, but his own sin.   Eliphaz was simply saying the right things to
        the wrong person.
    2. Job's friends had not yet walked in Job's shoes so were talking about things they had
      not yet experienced.   II Cor. 1:3-7.

  2. Job's Confusion (Chapters 23-24)

    1. All his suffering and adversity had confused Job because he is confident he is not
      guilty of any of the charges his friends have made against him.
      1. "Where is God that I might find Him?"   Job 23:3.
      2. Job looked for God but could not find Him.   Job 23:8.
      3. Job wanted to find God because he had questions to ask and a defense to
        present concerning his character.   Job 23:12.
    2. However, as Job thinks about defending himself beforehand, he recoils from the idea.
      Job 23:13-17.
    3. According to statements by Job, God's people would not become so frustrated if
      God had a divine calendar that He would send to all His people, noting His

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      divine schedule for dispensing adversity.   Job 24:9.   Job then enumerates in
      detail the horrible injustices in the world.
      1. The stealing of the land.   Job 24:2.
      2. The oppression of the poor.   Job 24:36.
      3. The crimes of the wicked.   Job 24:10.
      4. In the midst of all these atrocities, God does yet judge them or charge them for
        their wrong.   Job 24:12.
    1. Job next describes the crimes of the city.
      1. The murderer kills the poor and needy.   Job 24:14.
      2. The adulterer sins in the darkness thinking no one sees.   Job 24:15.
    2. Job is further perplexed by the fact that not only are those horrible sinners not
      punished but also God seemingly gives them security.   Job 24:18-25 (verse 23).

  1. Some Ways to React When We Cannot Get All the Answers Immediately.

    1. Do not look for someone to blame.
      1. Our old nature wants to strike out at someone because we feel someone must be
        responsible.
      2. Usually then if we cannot find a person to blame, the next tactic is to blame God.
        Gen. 3:12.
      3. Insurance companies usually refer to natural catastrophes (floods, earthquakes,
        tornadoes, etc.) and other types of destruction as "acts of God."
        1. These are not necessarily "acts of God."   The world is flawed and marred
          by sin and under the god of this world and that is the reason horrible things
          happen.
        2. God is too good to do anything bad and too wise to do anything foolish.
          Deut. 32:4.
        3. Be careful about blaming others, blaming God and blaming yourself.
          During the time of adversity it is not important who is to blame.   There may
          be no one to blame.   It may be just a part of life in this world.
    2. Remember in time you will understand.
      1. Time is a marvelous healer.
      2. As humans we cannot see tragedy and suffering from the viewpoint of eternity
        but one day we will.   I Cor. 13:12.
      3. When we see what Heaven is like and the glorified bodies of our friends and
        loved ones there, everything will be so glorious and outshine anything we have
        experienced, we will not even think to ask "Why?"   Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 4:17,18.
      4. God always has a purpose for everything He allows to happen to us and those
        we love.

            My Father's way may twist and turn,
            My heart may throb and ache,
            But in my soul I'm glad I know,
            He maketh no mistake.
                                           A.M. Overton.

    3. Remember the past.
      1. The past is a wonderful revealer of the present.

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      1. When we look at the past we see God's care of His people.   Josh. 21:45;
        23:14,15; I Kings 8:56.
      2. When we look at our past, we also can see God taking care of us.   Josh.
        4:5-7.   (A memorial is something that reminds us how faithful God has been in
        the past.   A memorial reminds us that if God has been faithful in the past He will
        be faithful in the present.   Everyone has had experiences in the past that seemed
        hopeless at the time, but God saw us through and uses those experiences as
        memorials in our lives.)
    1. Remember the promises of God.
      1. We may sometimes feel like the disciples who cried out to Christ during the
        storm on the Sea of Galilee.   Mark 4:38.
      2. Job is an example of what we should do when God seems to have abandoned us.
        (His only comfort was that he believed the promises of God.)
      3. The times will come when our only comfort is the Word of God.   Ps. 37:23,24;
        Isaiah 40:31; Matt. 28:20b.

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