Eliphaz is so rude and arrogant towards Job here, he says that Job is so full of himself and his own great attributes, he can’t clearly see the truth. He says God has little concern for those who maintain their righteousness.
Eliphaz claims he can see in Job, what Job cannot see in himself and so, he pleads with Job to see the truth, that is, his wickedness is great and his iniquities are without end.
It appears that Eliphaz is going to list Job’s sins since Job himself can’t see them. In other words, Job was suffering because of his sin.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘That view expressed here by Eliphaz completely ignores God’s love of mankind, John 3:16, the passionate desire of God Himself that man should love his Creator, Mark 12:30, and the joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, Luke 15:7. It is impossible to imagine a more evil proposition than the one Eliphaz advocated here.’
Here, Eliphaz accuses Job of three things.
1. Oppressing others, Job 22:6.
2. Being insensitive to the needs of others, Job 22:7.
3. Discouraging those who have come to him for help, Job 22:8-9.
As a result of these three abominable sins, sudden death surrounds Job and so, Eliphaz is teaching the idea of cause and effect. He does what Bildad has done, that is, to look at the effect and reason back to the cause.
The problem with Eliphaz’s argument is seen in the fact that all righteous men perform, in these areas of good works.
Eliphaz says that God’s greatness and attributes aren’t seen by the wicked. Although God dwells in a heavenly environment, He involves Himself in the affairs of man.
Job didn’t say that God is distant from the righteous, he said that God deals justly with both the righteous and wicked. Eliphaz says, the wicked, like Job, are unteachable, however, the righteous are happy to be instructed by God.
The reference to the flood is possibly speaking about the flood of Noah, Genesis 6:5 / Genesis 6:13 / Genesis 6:17. God brought judgment down on the wicked generation of Noah, even though they enjoyed the goodness of His creation. When the righteous see God’s assertion on the wicked, the righteous rejoice.
Notice once again that Eliphaz asks Job to repent. Although his words are wonderful, and he didn’t condemn Job in his response, they don’t apply to Job.
Eliphaz is basically accusing Job of the following.
1. Job didn’t know God, Job 22:21.
2. Job rejected God’s law, Job 22:22.
3. Job had left God, and he lived unrighteously, Job 22:23.
4. Gold was Job’s treasure, Job 22:24.
5. Job loved silver, not God, Job 22:25.
6. Job didn’t delight in God, Job 22:26.
7. Job’s prayers were not heard, and he was not paying his vows, Job 22:27.
8. Job was in darkness, Job 22:28.
9. Job was soon to be cast down, Job 22:29.
10. Job wasn’t innocent, and his dirty hands needed cleaning! Job 22:30.
With friends like these, who needs enemies!
"So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God."