S) "22 "Please receive instruction from His mouth
And establish His words in your heart.
23 "If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,"
Job 22:22-23 (NASB)
O) This comes after a rather lengthy and detailed accusation from Eliphaz. The chapter sort of highlights the misunderstanding that Job's friends had. They assumed that, because so much calamity had come against Job, he must be guilty of some serious sins. We know this is false, based on the words of God Himself in the first chapter. While most of this chapter is therefore false accusations, the above verses are true, although Eliphaz still missed the point. It is good to receive instruction from God, and to establish His words in our heart. It is true, also, that when we return to the Almighty (being reconciled now through Christ), we are restored (and we are still instructed to walk in the righteousness He has given). The key, however, is to view blessings based on His definition of what "good" and "restored" and "blessed" really mean. Job was still blessed, even in His calamity, because his Lord GOD was preserving him the entire time. Let's not forget, that God was still preserving his life (see Job 2:4-6).
A) First and foremost, I must acknowledge that "blessed" is not the same as "expectations met." If I am under the mistaken impression that blessed means, "I get..." then I am constantly going to be disappointed and full of doubt. I am blessed in the simple fact that Christ Jesus died for my sins, giving me eternal life, and the hope and promise of the Holy Spirit on earth, and eternity with God. Second, I must remember that righteousness is given to me in grace, based on faith in Jesus Christ, and it is not, NOT, based on my own will, goodness, or effort. Having said that, I am called to be holy, as my God is holy. That means that I strive for behavior that matches the righteousness I am given. So, "removing unrighteousness" is a matter of thankfully honoring my Lord, but it doesn't cause my reconciliation to my Father God - that was already provided by Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Third and last, I seek instruction from His mouth, and seek to establish His words in my heart - because of thanksgiving and love, not because of desperation or obligation. His written and holy words, i.e.: the Bible, is the only reliable, infallible, authority I can trust. It is a joy to honor God, to learn about my Father in heaven, and to know His instruction intimately (which is a footnote to "Yield" in v.21). And so, there is a sort of reversal to these verses, because of Jesus:
I believe and it is credited to me as righteousness,
then I am reconciled to God,
then I seek His instruction.
P) Father God, Your instruction and words hold life itself. You are such a good Lord, that nothing You instruct is harmful, or even benign! Everything You instruct brings life, goodness, joy, and prosperity. Open my eyes to see that, even when the blessings You add (to my eternal salvation) are not what I might expect from a worldly understanding or perspective. I want to know Your ways intimately. Let the Holy Spirit establish Your Word in my heart, firmly establish, to continue the purposes You desire in me. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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