King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Chapters: Job 22-26
Message: Job: God Knows The Way
Hello My Friend,
As I was praying this morning, I told God that we are not having a very good start to the new year. At the same time, I admitted that I have been contributing to the struggle by sabotaging His efforts. That led me to a question—have you ever noticed how God truly does use suffering to shift our mindset, with the intention of changing how we move forward? Then I read this from Charles Spurgeon in reference to Job’s understanding that he shall see God when he leaves the earth.
[This is the sum and substance of heaven, this is the joyful hope of all believers. It is their delight to see him now in the ordinances by faith. They love to behold him in communion and in prayer; but there in heaven they shall have an open and unclouded vision, and thus seeing “him as he is,” shall be made completely like him. Likeness to God-what can we wish for more? And a sight of God-what can we desire better?…The patriarch looked forward to this sight of God as a personal enjoyment. “Whom mine eye shall behold, and not another.”… All earthly brightness fades and darkens as we gaze upon it, but here is a brightness which can never dim, a glory which can never fade-“I shall see God.”]
What a delightful reminder! Job was not merely defending his innocence; he was anchoring himself in the promise that, beyond the suffering, beyond the accusations, beyond the decay of his body, he would see God with his own eyes. The joy of seeing God is not just the reward of heaven—it is the transformation of the soul. To see Him “as He is” and to be made like Him is the ultimate fulfillment of every believer’s hope, [James 5:10-11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.]
As we continue in the reading of Job, we see his friends responding to his insistence that the affliction he is facing is not the result of some hidden sin he refuses to confess. It did not matter what he said; they would not believe him. Eliphaz speaks out a third time, convinced that Job must have committed some terrible wrongdoing for God to afflict him so severely. In his mind, Job’s claim that God will justify him only makes matters worse, as though Job is adding pride to whatever sin Eliphaz imagines he has committed.
[Job 22:1-7 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.]
It sounds as though Eliphaz, who from the very beginning seemed to carry a hint of envy toward Job, is accusing him of gaining his wealth at the expense of the poor. His words suggest that Job’s prosperity must have come through injustice and God is finally exposing him. This raises two questions. First, while charity is a virtue and we are called to care for the poor, when did it become the responsibility of the wealthy to give everything they have to the poor? Second, if the accusers are so deeply concerned about the poor, why are they not contributing themselves? Their accusations reveal more about their own character. Jesus said it this way, [Matthew 7:3,5 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.]
People are quick to judge what they think is fault who have much bigger faults. The reason they do this is because deep down they are wrestling with their own conscience so when they see someone else, even if it only appears to be sin, they are quick to try to expose it. Eliphaz goes on to suggest that Job believes that he has hidden his sin even from God.
[Job 22:12-17 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?]
Nowhere in their conversations has Job ever suggested that God cannot see what he has been doing way up in the heavens. God sees everything and here is the thing, He is not sitting on His throne watching our every move, He is looking over our welfare and making sure that Satan and his demons are not taking things too far. I love how he basically asks him if he learned anything from those who died in the flood. God’s judgments are just and often given so that we might learn to fear Him and walk humbly before Him. Eliphaz, even goes as far as to tell him that he needs to acquaint himself with God.
[Job 22:21-23,25-28 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. 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.]
Eliphaz does have some truth to what he is saying, God is so good and gracious that we can mess up a thousand times a day, and as long as we are repentant, He is faithful and just to forgives us, [Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.]
Even if we did fall away from Him we can return to Him, and He will be right there to welcome us with open arms. If we do not understand what is going on, it is best to say nothing at all regarding the matter rather than make assumptions based on ones own prejudices. Eliphaz, believed that every time Job spoke he only made things worse on himself, and that if he would just repent, then he would come forth as gold. Well, Job responds to this.
[Job 23:1-6 Then Job answered and said, 2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. 3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! 4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. 6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.]
There are times in our lives when we know we have not been our very best and can see God’s hand of mercy. There are times when we have done our very best and can see God’s hand of protection. Then there are times when we have done our very best, and everything is falling apart and no matter where we turn we cannot see God. Well, it is really the times when we do not see Him that He is doing His best work in us. Job, may not have been able to see God right now, but knew he would come forth as gold.
[Job 23:8-12 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. 12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.]
Gold has a lot of impurities in it when it is first found, and in order to remove the impurities it needs to be melted and cooled over and over again. This is how gold gets that shiny finish to it, and that is actually what God does to us through the trials that we face, He removes the impurities so that we can be a reflection of His Son. If we do not understand what is going on, it is best to trust God and let Him bring it all to light, we somehow find His hand of grace as we discover that everything we went through was all appointed. This is what Job concluded.
[Job 23:13-17 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. 14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. 15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. 16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me: 17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.]
I am not going to lie, there are moments when I am scraping from the bottom of the barrel and wondering why someone who has the means, and who knows my situation, will not offer support. I feel envy at times, not because they have money, but because it seems to come so easily for them. Why did I spend months begging for work, pleading with God to send opportunities my way, even vowing to put Him at the center, only to find myself right back where I started, while the opportunities are handed to them without effort? By the sound of it, Job was thinking this also.
[Job 24:1-4,12-13 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days? 2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. 3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. 12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them. 13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.]
It is a known fact, and history will prove it, that a nation that fears God is prosperous and protected by Him. The world and religion hates that and will do anything to remove that truth from even the history books. It is quite sad really, they rather live in poverty and see endless people suffer than admit that God is in control. Nevertheless, God knows all and sees all, but that does not mean He pays attention to all. They may be exalted for a while, but they too will face Jesus, but the judgment is far worse than anything we whom are saved will receive, [If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. – 1 John 4:20-21]
I know that Job’s suffering lasted about a year, but I imagine it seemed like a lifetime as Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad constantly criticized every word he spoke to defend himself. Now, Job points just what happens to the wicked, who think they do not need God.
[Job 24:17-19,22-25 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. 18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. 19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. 22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life. 23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. 24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. 25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?]
The longer we walk with Christ the more we wonder if the life we are living will ever come close to reflecting Him, but He does know the way that we take, and while it may not be perfect, it is one that leads to eternal life. Before Christ came here in the flesh they did not have a physical person to point to, they literally walked by faith unseen. This is what Job is trying to literate to them, and at this point, he is beside himself, wondering how the wicked can just ignore God and be blessed while he is having to deal with this. Now, Bildad, takes his third go around, questioning Job when he said that he knew he would be justified.
[Job 25:1-6 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. 3 Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? 4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? 5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?]
I am not going to lie, I have been on both sides of the spectrum here. I have done things that I am not proud of after I got saved and I have also lived in so much fear that I was afraid to make one move as to not anger God. I never had a fear of losing my salvation, it was a fear of losing my testimony. I have no doubt that we suffer for sin well before will stand before Jesus, but I also have no doubt that because I am repentant and saved, that I am justified, and so is everyone else who has gotten themselves caught up in a web.
[Galatians 2:16,20-21 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.]
You see, Job had never been though anything like this before. When you think about the things that Job speaks about you get a sense that things were not much different back then from what they are today. No one really had a zeal for God, and those who did, were faced with opposition. Although Job felt like God had taken away his reason and understanding of what was going on, he knew that the Spirit of God was in him.
[Job 26:1-7 But Job answered and said, 2 How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? 3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? 4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee? 5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. 6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.]
Think about it, a grain of corn has to die and be buried before new life comes out of it. Likewise, an acorn must fall off a tree, die, and be buried before new life comes out of it. And what brings life to them? Water. Jesus said it this way, [John 12:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.]
Job, was not about to let any of these men convince him that he was this wicked person and came to the conclusion that some things from God are not meant to be found out, [Job 26:9-14 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. 11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. 12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. 13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?]
There are many things of God that we will never understand, that even science cannot explain, and with good reason. It is all about faith, God wants us to trust and depend on Him, even when we are the cause of the affliction. When we learn to trust Him and live our lives in a way that shows that we trust Him then we will not question Him at all, [Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You, for sending Your Son to save me, my faith in Him alone qualifies me to be justified before you. Since I trust Him to save my soul it ought to be easy to trust You with everything, even the afflictions that I face. Although it may take me some time at times, I do come to my senses when I realize that Your hand is in all of it. You know the way that I take, and while I know I mess up a lot, You are always faithful and just to forgive me when I come to You in sincere repentance. Lord, keep me humble, keep me faithful, and keep me praying for those who wrong and falsely accuse me. Even when I want to give up, You give me the strength I need to rise up. I love You, and pray this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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