Job 22:22
Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
Eliphaz has taken his third and final argument, right at Job and his character. Eliphaz's courtesy, characterizing his first speech to Job, has been replaced by more demanding and accusing nature. In this speech Eliphaz is making the argument that God is unaffected by man's conduct (good or bad). Of course, his logic is somewhat loss within its own mindset. IF God is not affected by the conduct of man, than why would God chastise Job? If Job's conduct is being punished by God than God must be engaged in man's conduct. Yes, God does not "gain" from man. Yet, God is engaged with man. God sees what man does and holds man responsible for how man responds to God's Word. In the above verse Eliphaz is actually giving Job some great counsel. In the verse just before the above verse Eliphaz tells Job to "agree" with God ... great advice. Now, in this verse, above, he tells Job to take instruction (Hebrew "torah" ... like the first five books of the O.T.) and "lay" it up into the heart. Eliphaz is somewhat, echoing David's words in the Psalm:
Psalms 119:11
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Whether you agree with Eliphaz in his assessment of Job, or not, you have to agree with his recommendation. Hiding God's Word in our heart will allow us to walk with God in our minds. We can often be wrong in our evaluation of the problem, but we ought to be right in how we point others to Christ. We need to make sure point people to Christ, despite what we think is wrong with them or how their condition started. Christ cures all and His Word is the solution to our heart's issues. That is the truth.
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