False Assumptions Lead to Bad Counsel - Job 22

Job 22:15-16 (ESV Strong's)
15 Will you keep to the old way
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time;
their foundation was washed away.

False Assumptions Lead to Bad Counsel

The above verses are taken from the middle of Eliphaz’s final speech to Job.   Eliphaz was one of Job’s friends.  He (and his other two friends) came to comfort Job.   Somewhere between chapter two (and their intent to comfort Job) and chapter twenty-two, Eliphaz has come a  major conclusion:  Wicked people are punished by God; Job is being punished; therefore Job must be wicked.   This is Eliphaz’s philosophy.   Although he has just made the argument that God is NOT affected by whether man is righteous or unrighteous (Job 22:1-4), he now insists that Job is being punished because of his unrighteousness.   But, if God is not affected by man’s condition, then Eliphaz’s argument has no merit.   But, this thought does not impact Eliphaz from drawing false assumptions and making poor conclusions.  If you start with a wrong premise you will, in the end, have a wrong conclusion.    In verses 6-12 of this chapter Eliphaz claims that Job has done some very wicked things.   Even through, we as readers, know that God has declared Job righteous in chapters one and two of the book, Eliphaz has his premise, has drawn his assumptions, and has come to his conclusion.   This, regretfully, is how many people work.  We have a false premise about someone, we draw up some assumptions about them and then conclude they must be ___________!    God, thankfully, does not do that with us.  He knows us. He knows our inward hearts.   He gives grace where we ask and he gives punishment where we resists his grace:

James 4:6 (ESV Strong's)
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5 (ESV Strong's)
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

That is how God works.   In Eliphaz’s mind, he sees one thing and concludes another.   In God’s mind and plan we see that God operates on grace and mercy and applies those to anyone who seeks His divine favor.   We should counsel the same way.   Judgment is for God.  We should counsel by offering God’s grace and merry.