Eliphaz responds for the third time.

Eliphaz now is on the offensive. Whereas in his first speech he had been conciliatory he is now openly critical of and antagonistic to Job. See in particular Vs 4-9 where Eliphaz contradicts what he said in chapter 4.

22:19 Having spoken of the reason for the flood and the ensuing suffering Eliphaz implies that Job, because he is suffering, is of the same mind as those who perished in the flood. So often the ‘friends’ of Job imply what he thinks rather than stating it openly. How often do we stop short of saying the thing that we think because we feel safer making innuendoes?

22:3 Eliphaz’s questions whether God takes pleasure in the righteousness of Job. Implying that God does not care for His servants.

22:4-9  Eliphaz’s comments here directly contradict what he has already said about Job when he spoke for the first time –Job 4:3-9.

Vs.6-9 Eliphaz' accusations are without proof.  It was common for rich men to abuse the poor. Later the Law of Moses would caution against these errors (Exo 22:26; Deut 24:10). And later again, the powerful Pharisees would be similarly cautioned by the Lord (Matt 23:14).  But, Eliphaz applies faulty logic to bring about his conclusion concerning Job.  He employs a syllogism.  In effect, he says: All rich men are abusers of the poor ---->Job is a rich man ---->Therefore, Job is an abuser of the poor. Eliphaz has taken a major premiss, and a minor premiss.  From those he has made his conclusion.  Job had an accusation levelled at him based upon erroneous logic. Clearly, we should be able to see the problem here.  We must be careful not to make the same mistake in our thinking.

22:17-18 Eliphaz’s response to Job’s lament about the way in which the wicked prosper is to remind Job that God provides for those who do not acknowledge Him.

22:23-24 Eliphaz now commits the fundamental error of thinking that God will bless the faithful with material things.

Use of Old Testament Language

1:6 'ye have sown much and bring in little' Deuteronomy 28:38
1:6 'ye eat but ye have not enough' Leviticus 26:26
1:10 'heaven stayed from dew' Leviticus 26:19
1:11 'drought upon the land' Deuteronomy 28:24
2:6 'Yet once ... the earth Hebrews 12:26
2:17 'I smote you ... saith the Lord Amos 4:9
2:17 'blasting and mildew' Deuteronomy 28:22

1:2 'the time is not come ... ' The return from Babylon was in fulfilment of the 70 years prophecy of Jeremiah. There were three waves of captives taken away to Babylon. Therefore those in Jerusalem who did not want to involve themselves in the Lord's work were able to present an excuse for their idleness. The rebuilding of the temple was to be accomplished at the end of the 70 years captivity. They would reason that there had not been 70 years since the last wave of captives had been taken away so they should not build yet. In reality such an argument was an excuse based on miss applied Scripture. We can use similar arguments to justify our own inactivity if we are not careful.

2:4 'Be strong' as an exhortations mirrors the way that God spoke to Israel as they were about to enter into the land under Joshua. Deuteronomy 11:8 31:6 31:23 Joshua 1:6 1:9 1:18 10:25
2:5 'according to the word ... out of Egypt' The return from Babylon was another example of deliverance life the exodus fro Egypt so much earlier.
2:23 Zerubbabel is to made a signet. In Zechariah 6:11 - 13 presents Joshua as the branch building the house. Thus we see Haggai and Zechariah complimenting each other in that they both speak of one of the two faithful men who were involved in the building.

ch.1 The repeated use of the curses from Leviticus 26 / Deuteronomy 28 - see list above - was being used by the prophet to encourage the nation to re commence the work of re building. The curses were to show Israel that they were astray from Gods law.

2:3 The question 'who is left …' relies on the fact that here were some in Jerusalem who had survived the whole of the 70 year captivity and were old enough when they were taken captive to appreciate the magnificence of the temple - so they must have been at least 80 years old! - We know the reaction of these men (Ezra 3:12)

1:12 The way that Zerubbabel and Joshua and all the people responded to the preaching of Haggai is true repentance. It is difficult for us to respond to direct criticism and change - it requires that we acknowledge that we have not been doing the right things and as such hurts our pride. The example of these men and the people at this time of return from Babylon serves as a powerful example of the way that God will bless those who repent (1:13) 'I am with you …'

2:4 The assurance that God was 'with' them as at was when #ye came out of Egypt' is designed to show that God is truly delivering the people even though at this time they are dealing with the opposition of the inhabitants of the land at that time.

The road to the kingdom is not always smooth and trouble free. The Exodus from Egypt was not, the return from Babylon was not so we should not expect that our journey to the kingdom will be trouble free either.

1:11 When the prophet says 'I called for a drought' he is speaking like Elijah who prayed to God that it might not rain (James 5:17)

2:6  In speaking of the shaking of the heaven and earth Haggai  is reminding the returning exiles of the warning of Isaiah (13:13)

2:6 Here God is referring to the shaking of the Mosaic system as demonstated by the writer to the Hebrews 12. In this chapter we see a contrast between the the two covenants. The old covenant entered into, in the mdst of thunder, darkness and fire, causing fear and trembling (V.18-21). The new covenant founded on better promises offering a better hope because it was established by better sacrifices which speaketh better things than that of Abel (V.24). At Sinai, God had caused the earth to shake, but now he hath promised, saying "yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also the heavens"  V.26

Haggai, whose name means my feast, prophesied in 520 BC.  He urged the Jews of Babylon to complete re-building the temple.  The re-building of the temple had been started earlier, but no work had been done on it for the past 15 years.  During captivity, the Jews had prospered.  Now, they lived in luxuriously paneled houses (paneled with expensive, imported wood) (1:4).  They had taken care of heir own houses but had forgotten to take care of the House of the LORD.  In the midst of prosperity it is easy to forget the LORD.  We must be careful, especially those who live in the prosperous west, not to copy this attitude and neglect the LORD's house (ecclesia).  Under the urging of Haggai, the Jew's conscience was stirred; and through the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua, the temple was completed in 515 BC. 

Haggai looks to the future when Christ will return.  He will put down the opposing nations and establish a rule of peace and righteousness.  A new temple will be established in Jerusalem where all people will come to worship (2:6,7,21,22; Isa 56:7; Eze 40;41;42;43).

Haggai and Zechariah were the two prophets who encouraged the work of rebuilding the Temple, and the city walls of Jerusalem. Probably Malachi then came after them.  The history of the times is therefore in Ezra and Nehemiah. Haggai spoke forcefully, eg Hag 1:4. “Is this the right time to enjoy your warm and comfortable houses, while the House of God lies waste? God says, ‘Consider your ways’.”  The message worked, and the Lord stirred up Zerubbabel (the sort of “mayor” of Jerusalem), and Joshua the High Priest. They then took charge of the work of restoration and rebuilding.

1:10 The comment ‘the heaven over you is stayed from dew’ quotes the curse from Leviticus 26:19. The introduction ‘therefore’ shows that the curse is a consequence of faithless behaviour. Israel agreed that the curses would come upon them if they were faithless. Hence God is fulfilling His word upon them – but they do not see it.

1:5    The recurring – 1:5, 2:15,18– was presented to men and women who had recently returned from Babylon in fulfilment of Scripture. One might have thought they would be filled with enthusiasm. However they needed to be encouraged to think! What about ourselves? We live in exciting times when Israel exists – proof that God is at work. Do we need to consider our ways?

1:2 Just as Amos had done – Amos 4:6-11– Haggai draws upon the curses of Deut 28:38 and Leviticus 26:26 to highlight to the returning Jews that they are not keeping the law of Moses.

Have you ever felt like 1:6: your wages are put into a bag full of holes? I guess we all have. On this occassion God had been actively putting those holes in the bag. Does that happen to us too?

God had caused a remnant of Israel to return from captivity to rebuild His temple. They had been given plenty of money and building materials to do this by King Cyrus. Instead of finishing the temple, had those building materials found their way into their own houses? Verse 8 appears to suggest this: Go to the mountains and fetch wood to build the house, and v4: Why do you dwell in panelled houses?

So if we have been using God's materials to build our own house instead of His house, we can expect a similar situation to this. The call to us is the same as the call of the prophet: "consider your ways" (1:5).

A very bold statement, and a very simple one, but is it true? How can everyone who says they believe in Christ, actually be born of God? A similar statement is made in John 3v15 "that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life". How can it be that simple? Surely there's more to it than that, or else anyone can say the words "I believe in Jesus", and God will have to save them!

But we've made an assumption about the verse. The verse says "whoever believes", not "whoever SAYS they believe". John goes on to say that whoever believes is a son of God. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If you do, you know how you treat them differently to other people? Blood is thicker than water, they say, and what this means is that once the chips are down, family will stick together no matter what. John is saying that if we exhibit this behaviour with the sons and daughters of God, then by implication we will actually be the son or daughter of God ourselves. So John goes on to say "everyone who loves Him who begot (God) also loves him who is begotten of Him (our fellow sons and daughters)."

So what does that have to do with faith, because the statement says "whoever believes Jesus is the Christ, is born of God"?

If you are not born of God, then who are you born of? Verses 18 and 19 give us only one option.... "the wicked one". John says that you are either born of God, or you are still in the family of the "wicked one", along with the rest of the world (v19). Jesus says the same thing when he is trying to get the Pharisees to see sense... "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do". Jesus is saying that if you are in the family of the devil, then you are bound to be doing the things your father does. You can't help it. And what are these things? "there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8v44)

The opposite is true for the sons of God: v20 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is TRUE; and we are in Him who is TRUE, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the TRUE God and eternal life.". John says the same in John 3v21 "he who does THE TRUTH comes to the light". Those who are in the world are also described as being in Adam. Why? Adam tried to deceive God. It is this nature that we inherit, and this nature that we will keep, unless we are born of God through faith.

So finally, to answer the question "what has faith got to do with it?". It is simply this: We cannot tell the truth without faith. If Adam had faith in God's mercy at the beginning, then he would have been able to tell the truth, but he didn't and couldn't. If Cain had faith in God's love, he would have confessed fully to God, but he didn't and he couldn't. Not only is it impossible, but the person without faith will always lie to cover himself up. He does this because he doesn't actually believe that God knows everything. He has nothing to lose. What option does a believer have but to confess to the one before whose sight "all things are naked and open"? This is the conclusion of the whole matter. Faith is the evidence of things unseen (Heb 11v1). With the eyes of faith the believer sees the invisible God, and fears his gaze. With the eyes of faith the believer confesses his sin, knowing it is pointless hiding it. With the eyes of faith the believer looks upon Jesus, the only way he can be saved (John 3v14-15). With the eyes of faith the believer renounces his old birth into the family of Adam, and is reborn into the family of Christ. With the eyes of faith he recognises his new status, and starts to exhibit love to his fellow family members. Whoever has faith that Jesus is the Christ, IS born of God.

(5:5)  When we are so tempted to think that we can ‘overcome’ by our own effort it is most encouraging to realise that what the Father requires of us is belief - like Abraham

5:12 So have we the son? Life, both now and in the kingdom, is driven by knowing Jesus and his Father.

5:1-2 In these two opening verses John brings out three essentials for the believer.

5:9 The ‘witness of men’ is rather like the ‘praise of men’ and it the thing which the flesh loves. However it is the ‘witness (praise) of God’ which we should be seeking.

5:21  The one who brother or sister who is able to ‘keep’ the commandments will, by the very nature of their focus keep themselves from idols.  Idol worship is self seeking. Keeping the commandments is God seeking.