Job 24:22

The poor are robbed of their very clothes. They work hungry among the sheaves. At the oil press and in the vineyard they are kept from sharing. The oppressed groan in the city — and God takes no notice of it! It is a terrible picture of facts far too well known to them — and to us. How can Eliphaz make such facts fit his theory that evil is always punished in this life? But, oh, how can God close His eyes to these things, and afflict a faithful man instead of these wrongdoers? This is Job's great trouble, and for this he has found no solution.

God seems to be on the side of the ungodly. He preserves them by His almighty power when they might have been struck down: "He preserves the mighty by His strength; such a one rises again, though he despaired of life" (v. 22). How often have we seen the ungodly brought low in sickness and then raised up almost from the grave. We know it is the goodness of God that would lead them to repentance, but in Job's disordered view it seemed to be an indication of favour from God.

He thought that God used His power to draw the mighty evildoers away from the crowd, so that no man was sure of life (v. 22). "He gives them (the wicked) security, and they rely on it; yet His eyes are on their ways" (v. 23). Job knew this was true, that God perceived all they were doing, yet continued to protect them from harm.

Job did not doubt that everything was under the eye of God. As yet His hand is not on the world, yet death comes in to cut off the highest when they least expect it. He is sure that no one can contradict his estimate.

"They are exalted for a little while, then they are gone. They are brought low; they are taken out of the way like all others; they dry out like the heads of grain" (v. 24). At least Job recognised that the wicked were lifted high only for a little while. Then they were brought low and taken away, "like all others" — they shared the same end as those who were not wicked. If we consider this life only, then certainly everything is out of balance and frustrating. But all God's accounts are not settled on this side of the grave.

Now Job faces this question — how is it, if the times are so bad, that the day of retribution does not come? We do not see it. It is coming; it awaits the only One who can perfectly deal with evil.

The Father has committed all judgment to the Son, because He is the Son of man. As the Son of man, men hated Him. They denied His Deity, and they counted Him a companion of wicked people.

Job makes it clear that everything now is out of its normal order. You cannot judge God's feeling about a man by his prosperity here below. The righteous are often far more tried, and that is no proof of anything wrong on their part. On the contrary, it is God putting them to the test, to show that they really are His. So a submissive heart is what we are all called to under trial, and perfect confidence in God.