Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
Job 22:2-3
Eliphaz could be no more wrong about God. And this time the reader of Job can easily see where Eliphaz has an erroneous theology of the relationship God has with us. The dry legalism of Eliphaz has no room for delight. He cannot fathom that God can delight in His people. Yet from the opening scenes of Job we find that God is pleased with His servant Job. He considers Job to be exceptional. There is no one else like Job in God's sight. Job is blameless and upright (Job 1:8) and that is God's evaluation of Job, not Job's evaluation of himself.
God was pleased with Job's faithfulness. Yet Eliphaz has a theology so stern that there is no emotion in God's heart. He could not conceive of a God Who delights in His children. This zero sum kind of relationship with God may have made Eliphaz fear God. But it did not help him to walk before Him in truth. It should be noted that Eliphaz did not have his name come up before God's throne when the Almighty was sparring with Satan over the righteousness and uprightness of human beings.
God delights in us as we delight in Him. We gain pleasure in our walk with God and serve Him. And He enjoys our relationship as well. There is a mutual joy. God delights in us. What parent does not delight in their own child? In Christ, we are God's children! This is a wonderful thing in which is much joy... for us... and for God!
O God in Whom my soul rejoices!
Be my delight. And may my soul's joy always be that I am a sinner mercifully saved by Your grace. In Your Son are all the riches of life. And in You is all my hope. You delight in me as Your child, not by my righteous merits, but by the uprightness worked within my heart by Your Son. And in Him I am Yours. May I live to please You and bring to your Father's heart... great joy!
Amen
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