Knowing Is Not Enough (2)
Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Job 22:21
Eliphaz is trying to tell Job what he needed to do. He wants Job to repent and be reconciled to God, to submit to Him, as opposed to questioning and accusing Him, and to be at peace with Him. Much of verses 21 through 30 is full of truth unless one takes from it a works approach as the way to find favor with God. While most of the advice is good, Eliphaz is giving it to the wrong person.
Have you ever been reading along in Scripture and suddenly a word or a verse jumps out at you. It is the word translated “acquaint” in the King James. It is interesting word and is translated “submit” and “yield” in other translations. The Hebrew word is a primitive root actually meaning to “be familiar with,” to “get along well with,” or to “minister to, be serviceable to” or even “to be of use.” Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910), ministered in Manchester, England. He wrote about “Knowledge and Peace,” indicating that peace comes from an acquaintance with God.
This fit so well with last week’s devotional indicating that knowledge was not enough. We gain knowledge in the reading and hearing of God’s Word, but there is a greater, more intimate knowledge that comes as the Holy Spirit of God applies His Word in our lives. It is an intimate acquaintance with our Lord. We should not miss the King James translation of that first word in Job 22:21. The more familiar you become with the Word of God, the more familiar you will become with its author. You actually begin to recognize that He is revealing Himself to you, which gives you a greater desire to be in His Word. Then you find yourself trusting Him more and resting in the incredible promises He gives to you in His Word. The text states, and be at peace, and that is exactly what takes place as you experience that intimate relationship with God through His Word to you. The whole world can be exploding around you and it does not matter because all is well between you and the Lord.
It may well be that Job was far more familiar with God than was Eliphaz and at the end of his difficult ordeal, he became even more familiar with Him. His knowledge of God increased, not just head knowledge but experiential knowledge. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee (Job 42:5). This is the knowledge that the Apostle Paul sought in Philippians 3:10. That I may KNOW HIM, and the power of His resurrection, and the FELLOWSHIP of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. This is a knowledge of experience that results in the peace of God that goes far beyond understanding and reveals within your heart that all is well between you and God (Philippians 4:7).
Are you experiencing that kind of peace today? Read Ephesians 2:14-18 and then praise God for the access we have to Him through His Spirit. Jesus said: These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.