You will find true fulfillment by trusting in God’s goodness and drawing near to His presence.
In the book of Job, which is set in the land of Uz somewhere in the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Job is portrayed as a profoundly reverent man who fears God and turns away from evil. Though the text does not specify the exact historical period, many biblical scholars suggest he lived sometime after Noah but prior to Moses, in an era often called “the Age of the Patriarchs.” In Job 22, the speaker Eliphaz gives counsel, urging Job toward an attitude of repentance and trust in God’s goodness. Tucked within this discourse is the promise of restoration that we see in the verse: For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God. (v.26)
To “delight in the Almighty” points to the joy and inner peace that come from renewing fellowship with the Creator. Eliphaz insists that, despite hardships, if Job would humbly realign his life before the Lord, he would experience a profound sense of confidence and gladness in God’s presence. This image of lifting up one’s face is often associated with assurance, reminiscent of other biblical passages where renewed closeness with God brings freedom from shame and fosters genuine hope (as in Psalm 37:4, though not italicized here). In context, the verse underscores a central path of the believer: genuine repentance leading to restored joy and a clear-eyed approach to God.
Job’s narrative later affirms the truth of a faithful life before God, as Job endures tremendous trials while still ultimately recognizing the sovereignty of the Almighty. Even today, the principle stands: as believers renew their devotion, cast off any pride or bitterness, and “delight in the Almighty,” they find that God graciously welcomes them into an intimate, face-to-face relationship.
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Job 22:26 meaning
In the book of Job, which is set in the land of Uz somewhere in the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Job is portrayed as a profoundly reverent man who fears God and turns away from evil. Though the text does not specify the exact historical period, many biblical scholars suggest he lived sometime after Noah but prior to Moses, in an era often called “the Age of the Patriarchs.” In Job 22, the speaker Eliphaz gives counsel, urging Job toward an attitude of repentance and trust in God’s goodness. Tucked within this discourse is the promise of restoration that we see in the verse: For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God. (v.26)
To “delight in the Almighty” points to the joy and inner peace that come from renewing fellowship with the Creator. Eliphaz insists that, despite hardships, if Job would humbly realign his life before the Lord, he would experience a profound sense of confidence and gladness in God’s presence. This image of lifting up one’s face is often associated with assurance, reminiscent of other biblical passages where renewed closeness with God brings freedom from shame and fosters genuine hope (as in Psalm 37:4, though not italicized here). In context, the verse underscores a central path of the believer: genuine repentance leading to restored joy and a clear-eyed approach to God.
Job’s narrative later affirms the truth of a faithful life before God, as Job endures tremendous trials while still ultimately recognizing the sovereignty of the Almighty. Even today, the principle stands: as believers renew their devotion, cast off any pride or bitterness, and “delight in the Almighty,” they find that God graciously welcomes them into an intimate, face-to-face relationship.