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v21150
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1994-03-02
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21155
#16-22 Job's faith and hope spake, and grace appeared to revive;
but depravity again prevailed. He represents God as carrying
matters to extremity against him. The Lord must prevail against
all who contend with him. God may send disease and pain, we may
lose all comfort in those near and dear to us, every hope of
earthly happiness may be destroyed, but God will receive the
believer into realms of eternal happiness. But what a change
awaits the prosperous unbeliever! How will he answer when God
shall call him to his tribunal? The Lord is yet upon a
mercy-seat, ready to be gracious. Oh that sinners would be wise,
that they would consider their latter end! While man's flesh is
upon him, that is, the body he is so loath to lay down, it shall
have pain; and while his soul is within him, that is, the spirit
he is so loath to resign, it shall mourn. Dying work is hard
work; dying pangs often are sore pangs. It is folly for men to
defer repentance to a death-bed, and to have that to do which is
the one thing needful, when unfit to do anything.
21162
* Eliphaz reproves Job. (1-16) The unquietness of wicked men.
(17-35)
#1-16 Eliphaz begins a second attack upon Job, instead of being
softened by his complaints. He unjustly charges Job with casting
off the fear of God, and all regard to him, and restraining
prayer. See in what religion is summed up, fearing God, and
praying to him; the former the most needful principle, the
latter the most needful practice. Eliphaz charges Job with
self-conceit. He charges him with contempt of the counsels and
comforts given him by his friends. We are apt to think that
which we ourselves say is important, when others, with reason,
think little of it. He charges him with opposition to God.
Eliphaz ought not to have put harsh constructions upon the words
of one well known for piety, and now in temptation. It is plain
that these disputants were deeply convinced of the doctrine of
original sin, and the total depravity of human nature. Shall we
not admire the patience of God in bearing with us? and still
more his love to us in the redemption of Christ Jesus his
beloved Son?
21178
#17-35 Eliphaz maintains that the wicked are certainly
miserable: whence he would infer, that the miserable are
certainly wicked, and therefore Job was so. But because many of
God's people have prospered in this world, it does not therefore
follow that those who are crossed and made poor, as Job, are not
God's people. Eliphaz shows also that wicked people,
particularly oppressors, are subject to continual terror, live
very uncomfortably, and perish very miserably. Will the
prosperity of presumptuous sinners end miserably as here
described? Then let the mischiefs which befall others, be our
warnings. Though no chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised
thereby. No calamity, no trouble, however heavy, however severe,
can rob a follower of the Lord of his favour. What shall
separate him from the love of Christ?
21197
* Job reproves his friends. (1-5) He represents his case as
deplorable. (6-16) Job maintains his innocency. (17-22)
#1-5 Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as unprofitable,
and nothing to the purpose; Job here gives his the same
character. Those who pass censures, must expect to have them
retorted; it is easy, it is endless, but what good does it do?
Angry answers stir up men's passions, but never convince their
judgments, nor set truth in a clear light. What Job says of his
friends is true of all creatures, in comparison with God; one
time or other we shall be made to see and own that miserable
comforters are they all. When under convictions of sin, terrors
of conscience, or the arrests of death, only the blessed Spirit
can comfort effectually; all others, without him, do it
miserably, and to no purpose. Whatever our brethren's sorrows
are, we ought by sympathy to make them our own; they may soon be
so.