Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v21350

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 5KB | 93 lines

21352
 #5-14 Eliphaz brought heavy charges against Job, without reason
 for his accusations, except that Job was visited as he supposed
 God always visited every wicked man. He charges him with
 oppression, and that he did harm with his wealth and power in
 the time of his prosperity.

21362
 #15-20 Eliphaz would have Job mark the old way that wicked men
 have trodden, and see what the end of their way was. It is good
 for us to mark it, that we may not walk therein. But if others
 are consumed, and we are not, instead of blaming them, and
 lifting up ourselves, as Eliphaz does here, we ought to be
 thankful to God, and take it for a warning.

21368
 #21-30 The answer of Eliphaz wrongly implied that Job had
 hitherto not known God, and that prosperity in this life would
 follow his sincere conversion. The counsel Eliphaz here gives is
 good, though, as to Job, it was built upon a false supposition
 that he was a stranger and enemy to God. Let us beware of
 slandering our brethren; and if it be our lot to suffer in this
 manner, let us remember how Job was treated; yea, how Jesus was
 reviled, that we may be patient. Let us examine whether there
 may not be some colour for the slander, and walk watchfully, so
 as to be clear of all appearances of evil.
21378
 * Job complains that God has withdrawn. (1-7) He asserts his own
 integrity. (8-12) The Divine terrors. (13-17)

 #1-7 Job appeals from his friends to the just judgement of God.
 He wants to have his cause tried quickly. Blessed be God, we may
 know where to find him. He is in Christ, reconciling the world
 unto himself; and upon a mercy-seat, waiting to be gracious.
 Thither the sinner may go; and there the believer may order his
 cause before Him, with arguments taken from his promises, his
 covenant, and his glory. A patient waiting for death and
 judgment is our wisdom and duty, and it cannot be without a holy
 fear and trembling. A passionate wishing for death or judgement
 is our sin and folly, and ill becomes us, as it did Job.

21385
 #8-12 Job knew that the Lord was every where present; but his
 mind was in such confusion, that he could get no fixed view of
 God's merciful presence, so as to find comfort by spreading his
 case before him. His views were all gloomy. God seemed to stand
 at a distance, and frown upon him. Yet Job expressed his
 assurance that he should be brought forth, tried, and approved,
 for he had obeyed the precepts of God. He had relished and
 delighted in the truths and commandments of God. Here we should
 notice that Job justified himself rather than God, or in
 opposition to him, ch. #32:2|. Job might feel that he was clear
 from the charges of his friends, but boldly to assert that,
 though visited by the hand of God, it was not a chastisement of
 sin, was his error. And he is guilty of a second, when he denies
 that there are dealings of Providence with men in this present
 life, wherein the injured find redress, and the evil are visited
 for their sins.

21390
 #13-17 As Job does not once question but that his trials are
 from the hand of God, and that there is no such thing as chance,
 how does he account for them? The principle on which he views
 them is, that the hope and reward of the faithful servants of
 God are only laid up in another life; and he maintains that it
 is plain to all, that the wicked are not treated according to
 their deserts in this life, but often directly the reverse. But
 though the obtaining of mercy, the first-fruits of the Spirit of
 grace, pledges a God, who will certainly finish the work which
 he has began; yet the afflicted believer is not to conclude that
 all prayer and entreaty will be in vain, and that he should sink
 into despair, and faint when he is reproved of Him. He cannot
 tell but the intention of God in afflicting him may be to
 produce penitence and prayer in his heart. May we learn to obey
 and trust the Lord, even in tribulation; to live or die as he
 pleases: we know not for what good ends our lives may be
 shortened or prolonged.
21395
 * Wickedness often unpunished. (1-12) The wicked shun the light.
 (13-17) Judgements for the wicked. (18-25)

 #1-12 Job discourses further about the prosperity of the wicked.
 That many live at ease who are ungodly and profane, he had
 showed, ch. xxi. Here he shows that many who live in open
 defiance of all the laws of justice, succeed in wicked
 practices; and we do not see them reckoned with in this world.
 He notices those that do wrong under pretence of law and
 authority; and robbers, those that do wrong by force. He says,
 "God layeth not folly to them;" that is, he does not at once
 send his judgments, nor make them examples, and so manifest
 their folly to all the world. But he that gets riches, and not
 by right, at his end shall be a fool, #Jer 17:11|.