For those of you that keep up with my three year study of Job, we finally come to the conclusion.
Though Job’s patience had not its perfect work, his repentance for his impatience had. He is thoroughly humbled for his folly and unadvised speaking, and it was forgiven him. Good men will see and own their faults at last, though it may be some difficulty to bring them to do this.
Although G-d did not choose to tell Job the reason for his suffering, He did give him a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13), that way of escape was to recognize and reaffirm G-d’s right, as Creator, to do what He wills with His creatures (Gen. 18:25), whether our time-bound minds can understand His ways or not.
After the tremendous revelation he received of the glory of the L-rd, of His great creation, and of His loving care for His creation, Job no longer thought of his own problems. No longer did he plead for an understanding of his sufferings, or even seek relief from them. He had seen and heard the L-rd, and nothing else was of any consequence. So he had only this response humbly acknowledged G-d and confess his own impotence and ignorance.
Whenever and however the infinite Father has manifested Himself to human eyes or ears, it has been in the person of the Son, whose ministry it is to declare the Father to His creatures. Thus Job actually saw his redeemer, his Daysman, while still in his suffering body.
It concerns us to be deeply humbled for the sins we are convinced of, and not to rest in a slight superficial displeasure against ourselves for them by the afflicted in soul; for the workings and breakings out of pride, passion, peevishness, and discontent, and all their hasty unadvised speeches; for these we must be pricked to the heart till the enemy is effectually humbled, the peace will be insecure.
Judgment given against Job's three friends, upon the controversy between them and Job are finally coming to light. Elihu is not censured here, for he distinguished himself from the rest in the management of the dispute, and acted, not as a party, but as a moderator; and moderation will have its praise with G-d, whether it have with men or no. In the judgment Job is magnified and his three friends are mortified. While examining the discourses on both sides one can not separate, and determine, who was in the right; something of truth they both had on their side, lest we should have determined wrong. But it is well that the judgment is the L-rd's, and we are sure that His judgment is according to truth; to it we will refer ourselves, and by it we will abide.
When Job prayed forgiving them for their grievous slanders, notice that mercy did not return when he was disputing with his friends, no, not though he had right on his side, but when he was praying for them; for G-d is better served and pleased with our warm devotions than with our warm disputations. When Job completed his repentance by this instance of his forgiving men their trespasses, then G-d completed his remission by turning his captivity.
The Father not only healed and fully restored Job’s dying body so he could live to 140 fruitful years; whence some conjecture that he was 70 when he was in his troubles, and that so his age was doubled, as his other possessions.
The L-rd comforted him now according to the days wherein he had afflicted him, and blessed his latter end more than his beginning. The extraordinary prosperity which Job was crowned with after his afflictions was intended to be to us Christians a type and figure of the glory and happiness of heaven, which the afflictions of this present time are working for us, and in which they will issue at last; this will be more than double to all the delights and satisfactions we now enjoy.
After his restoration he eventually had another seven sons and three daughters making a total of twenty children, all evidently faithful to G-d. How many parents can say that?
The names of his daughters are here registered, because, in the significations of them, they seemed designed to perpetuate the remembrance of G-d's great goodness to him in the surprising change of his condition.
1. He called the first Jemima--The day because of the shining forth of his prosperity after a dark night of affliction.
2. The next Kezia, a spice of a very fragrant smell, because G-d had healed his ulcers, the smell of which was offensive.
3. The third Keren-happuch (that is Plenty restored, or A horn of paint), because (says he) G-d had wiped away the tears which fouled his face.
Concerning these daughters we are here told:
1. That G-d adorned them with great beauty.
2. That he supplied them with great fortunes, made them co-heirs with their brethren.
His total age was probably 140 years or so being capped off with a long period of peace, prosperity, and honor.
The purpose underlying the book of Job seems to be twofold:
1. Directed heavenward, it was a marvelous testimony - not only to satan but also to the entire hose of heaven - of the glorious effectiveness of G-d’s great plan
2. The other earthward - dealt with G-d’s great creation and His providential care over it. G-d indicated the need for a much stronger emphasis to keep the still-believing remnant from drifting into pagan evolutionism.
The need for a worldwide revival of the doctrine of real creation and a personal Creator G-d is great and is more vital now than ever before.
With G-d’s detailed reminder of how he cares for His creation, especially the animal, there is also a gentle rebuke to Job for thinking that G-d might have forgotten him! Therefore, His central message to Job, and to us, is not an explanation of why the righteous suffer, but rather a call to sound belief in creation and an emphasis on our stewardship over that creation, under G-d.
Afflictions that come our way can then be placed in proper context. We belong to Him, both by creation and by redemption, and He has the right to do with us whatever He will. We can trust Him, no matter what comes our way in this life, knowing that in the balances of eternity the Judge of all the earth will do right.
Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts
Leviathan
In the Hebrew it is clearly a general term for a large sea creature that live in the ocean. It may be a living animal or a composite mythical creature. The context will usually determine the meaning. As the behemoth was the greatest terrestrial animal, the leviathan was the greatest aquatic animal that seems to be extant also, although reports continue to persist of great sea serpents and plesiosaur-like animals in oceans and deep lakes around the world.The Hebrew levi ten signifies the coupled dragon; but what this is we know not. The leviathan is specifically identified as a dragon in one biblical text, where it is call leviathan….the dragon that is in the sea in Isa. 27:1. "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish the leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
The large size, strong jaws, great teeth, fast swimming ability and its protected back and underside all give clues. It could have been a Kronosaurus (KRON-oh-SOR-us) or something like it. This was one of the greatest, most overwhelming animals ever to swim the seas. The skull itself has one was 9 feet long, the paddles were 10 feet long. And unlike behemoth, who is huge, Leviathan is ferocious and terrifying.
Behemoth and Leviathan are relatively specific creatures, perhaps each was a single kind of animal. Tanniyn is a more general term, and it can be thought of as the original version of the word “dinosaur.” The word “dinosaur” was originally coined in 1841, more than three thousand years after the Bible first referred to “Tanniyn.” To make things clearer, we constructed the following table comparing the scientific names with the Biblical names tanniyn, behemoth, and Leviathan.
“Dinosaur” Names, Then and Now
Name and date first written in the Bible Scientific Name (best estimate) and date the name appeared
tanniyn (dragon) before 1400 BC dinosaur 1841 AD
behemoth before 1400 BC brachiosaurus 1903 AD
Leviathan before 1400 BC kronosaurus 1901 AD
When G-d is speaking about Leviathan in the sea He is speaking about the enemy nations of Israel in the World. The sea is a picture of the "Sea of humanity" the world. Ships are prophetic of merchants and business. the sea is a picture of the "Sea of humanity" the world. Ships are prophetic of merchants and business.
Ps. 104:25-26 "This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. There the ships sail about; there is the Leviathan which you have made to play there.”
In other ancient literature the Book of Enoch says, "On that day, two monsters will be parted 'one monster, a female named Leviathan, in order to dwell in the abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and (the other), a male called Behemoth, which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of Eden" (I Ethiopic Enoch 60:7-8.
In the targums and Rabbinic literature; G-d castrated the male and killed the female preserving her in the salt water for the righteous to eat in the world to come.
Ps. 74:14: "Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.”
Here leviathan has more than one head in the Hebrew. In Ugaritic it is clear that leviathan (ltn) had seven heads. Could the idea of a many headed sea monster come from seeing a giant octopus, and assuming the tentacles were heads. It seems that the word "leviathan" is a general term for any large sea animal. In Job 41 it clearly has one head, but in Psalm 74 it has many heads, probably a giant squid. In the Book of Rev. 13:1 the beast arising from the sea has seven heads. The names of this beast heads are are found in Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that deviseth wicked purposes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that uttereth lies and he that soweth discord among brethren.
We call the leviathan a dinosaur and the ancient people called it a dragon, either way it symbolized satan, who is a king over all the children of pride.
Such a statement could not be true of any animal, but it could be true of Satan and literally applicable only to Satan who could possess the leviathan’s body, just as he did once use the serpent’s body in the Garden of Eden. All the emblematical of Satan: "He lifts his proud look to G-d, and aspires to the high heavens; and is king over all the sons of pride." He is, in effect, the governor of every proud, haughty, impious man. What a king! What laws! What subjects!
The leviathan and the behemoth symbolized the great power and pride of the wicked one, Satan which is more evident in this case than for behemoth. Some of the divine references to leviathan could not literally apply to any animal, even this one but they could apply ultimately to Satan, and to him alone. Seem that we alternately read about a powerful animal and a more powerful malevolent spirit, as though G-d were describing both leviathan and Satan intermittently but in the same context.
The defensive weapons which men use when they engage with the leviathan, as the habergeon, or breast-plate, often serve men no more than their offensive weapons; iron and brass are to him as straw and rotten wood, and he laughs at them. It is the picture of a hard-hearted sinner that despises the terrors of the Almighty and laughs at all the threatening of His Word.
Children of pride - Men are intended by the sons of pride; and that it is with the design to abate their pride, and confound them in the high notions they have of their own importance that G-d produces and describes an animal of which they are all afraid, and whom none of them can conquer.
To humble the pride of man and to teach implicit submission, is the aim of the Father's speech and of the book; therefore with this as to leviathan, the type of G-d in His lordship over creation. He can tame both the behemoth and leviathan, as strong and stout-hearted as they are. This discourse concerning them was brought in, to prove that it is G-d only, who can look upon proud men and abase them, bring them low, and hide them in the dust, He it is that behold all high things, and wherein men dealt proudly, he is above them. Over all the children of pride, brutal or rational, and makes them either bend or break before him.
The description is extremely dignified; and was we sure of the animal, I have no doubt we should find it in every instance correct.
But after all that has been said, we have yet to learn what leviathan is!
Behemoth
Is the Mammoth the behemoth?The name “behemoth” does not identify this animal, because the Hebrew word behemoth, as now commonly used, does not designate any specific animal but simply signifies “gigantic beast”.
The mammoth, for size, will answer the description “He is the chief of the ways of G-d”.
We may judge sizes: elephants are frequently ten and eleven feet high; this will make the mammoth at least twenty-five or twenty-six feet high; and as it appears to have been a many-toed animal, the springs which such a creature could make must have been almost incredible: nothing by swiftness could have escaped its pursuit.
This mammoth species is believed to have live 150,000 years ago and disappeared from most of its range 10,000 years ago, reaching a height of 4.9 m or 16 ft at the shoulder.. Woolly mammoths had extremely long tusks — up to 5 m or 16 ft long,
Job 40:17 Tail like a cedar – As the tempest bends the cedar, so it can move its smooth thick tail. To which it is compared, not for the length and largeness of it; but because of the smoothness, roundness, thickness, and firmness of it; the cedar implies straightness and length, stiff and strong.
His nose piercea through snares - the nose here meaning the proboscis, with which he can split trees, or even tear them up from the roots!
Though on the ark during the flood, this animal is now extinct and now found only as fossils, due to earth’s more rigorous climate and vastly depleted resources after the flood.
G-d seems to have made it as the proof of His power; and had it been prolific, and not become extinct, it would have depopulated the earth.
But the destruction of the Mammoths of the past is a type and prophecy of the final destruction of Satan in the future.
G-d was announcing His victory over Satan, both in the cosmic wager concerning Job and in the age-long spiritual conflict that would continue for another 5000 years.
Thus ends the description of the behemoth; what I suppose to be the mammoth, or some creature of this kind, that G-d made as the chief of His works, exhibited in various countries for a time, cut them off from the earth, but by His providence preserved many of their skeletons, that succeeding ages might behold the mighty power which produced this chief of the ways of G-d, and admire the providence that rendered that race extinct which would otherwise, in all probability, have extinguished every other race of animals!
The behemoth perhaps is intended (as well as the leviathan afterwards) to represent those proud tyrants and oppressors whom G-d had just now challenged Job to abase and bring down. They think themselves as well fortified against the judgments of G-d as the Mammoth with his bones of brass and iron; but He that made the soul of man knows all the avenues to it, and can make the sword of justice, His wrath, to approach to it, and touch it in the most tender and sensible part. He that framed the engine, and put the parts of it together, knows how to take it in pieces. Woe to him therefore that strives with his Maker, for He that made him has therefore power to make him miserable, and will not make him happy unless he will be ruled by Him.
Animals/Man
Characteristics Animals/Man
We would do well to learn from the lesser species.
Job 39, G-d shows man's ignorance of the animal creation; the meaning of His questions is, to know the circumstances, which have something peculiarly expressive of His providence, and make the questions proper in this place.
Wild goats - mountain goat, called yael. There is no cliff of the mountains so high, or steep, but this animal will mount it in a number of leaps, provided only it is rough, and have knob large enough to receive its hoofs in leaping. This animal is native to Arabia, is of amazing strength and agility, and considerably larger than the common goat. Its horns are very long, and often bend back over the whole body of the animal; and it is said to throw itself from the tops of rocks or towers, and light upon its horns, without receiving any damage. It goes five months with young, they conceive in November, and bring forth in March.
Do you feel like a wild goat and there is no mountain high enough that you can not climb?
Do you have the horn of G-d for strength and agility, taking leaps without being harmed?
Hind - is the female of the stag, or and goes eight months with young, they conceive in September and they bring forth in April. They live to thirty-five or forty years.
It is intimated (Ps. 29:9) that G-d by thunder helps the hinds in calving. There is an herb called "seselis", which it is said they feed upon before birth, to make it the easier; as well as they use that, and another called "aros", after the birth, to ease them of their later pains.
Afterbirth, or umbilical cord, they eat, and it is supposed to be medical to them.
Though they bring forth their young with a great deal of difficulty and sorrow, and have no assistance from man, yet, by the good providence of G-d, their young ones are safely produced, and their sorrows cast out and forgotten.
After the fawns have sucked for some time, the dam leads them to the pastures, where they feed on different kinds of herbage; but not on corn, for they are not born before harvest-time in Arabia and Palestine, and the stag does not feed on corn, but on grass, moss, and the shoots of the fir, beech, and other trees: therefore the word bar, here translated corn, should be translated the open field or country, and are no more burdensome to Hinds.
This is an example to children, when they have grown up, not to be always hanging upon their parents and craving from them, but to put forth themselves to get their own livelihood and to being able to provide for themselves.
Have you cut the biblical cord and making your own way or running back to your parents for reassurance?
Wild Ass - untamable and they differ from tame asses only in their independence and liberty, and in their being stronger and more nimble: but in their shape they are the same.
He has given a nature to unbounded liberty, and therefore an allowance for it. Freedom from service, and liberty to range at pleasure, are but the privileges of a wild ass.
It is a pity that any of the children of men should covet such a liberty, or value themselves on it. It is better to labour and be good for something than ramble and be good for nothing.
The tame ass is bound to labour; the wild ass has no bonds on him. Man can rob animals of freedom, but not, as G-d, give freedom, combined with subordination to fixed Laws.
The tame ass, that labors, and is serviceable to man, has his master's crib to go to both for shelter and food, and lives in a fruitful land: but the wild ass, that will have his liberty, must have it in a barren land. He snuff up the wind at his pleasure, as the wild ass is said to do (Jer. 2:24), as if he had to live upon the air, for it is the barren land that is his dwelling.
He that will not labour let him not eat.
Who hath given him this disposition that he loves freedom, and hates that subjection which other creatures quietly endure?
Have you laughed being determined not to be brought to receive your yoke, or to do your work?
Unicorn – The Hebrew word translated unicorn in this and other passages is believed by most Hebrew scholars to refer to the huge and fierce rhinoceros, which has the latter name from the horn that grows on his nose. The rhinoceros is known by the name of reim in Arabia to the present day. He is allowed to be a savage animal, showing nothing of the intellect of the elephant. His horn enables him to combat the latter with great success; for, by putting his nose under the elephant's belly, he can rip him up. His skin is like amour, and so very hard as to resist sabers, javelins, lances, and even musket-balls; the only penetrable parts being the belly, the eyes, and about the ears.
He is able to serve, but not willing; and G-d here challenges Job to force him to it. Job expected every thing should be just as he would have it. "Since thou dost pretend" (says G-d) "to bring every thing beneath your sway, begin with the unicorn, and try your skill upon him. Now that your oxen and asses are all gone, try whether he will be willing to serve you in their stead and whether he will be content with the provision you used to make for them.
You can’t tame him, nor bind him with his band, nor set him to draw the harrow. There are creatures that are willing to serve man, that seem to take a pleasure in serving him, and to have a love for their masters; but there are such as will never be brought to serve him, which is the effect of sin. Man has revolted from his subjection to his Maker, and is therefore justly punished with the revolt of the inferior creatures from their subjection to him; and yet, as an instance of G-d's good-will to man, there are some that are still serviceable to him. Though the wild unicorn will not serve him, nor submit to his hand in the furrows, yet other animals that are not of a wild nature, in which man may have a property, for which he provides, and to whose service he is entitled.
Peacock – is an emblem of pride; when he struts, and shows his fine feathers, they spend a great deal of time preening. The plumes of the peacock look multicolored but are actually brown. The plums are made of kertain, the same material found in human fingernails. The color is created by microscopic melanin reflective rods in the tiny barbules that line each of the feather’s barbs. Slight differences in the spacing and layering of the melanin rods in the keratin causes different colors to be reflected. Melanin is the substance that causes darkness in human skin. The process is somewhat similar to the way water droplets create rainbows.
Peacocks are social birds who prefer to sleep and move around in a group generally stay in one area as long as they have a reliable source of food and a tree to roost in. If any members of the group senses a theat it lets out an alarm call that alerts the others. Male peacocks make a strange whooping noise that has been described as resembling a half-human, half baboon.
Males use their spectactularly colored plumage in elaborate courtship displaysby raise and fan out their tail feathers. They may beat their small wings behind the fan and strut around, this way and that and let out loud scream. The most desirable ones in the eyes of the females can preside over harems of three to five peahens. It is not entirely clear what attracts the females the most: size, sheen, or color. Females seem to prefer males with elaborate, heavily spotted trains and loud calls. Young males with less developed trains and softer calls generally don’t attract a mate.
Should we repine if we see others wear better clothes than we can afford to wear?
Who are we courting, our flesh or our spirit?
G-d gives His gifts variously, and those gifts are not always the most valuable that make the finest show.
Who would not rather have the voice of the nightingale than the tail of the peacock?
Ostrich – literally, "the crying bird"; as the Arab name for it means "song"; referring to its night cries (30:29; Micah 1:8) vibrating joyously. The vibrating, quivering wing, serving for sail and oar at once, is characteristic of the ostrich in full course. Feathers for running; she cannot mount in the air, lashes herself" up to her course by flapping her wings, proudly "lifting up herself." Caring of herself, she leaves her eggs in danger, but, if she herself be in danger, no creature shall strive more to get out of the way of it than the ostrich. Then she lifts up her wings on high (the strength of which then stands her in better stead than their beauty), and, with the help of them, runs so fast that a horseman at full speed cannot overtake her. At first they went a pretty high trot; and, when they were heated a little, they expanded their wings, as if it were to catch the wind, and they moved with such fleetness as to seem to be off the ground. Tamed they can be mounted.
She scorns the horse and his rider. Those that are least under the law of natural affection often contend most for the law of self-preservation. Let not the rider be proud of the swiftness of his horse when such an animal as the ostrich shall out-run him.
She has goodly feathers, and yet is a foolish bird; for wisdom does not always go along with beauty and fun.
How she exposes her eggs; she does not retire to some private place, and make a nest there, as the sparrows and swallows do (Ps. 84:3), and there lay eggs and hatch her young. But lays her eggs with great care and hatches them, as other birds do; but in hot countries the eggs do not need so constant incubation; she therefore often leaves them and sometimes forgets the place on her return. Moreover, the outer eggs, intended for food, she feeds to her young. If the sand and the sun will hatch them, well and good; they may for her, for she will not warm them. These eggs, lying separate in the sand, exposed to the sun, gave rise to the idea of her altogether leaving them. She takes no care to preserve them, G-d, by a special providence cares for the neglected eggs.
Because she is not guided by natural instinct in providing for the preservation of their young, to be hardened against any is unnamable, even in a brute-creature, much more in a rational creature that boasts of humanity. Especially to be hardened against young ones, that cannot help themselves and therefore merit compassion, that gives no provocation and therefore merit no hard usage.
Carelessness of her young, it is well that this is peculiar to herself, for it is a very bad character. It is worst of all for her to be hardened against her own young ones, as though they were not hers, whereas really they are parts of herself. In laying her eggs is in vain and all lost, because she has not that fear and tender concern for them that she should have.
Those are most likely to lose their labour that is least in fear of losing it.
This intimates that the art which other animals have to nourish and preserve their young is G-d's gift. The Arab proverb is, "foolish as an ostrich." Yet her very seeming want of wisdom is not without wise design of G-d, though man cannot see it; just as in the trials of the godly, which seem so unreasonable to Job, there lies hid a wise design.
The folly of the ostrich, as well as by the wisdom of the ant, we may learn to be wise; As careless as the ostrich is of her eggs so careless many people are of their own souls; they make no provision for them, no proper nest in which they may be safe, leave them exposed to Satan and his temptations, which is a certain evidence that they are deprived of wisdom.
So careless are many parents of their children; some of their bodies, not providing for their own house, their own bowels, and therefore worse than infidels, and as bad as the ostrich; but many more are thus careless of their children's souls, take no care of their education, send them abroad into the world untaught, unarmed, forgetting what corruption there is in the world through lust, which will certainly crush them. Thus their labour in rearing them comes to be in vain; it were better for their country that they had never been born.
So careless are too many ministers of their people, with whom they should reside; but they leave them in the earth, and forget how busy Satan is to sow tares while men sleep. They overlook those whom they should oversee, and are really hardened against them.
Horse – is one of the most timid of animals; and this may be at once accounted for from his small quantity of brain. Perhaps there is no animal of his size that has so little. He acquires courage only from discipline. The capacity to receive discipline and instruction is as great a display of the wisdom of G-d as the formation of the bodies of the largest, smallest, or most complex creation is of His power.
How much discipline do you practice?
Horses that are prepared against the day of battle and is serviceable to man at a time when he has more than ordinary occasion for his service, they are not always mentioned in counting one’s stock, for cattle use in husbandry was valued more than those for state and war, which alone horses were then reserved for. They were not then put to such mean services as with us they are commonly put to, for running, drawing, and carrying, no creature that is ordinarily in the service of man has so much strength as the horse has.
They have strength of body plus fortitude and courage, do we possess these qualities? Will we go the distance and face the battles head on?
Clothed - a fine large mane to a horse makes him alarming and is a great ornament and recommendation.
With thunder - A strong metaphor, to denote force and terror, signify such a tremor as thunder makes, from whence that has its name; and it may be observed that between the neck and shoulder bone of an horse there is a tremulous and quavering motion; and which is more intense in battle, not from any fearfulness of it, but rather through eagerness to engage in it. In his training for battle a pair of drums, something like our kettle drums, hanging on each side of the animal's neck, and beaten, by a person on the saddle, with two plectrums or drumsticks; the neck itself being literally clothed with the drums and the housings on which they are fixed and by proper discipline it can bear those thundering sounds, which at first would have scared it to the uttermost of distraction?]
Afraid – There is a twofold beauty in this expression, which not only marks the courage of this beast, by asking if he can be scared; but likewise raises a noble image of his swiftness, by insinuating that, if he could be frightened, he would bound away with the nimbleness of a grasshopper.
Grasshopper - is frightened at every noise, and at any approach of men
It is a mercy to man to have such a servant, which, though very strong, submits to the management of a child, and rebels not against his owner.
Glory of his nostrils - which may be understood of his sneezing, snorting, pawing, and neighing, flings up his head, when his nostrils are broad, spread, and enlarged; and especially when enraged and in battle, when he foams and fumes, and throws foam about, and his breath comes out of his nostrils like smoke, and is very terrible.
Paws – with pride, how wonderfully are the brute-creatures fitted for and inclined to the services for which they were designed.
Valley - Where armies are usually pitched and set in battle army, and especially the cavalry, for which the valley is most convenient; and here the horse is impatient of engaging, cannot stand still, but rises up with his fore feet and paws and prances, and, as the word signifies, digs the earth and makes it hollow, by a continual striking upon it; so generally horses are commonly described in this manner.
Rejoiceth in his strength - of which he is sensible, and glories in it; marches to the battle with pride and stateliness, defying, as it were, the enemy, and as if sure of victory, of which he has knowledge when obtained; of horses, when conquerors they exult, when conquered they grieve; it has its name in the Hebrew language from rejoicing.
Armed men - animated, not by the goodness of the cause, or the prospect of honour, but only by the sound of the trumpet, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting of the soldiers, which are as bellows to the fire of his innate courage, and make him spring forward with the utmost eagerness.
[Mocketh at fear - fearless he is, how he despises death and the most threatening dangers, at those things which cause fear and fright to men; as arms, though ever so terrible, and armies, though never so numerous.
Neither turns back – the naked sword, when it is drawn against him, and ready to be thrust into him; the horse being so bold and courageous was with the Egyptians a symbol of courage and boldness.
Quiver rattles – The quiver is what arrows are put into and carried in, and seems here to be put for arrows, which being shot by the enemy come whizzing about him, but do not intimidate him.
Glittering - Now firm the managed war-horse keeps his ground, nor breaks his order though the trumpet sounds! With fearless eye the glittering host surveys, And glares directly at the helmet's blaze. The master's word, the laws of war, he knows; and when to stop, and when to charge the foes.
Spear and shield - The Persians training their horses and getting them used to noises, that in battle they might not be frightened at the clashing of arms, of swords and shields against each other; in like manner as our war horses are trained, not to start at the firing of a gun, or the explosion of a cannon.
So rattle the quiver, brandish the spear, to drive him back, he will not retreat, but press forward and even inspires courage into his rider.
Swallows the ground - He curvets and prances, and runs on with so much violence and heat against the enemy that one would think he even swallowed the ground with fierceness and rage.
Sound of the trumpet - "he will not stand still at the noise of the trumpet"; and the word signifies firm and stable, as well as to believe; when he hears the trumpet sound, the alarm of war, as a preparation for the battle, he knows not how to stand; there is scarce any holding him in, but he rushes into the battle at once, (Jer. 8:6).
Notice how we try to avoid battles well he meets them head on.
Ha, Ha - signifies by neighing; high mettle is the praise of a horse rather than of a man, whom fierceness and rage ill become.
Smelleth the battle afar off - which respects not so much the distance of place as of time; he perceives beforehand that it is near, by the preparations making for it, and particularly by what follows. Horses, they presage a fight, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting; they understand an engagement is just about to start by the loud and thundering voice of the captains, exhorting and spiraling up their men, and giving them the word of command; and by the clamorous shout of the soldiers echoing to the speech of their captains; and which are given forth upon an onset, both to animate one another, and intimidate the enemy.
This description of the war-horse will help to explain that character which is given of presumptuous sinners, in Jer. 8:6. “Every one turneth to his course, as the horse rushed into the battle.” When a man's heart is fully set in him to do evil, and he is carried on in a wicked way by the violence of inordinate appetites and passions, there is no making him afraid of the wrath of G-d and the fatal consequences of sin. Let his own conscience set before him the curse of the Law, the death that is the wages of sin, and all the terrors of the Almighty in battle-array; he mocks at this fear, and is not affrighted, neither turns he back from the flaming sword of the cherubim.
Let ministers lift up their voice like a trumpet, to proclaim the wrath of
G-d against him, he believes not that it is the sound of the trumpet, nor that G-d and His heralds are in earnest with him; but what will be in the end hereof it is easy to foresee.]
Hawk – The birds of the air are proofs of the wonderful power and providences of G-d, as well as the beasts of the earth. The hawk, a noble bird of great strength and level-headedness, and yet a bird of prey, is here taken notice of for her flight, which is swift and strong at thirty miles in an hour. With so much swiftness, steadiness, and constancy, until she has seized her prey, this is her wisdom, and it was G-d that gave her this wisdom, not man. Perhaps the extraordinary wisdom of the hawk's flight after her prey was not used then for men's diversion and recreation, as it has been since. The course she steers towards the south, whither she follows the sun in winter, out of the colder countries in the north, especially when she is to cast her plumes and renew them. She casts her old feathers and gets new ones, and this every year, her flight nor her feathers, whether at one time or the other, are owing to men, but to the L-rd, who gives both. So the birds of passage know the precise time for taking flight, and the direction in which she is to go. There is much of the wisdom and providence of G-d to be seen in the migration of birds of passage.
It is a pity that the reclaimed hawk, which is taught to fly at man's command and to make him sport, should at any time be abused to the dishonor of G-d, since it is from G-d that she receives that wisdom which makes her flight entertaining and serviceable.
There is a beautiful passage in Jeremiah 8:7, on the same subject: "The stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming: but my people know not the judgment of the L-rd.”
Eagle - a royal bird, and yet a bird of prey too, the permission of which, nay, the giving of power to which, may help to reconcile us to the prosperity of oppressors among men. The eagle is here taken notice of, for the height of her flight. No bird soars so high, has so strong a wind, nor can so well bear the light of the sun. For the strength of her nest, she makes it on high. It is by the natural power and instinct G-d has given her that she will soar out of your sight, much more out of your call.
Sinners think themselves as safe in their sins as the eagle in her nest on high, in the clefts of the rock; “but I will bring thee down thence, saith the L-rd”, in Jer. 49:16. The higher bad men sit above the resentments of the earth the nearer they ought to think themselves to the vengeance of Heaven.
The eagle preys upon living animals, which she seizes and tears to pieces, and thence carries to her young ones. For her Eyes behold afar of in her quick sightedness, not upwards, but downwards, in quest of her prey. In this she is an emblem of a hypocrite, who, while, in the profession of religion, he seems to rise towards heaven, keeps his eye and heart upon the prey on earth, some temporal advantage, some unexpected child, some widow's house or other that he hopes to devour, under pretence of devotion.
The eagle does not feed her young with carrion, but with prey newly slain, so that they may suck up blood; they do it by instinct, and know no better; but for men that have reason and conscience to thirst after blood is what could scarcely be believed if there had not been in every age wretched instances of it. They also preys upon the dead bodies of men: Matt. 24:28 say: Where the slain are, there is she, these birds of prey (in another sense than the horse,) smells the battle afar off. Therefore, when a great slaughter is to be made among the enemies of the church, the fowls are invited to the supper of the great
G-d, to eat the flesh of kings and captains, in Rev. 19:17-18.
Even wild beasts, cut off from all care of man, are cared for by G-d at their seasons of greatest need. Their instinct comes direct from G-d and guides them to help themselves in parturition; the very time when the herdsman is most anxious for his herds.
Every creature will make towards that which is its proper food; for He that provides the creatures their food has implanted in them that inclination. These and many such instances of natural power and reasonableness in the inferior creatures, which we cannot account for, oblige us to confess our own weakness and ignorance and to give glory to G-d as the fountain of all being, power, wisdom, and perfection.
We would do well to learn from the lesser species.
Job 39, G-d shows man's ignorance of the animal creation; the meaning of His questions is, to know the circumstances, which have something peculiarly expressive of His providence, and make the questions proper in this place.
Wild goats - mountain goat, called yael. There is no cliff of the mountains so high, or steep, but this animal will mount it in a number of leaps, provided only it is rough, and have knob large enough to receive its hoofs in leaping. This animal is native to Arabia, is of amazing strength and agility, and considerably larger than the common goat. Its horns are very long, and often bend back over the whole body of the animal; and it is said to throw itself from the tops of rocks or towers, and light upon its horns, without receiving any damage. It goes five months with young, they conceive in November, and bring forth in March.Do you feel like a wild goat and there is no mountain high enough that you can not climb?
Do you have the horn of G-d for strength and agility, taking leaps without being harmed?
Hind - is the female of the stag, or and goes eight months with young, they conceive in September and they bring forth in April. They live to thirty-five or forty years. It is intimated (Ps. 29:9) that G-d by thunder helps the hinds in calving. There is an herb called "seselis", which it is said they feed upon before birth, to make it the easier; as well as they use that, and another called "aros", after the birth, to ease them of their later pains.
Afterbirth, or umbilical cord, they eat, and it is supposed to be medical to them.
Though they bring forth their young with a great deal of difficulty and sorrow, and have no assistance from man, yet, by the good providence of G-d, their young ones are safely produced, and their sorrows cast out and forgotten.
After the fawns have sucked for some time, the dam leads them to the pastures, where they feed on different kinds of herbage; but not on corn, for they are not born before harvest-time in Arabia and Palestine, and the stag does not feed on corn, but on grass, moss, and the shoots of the fir, beech, and other trees: therefore the word bar, here translated corn, should be translated the open field or country, and are no more burdensome to Hinds.
This is an example to children, when they have grown up, not to be always hanging upon their parents and craving from them, but to put forth themselves to get their own livelihood and to being able to provide for themselves.
Have you cut the biblical cord and making your own way or running back to your parents for reassurance?
Wild Ass - untamable and they differ from tame asses only in their independence and liberty, and in their being stronger and more nimble: but in their shape they are the same.He has given a nature to unbounded liberty, and therefore an allowance for it. Freedom from service, and liberty to range at pleasure, are but the privileges of a wild ass.
It is a pity that any of the children of men should covet such a liberty, or value themselves on it. It is better to labour and be good for something than ramble and be good for nothing.
The tame ass is bound to labour; the wild ass has no bonds on him. Man can rob animals of freedom, but not, as G-d, give freedom, combined with subordination to fixed Laws.
The tame ass, that labors, and is serviceable to man, has his master's crib to go to both for shelter and food, and lives in a fruitful land: but the wild ass, that will have his liberty, must have it in a barren land. He snuff up the wind at his pleasure, as the wild ass is said to do (Jer. 2:24), as if he had to live upon the air, for it is the barren land that is his dwelling.
He that will not labour let him not eat.
Who hath given him this disposition that he loves freedom, and hates that subjection which other creatures quietly endure?
Have you laughed being determined not to be brought to receive your yoke, or to do your work?
Unicorn – The Hebrew word translated unicorn in this and other passages is believed by most Hebrew scholars to refer to the huge and fierce rhinoceros, which has the latter name from the horn that grows on his nose. The rhinoceros is known by the name of reim in Arabia to the present day. He is allowed to be a savage animal, showing nothing of the intellect of the elephant. His horn enables him to combat the latter with great success; for, by putting his nose under the elephant's belly, he can rip him up. His skin is like amour, and so very hard as to resist sabers, javelins, lances, and even musket-balls; the only penetrable parts being the belly, the eyes, and about the ears. He is able to serve, but not willing; and G-d here challenges Job to force him to it. Job expected every thing should be just as he would have it. "Since thou dost pretend" (says G-d) "to bring every thing beneath your sway, begin with the unicorn, and try your skill upon him. Now that your oxen and asses are all gone, try whether he will be willing to serve you in their stead and whether he will be content with the provision you used to make for them.
You can’t tame him, nor bind him with his band, nor set him to draw the harrow. There are creatures that are willing to serve man, that seem to take a pleasure in serving him, and to have a love for their masters; but there are such as will never be brought to serve him, which is the effect of sin. Man has revolted from his subjection to his Maker, and is therefore justly punished with the revolt of the inferior creatures from their subjection to him; and yet, as an instance of G-d's good-will to man, there are some that are still serviceable to him. Though the wild unicorn will not serve him, nor submit to his hand in the furrows, yet other animals that are not of a wild nature, in which man may have a property, for which he provides, and to whose service he is entitled.
Peacock – is an emblem of pride; when he struts, and shows his fine feathers, they spend a great deal of time preening. The plumes of the peacock look multicolored but are actually brown. The plums are made of kertain, the same material found in human fingernails. The color is created by microscopic melanin reflective rods in the tiny barbules that line each of the feather’s barbs. Slight differences in the spacing and layering of the melanin rods in the keratin causes different colors to be reflected. Melanin is the substance that causes darkness in human skin. The process is somewhat similar to the way water droplets create rainbows. Peacocks are social birds who prefer to sleep and move around in a group generally stay in one area as long as they have a reliable source of food and a tree to roost in. If any members of the group senses a theat it lets out an alarm call that alerts the others. Male peacocks make a strange whooping noise that has been described as resembling a half-human, half baboon.
Males use their spectactularly colored plumage in elaborate courtship displaysby raise and fan out their tail feathers. They may beat their small wings behind the fan and strut around, this way and that and let out loud scream. The most desirable ones in the eyes of the females can preside over harems of three to five peahens. It is not entirely clear what attracts the females the most: size, sheen, or color. Females seem to prefer males with elaborate, heavily spotted trains and loud calls. Young males with less developed trains and softer calls generally don’t attract a mate.
Should we repine if we see others wear better clothes than we can afford to wear?
Who are we courting, our flesh or our spirit?
G-d gives His gifts variously, and those gifts are not always the most valuable that make the finest show.
Who would not rather have the voice of the nightingale than the tail of the peacock?
Ostrich – literally, "the crying bird"; as the Arab name for it means "song"; referring to its night cries (30:29; Micah 1:8) vibrating joyously. The vibrating, quivering wing, serving for sail and oar at once, is characteristic of the ostrich in full course. Feathers for running; she cannot mount in the air, lashes herself" up to her course by flapping her wings, proudly "lifting up herself." Caring of herself, she leaves her eggs in danger, but, if she herself be in danger, no creature shall strive more to get out of the way of it than the ostrich. Then she lifts up her wings on high (the strength of which then stands her in better stead than their beauty), and, with the help of them, runs so fast that a horseman at full speed cannot overtake her. At first they went a pretty high trot; and, when they were heated a little, they expanded their wings, as if it were to catch the wind, and they moved with such fleetness as to seem to be off the ground. Tamed they can be mounted. She scorns the horse and his rider. Those that are least under the law of natural affection often contend most for the law of self-preservation. Let not the rider be proud of the swiftness of his horse when such an animal as the ostrich shall out-run him.
She has goodly feathers, and yet is a foolish bird; for wisdom does not always go along with beauty and fun.
How she exposes her eggs; she does not retire to some private place, and make a nest there, as the sparrows and swallows do (Ps. 84:3), and there lay eggs and hatch her young. But lays her eggs with great care and hatches them, as other birds do; but in hot countries the eggs do not need so constant incubation; she therefore often leaves them and sometimes forgets the place on her return. Moreover, the outer eggs, intended for food, she feeds to her young. If the sand and the sun will hatch them, well and good; they may for her, for she will not warm them. These eggs, lying separate in the sand, exposed to the sun, gave rise to the idea of her altogether leaving them. She takes no care to preserve them, G-d, by a special providence cares for the neglected eggs.
Because she is not guided by natural instinct in providing for the preservation of their young, to be hardened against any is unnamable, even in a brute-creature, much more in a rational creature that boasts of humanity. Especially to be hardened against young ones, that cannot help themselves and therefore merit compassion, that gives no provocation and therefore merit no hard usage.
Carelessness of her young, it is well that this is peculiar to herself, for it is a very bad character. It is worst of all for her to be hardened against her own young ones, as though they were not hers, whereas really they are parts of herself. In laying her eggs is in vain and all lost, because she has not that fear and tender concern for them that she should have.
Those are most likely to lose their labour that is least in fear of losing it.
This intimates that the art which other animals have to nourish and preserve their young is G-d's gift. The Arab proverb is, "foolish as an ostrich." Yet her very seeming want of wisdom is not without wise design of G-d, though man cannot see it; just as in the trials of the godly, which seem so unreasonable to Job, there lies hid a wise design.
The folly of the ostrich, as well as by the wisdom of the ant, we may learn to be wise; As careless as the ostrich is of her eggs so careless many people are of their own souls; they make no provision for them, no proper nest in which they may be safe, leave them exposed to Satan and his temptations, which is a certain evidence that they are deprived of wisdom.
So careless are many parents of their children; some of their bodies, not providing for their own house, their own bowels, and therefore worse than infidels, and as bad as the ostrich; but many more are thus careless of their children's souls, take no care of their education, send them abroad into the world untaught, unarmed, forgetting what corruption there is in the world through lust, which will certainly crush them. Thus their labour in rearing them comes to be in vain; it were better for their country that they had never been born.
So careless are too many ministers of their people, with whom they should reside; but they leave them in the earth, and forget how busy Satan is to sow tares while men sleep. They overlook those whom they should oversee, and are really hardened against them.
Horse – is one of the most timid of animals; and this may be at once accounted for from his small quantity of brain. Perhaps there is no animal of his size that has so little. He acquires courage only from discipline. The capacity to receive discipline and instruction is as great a display of the wisdom of G-d as the formation of the bodies of the largest, smallest, or most complex creation is of His power. How much discipline do you practice?
Horses that are prepared against the day of battle and is serviceable to man at a time when he has more than ordinary occasion for his service, they are not always mentioned in counting one’s stock, for cattle use in husbandry was valued more than those for state and war, which alone horses were then reserved for. They were not then put to such mean services as with us they are commonly put to, for running, drawing, and carrying, no creature that is ordinarily in the service of man has so much strength as the horse has.
They have strength of body plus fortitude and courage, do we possess these qualities? Will we go the distance and face the battles head on?
Clothed - a fine large mane to a horse makes him alarming and is a great ornament and recommendation.
With thunder - A strong metaphor, to denote force and terror, signify such a tremor as thunder makes, from whence that has its name; and it may be observed that between the neck and shoulder bone of an horse there is a tremulous and quavering motion; and which is more intense in battle, not from any fearfulness of it, but rather through eagerness to engage in it. In his training for battle a pair of drums, something like our kettle drums, hanging on each side of the animal's neck, and beaten, by a person on the saddle, with two plectrums or drumsticks; the neck itself being literally clothed with the drums and the housings on which they are fixed and by proper discipline it can bear those thundering sounds, which at first would have scared it to the uttermost of distraction?]
Afraid – There is a twofold beauty in this expression, which not only marks the courage of this beast, by asking if he can be scared; but likewise raises a noble image of his swiftness, by insinuating that, if he could be frightened, he would bound away with the nimbleness of a grasshopper.
Grasshopper - is frightened at every noise, and at any approach of men
It is a mercy to man to have such a servant, which, though very strong, submits to the management of a child, and rebels not against his owner.
Glory of his nostrils - which may be understood of his sneezing, snorting, pawing, and neighing, flings up his head, when his nostrils are broad, spread, and enlarged; and especially when enraged and in battle, when he foams and fumes, and throws foam about, and his breath comes out of his nostrils like smoke, and is very terrible.
Paws – with pride, how wonderfully are the brute-creatures fitted for and inclined to the services for which they were designed.
Valley - Where armies are usually pitched and set in battle army, and especially the cavalry, for which the valley is most convenient; and here the horse is impatient of engaging, cannot stand still, but rises up with his fore feet and paws and prances, and, as the word signifies, digs the earth and makes it hollow, by a continual striking upon it; so generally horses are commonly described in this manner.
Rejoiceth in his strength - of which he is sensible, and glories in it; marches to the battle with pride and stateliness, defying, as it were, the enemy, and as if sure of victory, of which he has knowledge when obtained; of horses, when conquerors they exult, when conquered they grieve; it has its name in the Hebrew language from rejoicing.
Armed men - animated, not by the goodness of the cause, or the prospect of honour, but only by the sound of the trumpet, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting of the soldiers, which are as bellows to the fire of his innate courage, and make him spring forward with the utmost eagerness.
[Mocketh at fear - fearless he is, how he despises death and the most threatening dangers, at those things which cause fear and fright to men; as arms, though ever so terrible, and armies, though never so numerous.
Neither turns back – the naked sword, when it is drawn against him, and ready to be thrust into him; the horse being so bold and courageous was with the Egyptians a symbol of courage and boldness.
Quiver rattles – The quiver is what arrows are put into and carried in, and seems here to be put for arrows, which being shot by the enemy come whizzing about him, but do not intimidate him.
Glittering - Now firm the managed war-horse keeps his ground, nor breaks his order though the trumpet sounds! With fearless eye the glittering host surveys, And glares directly at the helmet's blaze. The master's word, the laws of war, he knows; and when to stop, and when to charge the foes.
Spear and shield - The Persians training their horses and getting them used to noises, that in battle they might not be frightened at the clashing of arms, of swords and shields against each other; in like manner as our war horses are trained, not to start at the firing of a gun, or the explosion of a cannon.
So rattle the quiver, brandish the spear, to drive him back, he will not retreat, but press forward and even inspires courage into his rider.
Swallows the ground - He curvets and prances, and runs on with so much violence and heat against the enemy that one would think he even swallowed the ground with fierceness and rage.
Sound of the trumpet - "he will not stand still at the noise of the trumpet"; and the word signifies firm and stable, as well as to believe; when he hears the trumpet sound, the alarm of war, as a preparation for the battle, he knows not how to stand; there is scarce any holding him in, but he rushes into the battle at once, (Jer. 8:6).
Notice how we try to avoid battles well he meets them head on.
Ha, Ha - signifies by neighing; high mettle is the praise of a horse rather than of a man, whom fierceness and rage ill become.
Smelleth the battle afar off - which respects not so much the distance of place as of time; he perceives beforehand that it is near, by the preparations making for it, and particularly by what follows. Horses, they presage a fight, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting; they understand an engagement is just about to start by the loud and thundering voice of the captains, exhorting and spiraling up their men, and giving them the word of command; and by the clamorous shout of the soldiers echoing to the speech of their captains; and which are given forth upon an onset, both to animate one another, and intimidate the enemy.
This description of the war-horse will help to explain that character which is given of presumptuous sinners, in Jer. 8:6. “Every one turneth to his course, as the horse rushed into the battle.” When a man's heart is fully set in him to do evil, and he is carried on in a wicked way by the violence of inordinate appetites and passions, there is no making him afraid of the wrath of G-d and the fatal consequences of sin. Let his own conscience set before him the curse of the Law, the death that is the wages of sin, and all the terrors of the Almighty in battle-array; he mocks at this fear, and is not affrighted, neither turns he back from the flaming sword of the cherubim.
Let ministers lift up their voice like a trumpet, to proclaim the wrath of
G-d against him, he believes not that it is the sound of the trumpet, nor that G-d and His heralds are in earnest with him; but what will be in the end hereof it is easy to foresee.]
Hawk – The birds of the air are proofs of the wonderful power and providences of G-d, as well as the beasts of the earth. The hawk, a noble bird of great strength and level-headedness, and yet a bird of prey, is here taken notice of for her flight, which is swift and strong at thirty miles in an hour. With so much swiftness, steadiness, and constancy, until she has seized her prey, this is her wisdom, and it was G-d that gave her this wisdom, not man. Perhaps the extraordinary wisdom of the hawk's flight after her prey was not used then for men's diversion and recreation, as it has been since. The course she steers towards the south, whither she follows the sun in winter, out of the colder countries in the north, especially when she is to cast her plumes and renew them. She casts her old feathers and gets new ones, and this every year, her flight nor her feathers, whether at one time or the other, are owing to men, but to the L-rd, who gives both. So the birds of passage know the precise time for taking flight, and the direction in which she is to go. There is much of the wisdom and providence of G-d to be seen in the migration of birds of passage.It is a pity that the reclaimed hawk, which is taught to fly at man's command and to make him sport, should at any time be abused to the dishonor of G-d, since it is from G-d that she receives that wisdom which makes her flight entertaining and serviceable.
There is a beautiful passage in Jeremiah 8:7, on the same subject: "The stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming: but my people know not the judgment of the L-rd.”
Eagle - a royal bird, and yet a bird of prey too, the permission of which, nay, the giving of power to which, may help to reconcile us to the prosperity of oppressors among men. The eagle is here taken notice of, for the height of her flight. No bird soars so high, has so strong a wind, nor can so well bear the light of the sun. For the strength of her nest, she makes it on high. It is by the natural power and instinct G-d has given her that she will soar out of your sight, much more out of your call. Sinners think themselves as safe in their sins as the eagle in her nest on high, in the clefts of the rock; “but I will bring thee down thence, saith the L-rd”, in Jer. 49:16. The higher bad men sit above the resentments of the earth the nearer they ought to think themselves to the vengeance of Heaven.
The eagle preys upon living animals, which she seizes and tears to pieces, and thence carries to her young ones. For her Eyes behold afar of in her quick sightedness, not upwards, but downwards, in quest of her prey. In this she is an emblem of a hypocrite, who, while, in the profession of religion, he seems to rise towards heaven, keeps his eye and heart upon the prey on earth, some temporal advantage, some unexpected child, some widow's house or other that he hopes to devour, under pretence of devotion.
The eagle does not feed her young with carrion, but with prey newly slain, so that they may suck up blood; they do it by instinct, and know no better; but for men that have reason and conscience to thirst after blood is what could scarcely be believed if there had not been in every age wretched instances of it. They also preys upon the dead bodies of men: Matt. 24:28 say: Where the slain are, there is she, these birds of prey (in another sense than the horse,) smells the battle afar off. Therefore, when a great slaughter is to be made among the enemies of the church, the fowls are invited to the supper of the great
G-d, to eat the flesh of kings and captains, in Rev. 19:17-18.
Even wild beasts, cut off from all care of man, are cared for by G-d at their seasons of greatest need. Their instinct comes direct from G-d and guides them to help themselves in parturition; the very time when the herdsman is most anxious for his herds.
Every creature will make towards that which is its proper food; for He that provides the creatures their food has implanted in them that inclination. These and many such instances of natural power and reasonableness in the inferior creatures, which we cannot account for, oblige us to confess our own weakness and ignorance and to give glory to G-d as the fountain of all being, power, wisdom, and perfection.
Magnificent Six Questions
Noticed in all of Job’s problems and questions, G-d does not answerer a one of them. If He had we would have made a doctrine out of it. G-d proceeds to ask Job many puzzling questions instead, to convince him of his ignorance, and so to shame him for his folly in prescribing to Him. If we will but try ourselves with such interrogatories as these, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not.
Job is here challenged to give an account of six things:--
I. Of the springs of the morning, the day-spring from on high, 38:12-15.
2. Of the springs of the sea, 38:16. G-d's way in the government of the world is said to be in the sea, and in the great waters Ps. 77:19, intimating that it is hidden from us and not to be pried into by us.
3. Of the gates of death, 38:16. Man knows not his time. Let us make it sure that the gates of heaven shall be opened to us on the other side death, and then we need not fear the opening of the gates of death, though it is a way we are to go but once.
4. Of the breadth of the earth, 38:18. The divine perfection is longer than the earth and broader than the sea; it is therefore presumption for us, who perceive not the breadth of the earth, to dive into the depth of G-d's counsels.
5. Of the place and way of light and darkness, 38:19. Light is not to be located in a certain place or situation. Neither does it simply appear, or disappear, instantaneously. Light is traveling! It dwells in a ‘way’, always on the way to someplace else. Though usually traveling in waves, sometimes it seems to move as a stream of particles, but it is always moving. When light stops traveling, there is darkness. Thus, darkness is static; staying in place; but light is dynamic, dwelling in a way.
G-d glories in it that He forms the light and creates the darkness; and if we must take those as we find them, take those as they come, and quarrel with neither, but make the best of both, then we must, in like manner, accommodate ourselves to the peace and the evil which G-d likewise created. Isa. 45:7.
If we would, in like manner, reckon upon changes in our outward condition, we should neither in the brightest noon expect perpetual day nor in the darkest midnight despair of the return of the morning; G-d has set the one over against the other, like the day and night; and so must we, Ecc. 7:14.
6. Of the treasures of the snow and hail, 38:22-23. The direct words of G-d, in His final message to Job, are especially interesting, though still mysterious, for we know only a little about the treasures of the snow and the treasures of the hail. To serve the purposes of Providence, in G-d's fighting for His people and against His and their enemies, against the time of trouble, the day of battle and war, when G-d will either contend with the world in general (as in the deluge, when the windows of heaven were opened, and the waters fetched out of these treasures to drown a wicked world, that waged war with Heaven) or with some particular persons or parties, as when G-d out of these treasures fetched great hail-stones wherewith to fight against the Canaanites, in Joshua 10:11.
Treasures of the hail - It is easier to account for the formation of snow than of hail. Hail, however, is generally supposed to be drops of rain frozen in their passage through cold regions of the air; and the hail is always in proportion to the size of the raindrop from which it was formed. But this meteor does not appear to be formed from a single drop of water, as it is found to be composed of many small spherules frozen together, the centre sometimes soft like snow, and at other times formed of a hard nucleus, which in some cases has been of a brown colour, capable of ignition and explosion. In the description given of snow, 37:6, it has been stated that both snow and hail owe their formation to electricity; the hail being formed in the higher regions of the air, where the cold is intense, and the electric matter abundant. By this agency it is supposed that a great number of aqueous particles are brought together and frozen, and in their descent collect other particles, so that the density of the substance of the hailstone grows less and less from the centre, this being formed first in the higher regions, and the surface being collected in the lower. This theory is not in all cases supported by fact, as in some instances the centre has been found soft and snow-like, when the surface has been hard.
Hail is the only meteor of this kind, from which no apparent good is derived. Rain and dew refresh and give life to the whole vegetable world; frost, by expanding the water contained in the earth, pulverizes and renders the soil fertile; snow covers and defends vegetables from being destroyed by too severe a frost; but hail does none of these. It not only does no good, but often much harm-always some. It has a chilling, blasting effect in spring and summer, and cuts the tender plants so as to injure or totally destroy them. In short, the treasures of hail are not well known; and its use in the creation has not yet been ascertained. But frost is G-d's universal plough, by which He cultivates the whole earth.
See what folly it is to strive against G-d, who is thus prepared for battle and war, and how much it is our interest to make our peace with Him and to keep ourselves in His love. G-d can fight as effectually with snow and hail, if He pleases, as with thunder and lightning or the sword of an angel!
Do we really take time to enjoy His creation? To examine it? To sit in amazement of it? In all that we think we know we find out we know nothing at all.
Job is here challenged to give an account of six things:--
I. Of the springs of the morning, the day-spring from on high, 38:12-15.
2. Of the springs of the sea, 38:16. G-d's way in the government of the world is said to be in the sea, and in the great waters Ps. 77:19, intimating that it is hidden from us and not to be pried into by us.
3. Of the gates of death, 38:16. Man knows not his time. Let us make it sure that the gates of heaven shall be opened to us on the other side death, and then we need not fear the opening of the gates of death, though it is a way we are to go but once.
4. Of the breadth of the earth, 38:18. The divine perfection is longer than the earth and broader than the sea; it is therefore presumption for us, who perceive not the breadth of the earth, to dive into the depth of G-d's counsels.
5. Of the place and way of light and darkness, 38:19. Light is not to be located in a certain place or situation. Neither does it simply appear, or disappear, instantaneously. Light is traveling! It dwells in a ‘way’, always on the way to someplace else. Though usually traveling in waves, sometimes it seems to move as a stream of particles, but it is always moving. When light stops traveling, there is darkness. Thus, darkness is static; staying in place; but light is dynamic, dwelling in a way.
G-d glories in it that He forms the light and creates the darkness; and if we must take those as we find them, take those as they come, and quarrel with neither, but make the best of both, then we must, in like manner, accommodate ourselves to the peace and the evil which G-d likewise created. Isa. 45:7.
If we would, in like manner, reckon upon changes in our outward condition, we should neither in the brightest noon expect perpetual day nor in the darkest midnight despair of the return of the morning; G-d has set the one over against the other, like the day and night; and so must we, Ecc. 7:14.
6. Of the treasures of the snow and hail, 38:22-23. The direct words of G-d, in His final message to Job, are especially interesting, though still mysterious, for we know only a little about the treasures of the snow and the treasures of the hail. To serve the purposes of Providence, in G-d's fighting for His people and against His and their enemies, against the time of trouble, the day of battle and war, when G-d will either contend with the world in general (as in the deluge, when the windows of heaven were opened, and the waters fetched out of these treasures to drown a wicked world, that waged war with Heaven) or with some particular persons or parties, as when G-d out of these treasures fetched great hail-stones wherewith to fight against the Canaanites, in Joshua 10:11.
Treasures of the hail - It is easier to account for the formation of snow than of hail. Hail, however, is generally supposed to be drops of rain frozen in their passage through cold regions of the air; and the hail is always in proportion to the size of the raindrop from which it was formed. But this meteor does not appear to be formed from a single drop of water, as it is found to be composed of many small spherules frozen together, the centre sometimes soft like snow, and at other times formed of a hard nucleus, which in some cases has been of a brown colour, capable of ignition and explosion. In the description given of snow, 37:6, it has been stated that both snow and hail owe their formation to electricity; the hail being formed in the higher regions of the air, where the cold is intense, and the electric matter abundant. By this agency it is supposed that a great number of aqueous particles are brought together and frozen, and in their descent collect other particles, so that the density of the substance of the hailstone grows less and less from the centre, this being formed first in the higher regions, and the surface being collected in the lower. This theory is not in all cases supported by fact, as in some instances the centre has been found soft and snow-like, when the surface has been hard.
Hail is the only meteor of this kind, from which no apparent good is derived. Rain and dew refresh and give life to the whole vegetable world; frost, by expanding the water contained in the earth, pulverizes and renders the soil fertile; snow covers and defends vegetables from being destroyed by too severe a frost; but hail does none of these. It not only does no good, but often much harm-always some. It has a chilling, blasting effect in spring and summer, and cuts the tender plants so as to injure or totally destroy them. In short, the treasures of hail are not well known; and its use in the creation has not yet been ascertained. But frost is G-d's universal plough, by which He cultivates the whole earth.
See what folly it is to strive against G-d, who is thus prepared for battle and war, and how much it is our interest to make our peace with Him and to keep ourselves in His love. G-d can fight as effectually with snow and hail, if He pleases, as with thunder and lightning or the sword of an angel!
Do we really take time to enjoy His creation? To examine it? To sit in amazement of it? In all that we think we know we find out we know nothing at all.
Post-flood Ice Age
[Job 38: 11] And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?[There are even hints of the post-flood Ice Age scattered throughout the book of Job. When the thermal water vapor blanket (the waters above the firmament) rained on the earth during the flood, the greenhouse environment dissolute. Snow began to fall in the polar latitudes and eventually great ice sheets fanned out over the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. This glacial period did not last for a million years or more, as evolutionary geologist believe, but it could have persisted for several centuries.
The ice sheets did not extend into Bible lands, but they did undoubtedly affect their climates, producing much more rain, snow, and ice than occur today in those regions, known today for their heat and dryness.
Hitherto shall thou come - The tides are marvellously limited and regulated, not only by the lunar and solar attractions, but by the quantum of time also which is required to remove any part of the earth's surface from under the immediate attractive influence of the sun and moon. And this regulation takes place by means of the rotation of the earth round its own axis, which causes one thousand and forty-two miles of its equator to pass from under any given point in the heavens in one hour; and about five hundred and eighty miles in the latitude of London: so that the attracted fluid parts are every moment passing from under the direct attractive influence, and thus the tides cannot generally be raised to any extraordinary height. The attraction of the sun and moon, and the gravitation of its own parts to its own centre, which prevent too great a flux on the one hand, and too great a reflux on the other; or, in other words, too high a tide, and too deep an ebb, are also some of those bars and doors by which its proud waves are stayed, and prevented from coming farther; all being regulated by these laws of attraction by the sun and moon, the gravitation of its own parts from the sun and moon, and the diurnal motion round its own axis, by which the fluid parts, easily yielding to the above attraction, are continually moving from under the direct attractive influence.
No further - its rolling tides shall go up so far in rivers that go out of it, and then return, keeping exactly to time and place; this is said by Jehovah, the Word of G-d, and through His almighty power is tended to. Here a world of wisdom and management was necessary, in order to proportion all these things to each other, so as to procure the great benefits which result from the flux and reflux of the sea, and prevent the evils that must take place, at least occasionally, were not those bars and doors provided. It is well known that the spring-tides happen at the change and full of the moon, at which time she is in conjunction with and opposition to the sun. As these retire from their conjunction, the tides neap till about three days after the first quartered, when the tides begin again to be more and more elevated, and arrive at their maximum about the third day after the opposition. From this time the tides neap as before till the third day after the last quartered; and afterwards their daily elevations are continually increased till about the third day after the conjunction, when they recommence their leaping; the principal phenomena of the tides always taking place at or near the some points of every lunar syndic revolution.
Proud waves - though they may toss up themselves as proud men toss up their heads, for which, reason pride is ascribed to them, yet they shall not prevail, (Jer. 5:22); all this may be accommodated to the afflictions of G-d's people, which are sometimes compared to the waves and billows of the sea, (Ps. 42:7. 88:7); and these issue out of the womb of G-d's purposes and decrees, and are not the effects of chance; they are many, and threaten to overwhelm, but G-d is with His people in them, and preserves them from being overflowed by them.
Stayed - Hebrew, "a limit shall be set to." He has set the bounds and measures of them, beyond which they cannot go; see (Isa. 27:8, 45:2); and also to the world, and to the men of it, who are like a troubled sea, (Dan. 7:2-3; Isa. 57:20); and who rise, and swell, and dash against the people of G-d, being separated from them who were originally mixed with them; but the L-rd restrains their wrath and fury, and suffers them not to do His people any harm; whom He has placed in the monition of rocks out of their reach, that those proud waters cannot go over them as they threaten to do; (Ps. 76:10, 124:2-6).
It is also to be looked upon as an act of G-d's mercy to the world of mankind and an instance of His patience towards that provoking grace. Though He could easily cover the earth again with the waters of the sea, and show what the sea could do, and would do, if He would give it leave), yet He restrains them, being not willing that any should perish, and having reserved the world that now is unto fire, 2 Pet. 3:7.]
The ice sheets did not extend into Bible lands, but they did undoubtedly affect their climates, producing much more rain, snow, and ice than occur today in those regions, known today for their heat and dryness.
Hitherto shall thou come - The tides are marvellously limited and regulated, not only by the lunar and solar attractions, but by the quantum of time also which is required to remove any part of the earth's surface from under the immediate attractive influence of the sun and moon. And this regulation takes place by means of the rotation of the earth round its own axis, which causes one thousand and forty-two miles of its equator to pass from under any given point in the heavens in one hour; and about five hundred and eighty miles in the latitude of London: so that the attracted fluid parts are every moment passing from under the direct attractive influence, and thus the tides cannot generally be raised to any extraordinary height. The attraction of the sun and moon, and the gravitation of its own parts to its own centre, which prevent too great a flux on the one hand, and too great a reflux on the other; or, in other words, too high a tide, and too deep an ebb, are also some of those bars and doors by which its proud waves are stayed, and prevented from coming farther; all being regulated by these laws of attraction by the sun and moon, the gravitation of its own parts from the sun and moon, and the diurnal motion round its own axis, by which the fluid parts, easily yielding to the above attraction, are continually moving from under the direct attractive influence.
No further - its rolling tides shall go up so far in rivers that go out of it, and then return, keeping exactly to time and place; this is said by Jehovah, the Word of G-d, and through His almighty power is tended to. Here a world of wisdom and management was necessary, in order to proportion all these things to each other, so as to procure the great benefits which result from the flux and reflux of the sea, and prevent the evils that must take place, at least occasionally, were not those bars and doors provided. It is well known that the spring-tides happen at the change and full of the moon, at which time she is in conjunction with and opposition to the sun. As these retire from their conjunction, the tides neap till about three days after the first quartered, when the tides begin again to be more and more elevated, and arrive at their maximum about the third day after the opposition. From this time the tides neap as before till the third day after the last quartered; and afterwards their daily elevations are continually increased till about the third day after the conjunction, when they recommence their leaping; the principal phenomena of the tides always taking place at or near the some points of every lunar syndic revolution.
Proud waves - though they may toss up themselves as proud men toss up their heads, for which, reason pride is ascribed to them, yet they shall not prevail, (Jer. 5:22); all this may be accommodated to the afflictions of G-d's people, which are sometimes compared to the waves and billows of the sea, (Ps. 42:7. 88:7); and these issue out of the womb of G-d's purposes and decrees, and are not the effects of chance; they are many, and threaten to overwhelm, but G-d is with His people in them, and preserves them from being overflowed by them.
Stayed - Hebrew, "a limit shall be set to." He has set the bounds and measures of them, beyond which they cannot go; see (Isa. 27:8, 45:2); and also to the world, and to the men of it, who are like a troubled sea, (Dan. 7:2-3; Isa. 57:20); and who rise, and swell, and dash against the people of G-d, being separated from them who were originally mixed with them; but the L-rd restrains their wrath and fury, and suffers them not to do His people any harm; whom He has placed in the monition of rocks out of their reach, that those proud waters cannot go over them as they threaten to do; (Ps. 76:10, 124:2-6).
It is also to be looked upon as an act of G-d's mercy to the world of mankind and an instance of His patience towards that provoking grace. Though He could easily cover the earth again with the waters of the sea, and show what the sea could do, and would do, if He would give it leave), yet He restrains them, being not willing that any should perish, and having reserved the world that now is unto fire, 2 Pet. 3:7.]
Human Suffering
Job 38-41 we can count about 77 questions, many are symbolic questions, which none of the men could answer except by acknowledging that G-d Himself was the answer or that
G-d alone knew the answer. Many seem to be legitimate concerns of scientific research.
8 verses deal with the early history of the earth, 27 with the physical world as it functions today, 33 verses with the nature and needs of the animals (not including the behemoth and the leviathan, which are treated in more detail than the others, having 44 verses). All of these are a part of His creation, giving clear testimony of His providential care for all His creatures, and an implied rebuke to men and women for failing to understand this.
Keep in mind that not all statements – with the exception of G-d’s own words in chapters 38-42 – necessarily express divine truth, but all are correctly recorded by divine inspiration.
They had all had their saying, and yet had not gained their point, and then it was time for G-d to interpose, whose judgment is according to truth. When we know not who is in the right, and perhaps are doubtful whether we ourselves are, this may satisfy us, that G-d will determine shortly in the valley of decision, Joel 3:14.
G-d’s solution to human suffering - - He said noting about it! His divine message, given out of the whirlwind, occupies 123 verses in four chapters, yet there is not a word about the sufferings of Job, or even about human suffering in general.
What the Father does talk about is creation! The mighty message from heaven focuses exclusively on the doctrine of special creation of all things by G-d, and then His providential care of His creation. It exalts His power, His wisdom, His purpose, His love. In our present humanistic culture, even Believers have become self-centered instead of G-d centered, G-d and His purpose in creation to only a peripheral role in our thoughts and deeds. Do we not hear: “What about me? Why me? I need help? I need money. Ect.” What we really are saying is: You are not providing for me and I lack trust in You.
G-d’s response, at first, seems inadequate when these Believers were groping for answers to great human needs and problems. He was deeply concerned with Job, his suffering, and his reaction to it. Therefore, His reply to Job’s pleadings could not have indicated indifference. Instead, silence must have been the best possible answer, both to the wrong solutions proposed by his friends and to Job’s confusion as he sought to understand them.
This leads us to the remarkable conclusion that a correct and complete doctrine of creation is the answer to all the problems that burden this present hurting world.
Creation should have first priority in their thinking, no matter what problem they were facing. If G-d Himself laid such stress on it in dealing with this most vexing of all human problems, we would also do well to give it priority when dealing with this or lesser problems.
Men and women must first be brought back to recognition of their Creator before they can comprehend the meaning of sin against Him and salvation by Him. Creation is the basis of true Believers, true faith, and true salvation, true fellowship and true peace. The purpose on earth of those who have been reconciled to G-d is to bring others to the same happy condition.
Life is not about ourselves and our daily problems, sufferings are also part of our training and equipping and being in Him. May we stop our crying and start enjoying all of His creation for we are in His providential care! There is nothing you go through that G-d does not know about and everything is in His control.
G-d alone knew the answer. Many seem to be legitimate concerns of scientific research.
8 verses deal with the early history of the earth, 27 with the physical world as it functions today, 33 verses with the nature and needs of the animals (not including the behemoth and the leviathan, which are treated in more detail than the others, having 44 verses). All of these are a part of His creation, giving clear testimony of His providential care for all His creatures, and an implied rebuke to men and women for failing to understand this.
Keep in mind that not all statements – with the exception of G-d’s own words in chapters 38-42 – necessarily express divine truth, but all are correctly recorded by divine inspiration.
They had all had their saying, and yet had not gained their point, and then it was time for G-d to interpose, whose judgment is according to truth. When we know not who is in the right, and perhaps are doubtful whether we ourselves are, this may satisfy us, that G-d will determine shortly in the valley of decision, Joel 3:14.
G-d’s solution to human suffering - - He said noting about it! His divine message, given out of the whirlwind, occupies 123 verses in four chapters, yet there is not a word about the sufferings of Job, or even about human suffering in general.
What the Father does talk about is creation! The mighty message from heaven focuses exclusively on the doctrine of special creation of all things by G-d, and then His providential care of His creation. It exalts His power, His wisdom, His purpose, His love. In our present humanistic culture, even Believers have become self-centered instead of G-d centered, G-d and His purpose in creation to only a peripheral role in our thoughts and deeds. Do we not hear: “What about me? Why me? I need help? I need money. Ect.” What we really are saying is: You are not providing for me and I lack trust in You.
G-d’s response, at first, seems inadequate when these Believers were groping for answers to great human needs and problems. He was deeply concerned with Job, his suffering, and his reaction to it. Therefore, His reply to Job’s pleadings could not have indicated indifference. Instead, silence must have been the best possible answer, both to the wrong solutions proposed by his friends and to Job’s confusion as he sought to understand them.
This leads us to the remarkable conclusion that a correct and complete doctrine of creation is the answer to all the problems that burden this present hurting world.
Creation should have first priority in their thinking, no matter what problem they were facing. If G-d Himself laid such stress on it in dealing with this most vexing of all human problems, we would also do well to give it priority when dealing with this or lesser problems.
Men and women must first be brought back to recognition of their Creator before they can comprehend the meaning of sin against Him and salvation by Him. Creation is the basis of true Believers, true faith, and true salvation, true fellowship and true peace. The purpose on earth of those who have been reconciled to G-d is to bring others to the same happy condition.
Life is not about ourselves and our daily problems, sufferings are also part of our training and equipping and being in Him. May we stop our crying and start enjoying all of His creation for we are in His providential care! There is nothing you go through that G-d does not know about and everything is in His control.
Majestic Clouds
In the clouds, the womb where all these watery meteors are conceived, guided and governed by the counsel of G-d, which extends even to those things that seem most casual and minute, that they may do whatsoever He commands them; for the stormy winds, and the clouds that are driven by them, fulfil His word; and by this means He causes it to rain upon one city and not upon another, Amos 4:7-8.
Three sorts of clouds Elihu here speaks of in Job 37:
1. Close, black, thick clouds, pregnant with showers; and these with watering he wearies, that is, they spend themselves, and are exhausted by the rain into which they melt and are dissolved, pouring out water till they are weary and can pour out no more.
2. Bright thin clouds, clouds without water; and these He scattereth; they are dispersed of themselves, and not dissolved into rain, but what becomes of them we know not. The bright cloud, in the evening, when the sky is red, is scattered, and proves an earnest of a fair day, Matt. 16:2.
3. Flying clouds, which do not dissolve, as the thick cloud, into a close rain, but are carried upon the wings of the wind from place to place, dropping showers as they go; and these are said to be turned round about by His counsels.
What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences.
We are here taught:
1. The perfection of G-d's knowledge, it is one of the most glorious perfections of G-d that He is perfect in knowledge; He is omniscient. His knowledge is intuitive: He sees, and does not know by report. It is intimate and entire: He knows things truly, and not by their colors--thoroughly, and not by piecemeal. To His knowledge there is nothing distant, but all near--nothing future, but all present--nothing hid, but all open. We ought to acknowledge this in all His wondrous works, and it is sufficient to satisfy us in those wondrous works which we know not the meaning of that they are the works of one that knows what He does.
2. The imperfection of our knowledge. It is good for us to be made sensible of our own ignorance, are so balanced, so spread, that they never rob us of the benefit of the sun (even the cloudy day is day), so balanced that they do not fall at once, nor burst into cataracts or water-spouts. The rainbow is an intimation of G-d's favour in balancing the clouds so as to keep them from drowning the world.
When we look up to heaven above we should remember it is a mirror or looking-glass, not to show us our own faces, but to be a faint representation of the purity, dignity, and brightness of the upper world and its glorious inhabitants.
Matthew Henry
Three sorts of clouds Elihu here speaks of in Job 37:
1. Close, black, thick clouds, pregnant with showers; and these with watering he wearies, that is, they spend themselves, and are exhausted by the rain into which they melt and are dissolved, pouring out water till they are weary and can pour out no more.
2. Bright thin clouds, clouds without water; and these He scattereth; they are dispersed of themselves, and not dissolved into rain, but what becomes of them we know not. The bright cloud, in the evening, when the sky is red, is scattered, and proves an earnest of a fair day, Matt. 16:2.
3. Flying clouds, which do not dissolve, as the thick cloud, into a close rain, but are carried upon the wings of the wind from place to place, dropping showers as they go; and these are said to be turned round about by His counsels.
What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences.
We are here taught:
1. The perfection of G-d's knowledge, it is one of the most glorious perfections of G-d that He is perfect in knowledge; He is omniscient. His knowledge is intuitive: He sees, and does not know by report. It is intimate and entire: He knows things truly, and not by their colors--thoroughly, and not by piecemeal. To His knowledge there is nothing distant, but all near--nothing future, but all present--nothing hid, but all open. We ought to acknowledge this in all His wondrous works, and it is sufficient to satisfy us in those wondrous works which we know not the meaning of that they are the works of one that knows what He does.
2. The imperfection of our knowledge. It is good for us to be made sensible of our own ignorance, are so balanced, so spread, that they never rob us of the benefit of the sun (even the cloudy day is day), so balanced that they do not fall at once, nor burst into cataracts or water-spouts. The rainbow is an intimation of G-d's favour in balancing the clouds so as to keep them from drowning the world.
When we look up to heaven above we should remember it is a mirror or looking-glass, not to show us our own faces, but to be a faint representation of the purity, dignity, and brightness of the upper world and its glorious inhabitants.
Matthew Henry
Thunder Struck
Job 37: Hear attentively the noise of His voice. Though the thunder will be heard, and whatever we are doing we cannot help attending to it, yet, to apprehend and understand the instructions G-d thereby gives us, we have need to hear with great attention and appliction applicatio of mind. Thunder is called the voice of the L-rd (Ps. 29:3-9), because by it G-d speaks to the children of men to fear before Him, and it should put us in mind of that mighty word by which the world was at first made, which is called thunder.
How Elihu describes them:
1. Their original, not their second causes, but the first. G-d directs the thunder, and the lightning is His in 37:3. Their production and motion are not from chance, but from the counsel of G-d and under the direction and dominion of His providence, though to us they seem accidental and ungovernable.
2. Their extent. The claps of thunder roll under the whole heaven, and are heard far and near; so are the lightings darted to the ends of the earth; they come out of the one part under heaven and shine to the other.
3. Their order. The lightning is first directed, and after it a voice roars in Job 37:4. The flash of fire, and the noise it makes in a watery cloud, are really at the same time; but, because the motion of light is much quicker than that of sound, we see the lightning some time before we hear the thunder, as we see the firing of a great gun at a distance before we hear the report of it. The thunder is here called the voice of G-d's excellence, because by it He proclaims His transcendent power and greatness. He sends forth His voice and that a mighty voice, Ps. 68:33.
4. Their violence. He will not stay them, that is, He does not need to check them, or hold them back, lest they should grow unruly and out of His power to restrain them, but lets them take their course, says to them, Go, and they go--Come, and they come--Do this, and they do it. He will not stay the rains and showers that usually follow upon the thunder (which He had spoken of, in 36: 27, 29, but will pour them out upon the earth when His voice is heard. Thunder-showers are sweeping rains, and for them He makes the lightings, Ps. 135:7.
5. The inference he draws from all this, in v. 5. Does G-d thunder thus marvellously with His voice? We must then conclude that His other works are great, and such as we cannot comprehend. From this one instance we may argue to all, that, in the dispensations of His providence, there is that which is too great, too strong, for us to oppose or strive against, and too high, too deep, for us to arraign or quarrel with.
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to G-d the director of them, who shows His power and serves the purposes of His providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of G-d, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise.
Notice of the winter-weather, when He speaks the word the small rain distils and the great rain pours down as He pleases--the winter-rain. Then He says to the snow, Be thou on the earth; He commissions it, He commands it, He appoints it, where it shall light and how long it shall lie. He speaks, and it is done. The distinction in the Hebrew between the small rain and the great rain is this, that the former is called a shower of rain, the latter of rains, many showers in one; but all are the showers of His strength: the power of G-d is to be observed as much in the small rain that soaks into the earth as in the great rain that batters on the house-top and washes away all before it.
It is the duty and interest of all men to fear G-d. Those that will not fear the L-rd and His goodness shall for ever tremble under the pouring out of the vials of His wrath.
Matthew Henry
How Elihu describes them:
1. Their original, not their second causes, but the first. G-d directs the thunder, and the lightning is His in 37:3. Their production and motion are not from chance, but from the counsel of G-d and under the direction and dominion of His providence, though to us they seem accidental and ungovernable.
2. Their extent. The claps of thunder roll under the whole heaven, and are heard far and near; so are the lightings darted to the ends of the earth; they come out of the one part under heaven and shine to the other.
3. Their order. The lightning is first directed, and after it a voice roars in Job 37:4. The flash of fire, and the noise it makes in a watery cloud, are really at the same time; but, because the motion of light is much quicker than that of sound, we see the lightning some time before we hear the thunder, as we see the firing of a great gun at a distance before we hear the report of it. The thunder is here called the voice of G-d's excellence, because by it He proclaims His transcendent power and greatness. He sends forth His voice and that a mighty voice, Ps. 68:33.
4. Their violence. He will not stay them, that is, He does not need to check them, or hold them back, lest they should grow unruly and out of His power to restrain them, but lets them take their course, says to them, Go, and they go--Come, and they come--Do this, and they do it. He will not stay the rains and showers that usually follow upon the thunder (which He had spoken of, in 36: 27, 29, but will pour them out upon the earth when His voice is heard. Thunder-showers are sweeping rains, and for them He makes the lightings, Ps. 135:7.
5. The inference he draws from all this, in v. 5. Does G-d thunder thus marvellously with His voice? We must then conclude that His other works are great, and such as we cannot comprehend. From this one instance we may argue to all, that, in the dispensations of His providence, there is that which is too great, too strong, for us to oppose or strive against, and too high, too deep, for us to arraign or quarrel with.
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to G-d the director of them, who shows His power and serves the purposes of His providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of G-d, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise.
Notice of the winter-weather, when He speaks the word the small rain distils and the great rain pours down as He pleases--the winter-rain. Then He says to the snow, Be thou on the earth; He commissions it, He commands it, He appoints it, where it shall light and how long it shall lie. He speaks, and it is done. The distinction in the Hebrew between the small rain and the great rain is this, that the former is called a shower of rain, the latter of rains, many showers in one; but all are the showers of His strength: the power of G-d is to be observed as much in the small rain that soaks into the earth as in the great rain that batters on the house-top and washes away all before it.
It is the duty and interest of all men to fear G-d. Those that will not fear the L-rd and His goodness shall for ever tremble under the pouring out of the vials of His wrath.
Matthew Henry
Thunder Storms twofold effects
[Job 36:27] For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
[27-28 For - Having affirmed that G-d's works are incomprehensibly great and glorious, he now proves it from the most common works of nature and providence. And hence he leaves it to Job to consider how much more deep and inconceivable the secret counsels of G-d must be.
Water - weighs much more than air and is converted by solar energy into vapor state. Since water vapor is lighter than air, the winds can first elevate, and then transport the water from the oceans to the lands where it is needed. There, under the right conditions, the vapor can condense around dust particles, salt particles, or other nuclei of condensation. This appears simply to refer to evaporation, "he exhales;" detaches the smallest particles of the aqueous mass from the surface in order to form clouds, as reservoirs for the purpose of furnishing rain for the watering of the earth. G-d is seen in little things, as well as great things; and the unthinkably little, as well as the spectacularly great, are equally the work of Omnipotence.
They pour down rain - These exceedingly minute drops or vapour become collected in clouds; and then, when agitated by winds, many particles being united, they become too heavy to be sustained by the air in which they before were suspended, and so fall down in rain, which is either a mist, a drizzle, a shower, a storm, or a waterspout, according to the influence of different winds, or the presence and quantum of the electric fluid. And all this is proportioned, "to its vapour," to the quantity of the fluid evaporated and condensed into clouds.]
[28] Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
[Clouds do drop - When this happens, clouds are formed. Water vapor is invisible, whereas clouds are aggregations of liquid water droplets. Rains descend, and the clouds cover with their shadows multitudes of men: He hath appointed to animals to know the order of their dwellings. At the contemplation of these things is not your mind transported, and your heart ready to part from your body?"]
[29] Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
[Can any understand the spreadings of the clouds – to different winds and currents which might drive it all to the sandy deserts, or direct its course so that it should fall again into the great deep from which it has been exhaled, without watering and refreshing the earth; yet so does the good and wise providence of G-d manage this matter, that every part of the arable terrene surface receives an ample supply; and in every place, where requisite, it may be truly said that "The rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and water the earth, and cause it to bring forth and bud, that it may minister seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater, supplying the wants of the earth, of men, and of cattle?” I ask, with Elihu, "Who can understand the spreadings of these clouds?"
Noise - The noise must refer to the blowing of winds and tempests. or to the claps, peals, and rattling of thunder, by means of the electric fluid.
His tabernacle - The thunder produced in the clouds, which are often called G-d's tent or tabernacle. By the tabernacle we may understand the whole firmament or atmospheric expansion; the place where the Almighty seems more particularly to dwell; whence He sends forth the rain of His strength, and the thunder of His power.]
[30] Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
[Light upon it - This is spoken in reference to the flashes and coruscations of lightning in the time of thunder storms, when, even in a dark night, a sudden flash illuminates for a moment the surface of the earth under that place.
Covers the bottom - roots
Of the sea - namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light "covers" them, at the same moment that it "spreads" across the dark sky. So in Ps. 18:14-15, the discovering of "the channels of waters" follows the lightning’s. "He spreads His light upon Himself, and covereth Himself with the roots of the sea" Ps. 104:2. G-d's garment is woven of celestial light and of the watery depths, raised to the sky to form His cloudy canopy. The phrase, "cover Himself with the roots of the sea," is harsh; but the image is grand. the depths of the sea are as much under His control and influence as the atmosphere, and its whole collection of vapors, meteors, and galvanic and electric fluids.]
[31] For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
[Judges the people - He makes storms, tempests, winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, drought and inundation, the instruments of His justice, to punish rebellious nations.
Meat in abundance - Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness. Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness.
Rain and lighting - by them He judges (chastises on the one hand), (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat (food). The twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, and the genial light for good to His friends.]
[32] With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
[Clouds - With thick and black clouds spread over the whole heavens.
Light - The sun.
The cloud - Which G-d interposes as a veil between the sun and earth.]
[33] The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
[The noise - The thunder gives notice of the approaching rain.
Also - And as the thunder, so also the cattle sheweth, concerning the vapour, concerning the coming of the rain, by a strange instinct, seeking for shelter, when a change of weather is near.
How wonderful and marvelous are His creations!!
As pretty as the clouds can be, I sometimes wonder if He removed the veil we could see directly into the heavenly.
[27-28 For - Having affirmed that G-d's works are incomprehensibly great and glorious, he now proves it from the most common works of nature and providence. And hence he leaves it to Job to consider how much more deep and inconceivable the secret counsels of G-d must be.
Water - weighs much more than air and is converted by solar energy into vapor state. Since water vapor is lighter than air, the winds can first elevate, and then transport the water from the oceans to the lands where it is needed. There, under the right conditions, the vapor can condense around dust particles, salt particles, or other nuclei of condensation. This appears simply to refer to evaporation, "he exhales;" detaches the smallest particles of the aqueous mass from the surface in order to form clouds, as reservoirs for the purpose of furnishing rain for the watering of the earth. G-d is seen in little things, as well as great things; and the unthinkably little, as well as the spectacularly great, are equally the work of Omnipotence.
They pour down rain - These exceedingly minute drops or vapour become collected in clouds; and then, when agitated by winds, many particles being united, they become too heavy to be sustained by the air in which they before were suspended, and so fall down in rain, which is either a mist, a drizzle, a shower, a storm, or a waterspout, according to the influence of different winds, or the presence and quantum of the electric fluid. And all this is proportioned, "to its vapour," to the quantity of the fluid evaporated and condensed into clouds.]
[28] Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
[Clouds do drop - When this happens, clouds are formed. Water vapor is invisible, whereas clouds are aggregations of liquid water droplets. Rains descend, and the clouds cover with their shadows multitudes of men: He hath appointed to animals to know the order of their dwellings. At the contemplation of these things is not your mind transported, and your heart ready to part from your body?"]
[29] Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
[Can any understand the spreadings of the clouds – to different winds and currents which might drive it all to the sandy deserts, or direct its course so that it should fall again into the great deep from which it has been exhaled, without watering and refreshing the earth; yet so does the good and wise providence of G-d manage this matter, that every part of the arable terrene surface receives an ample supply; and in every place, where requisite, it may be truly said that "The rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and water the earth, and cause it to bring forth and bud, that it may minister seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater, supplying the wants of the earth, of men, and of cattle?” I ask, with Elihu, "Who can understand the spreadings of these clouds?"
Noise - The noise must refer to the blowing of winds and tempests. or to the claps, peals, and rattling of thunder, by means of the electric fluid.
His tabernacle - The thunder produced in the clouds, which are often called G-d's tent or tabernacle. By the tabernacle we may understand the whole firmament or atmospheric expansion; the place where the Almighty seems more particularly to dwell; whence He sends forth the rain of His strength, and the thunder of His power.]
[30] Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
[Light upon it - This is spoken in reference to the flashes and coruscations of lightning in the time of thunder storms, when, even in a dark night, a sudden flash illuminates for a moment the surface of the earth under that place.
Covers the bottom - roots
Of the sea - namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light "covers" them, at the same moment that it "spreads" across the dark sky. So in Ps. 18:14-15, the discovering of "the channels of waters" follows the lightning’s. "He spreads His light upon Himself, and covereth Himself with the roots of the sea" Ps. 104:2. G-d's garment is woven of celestial light and of the watery depths, raised to the sky to form His cloudy canopy. The phrase, "cover Himself with the roots of the sea," is harsh; but the image is grand. the depths of the sea are as much under His control and influence as the atmosphere, and its whole collection of vapors, meteors, and galvanic and electric fluids.]
[31] For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
[Judges the people - He makes storms, tempests, winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, drought and inundation, the instruments of His justice, to punish rebellious nations.
Meat in abundance - Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness. Though by these He punishes offenders, yet through the same, as instruments, He provides for the wants of men and animals in general. Storms, tempests, and hurricanes, agitate the lower regions of the atmosphere, disperse noxious vapors, and thus render it fit for respiration; and without these it would soon become a stagnant, putrid, and deadly mass, in which neither animals could live, nor vegetables thrive. And by dews, rains, snows, frosts, winds, cold, and heat, He fructifies the earth, and causes it to bring forth abundantly, so that every thing living is filled with plenteousness.
Rain and lighting - by them He judges (chastises on the one hand), (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat (food). The twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, and the genial light for good to His friends.]
[32] With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
[Clouds - With thick and black clouds spread over the whole heavens.
Light - The sun.
The cloud - Which G-d interposes as a veil between the sun and earth.]
[33] The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
[The noise - The thunder gives notice of the approaching rain.
Also - And as the thunder, so also the cattle sheweth, concerning the vapour, concerning the coming of the rain, by a strange instinct, seeking for shelter, when a change of weather is near.
How wonderful and marvelous are His creations!!
As pretty as the clouds can be, I sometimes wonder if He removed the veil we could see directly into the heavenly.
Bound in cords of affliction
[Job 36:8] And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
[Bound and holden in cords - These are means which G-d uses, not of punishment, but of correction.]
[9] Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
[Work – He shows them the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Have exceeded - that they have strengthened themselves, and did not trust in the living G-d; and therefore they would not help themselves when trouble came.]
[10] He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
[Open and commands - He gives them to understand the reason why they are thus corrected, and commands them to return from those iniquities which have induced Him to visit them with afflictions and distresses.]
[11] If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
[If they obey and serve Him - There may appear in the course of Providence to be some exceptions to this general rule; but it is most true, that this is literally or spiritually fulfilled to all the genuine followers of G-d. Every man is happy, in whatsoever circumstances, whose heart is unreservedly dedicated to his Maker.]
[12] But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
[Perish by the sword - Instead of they shall perish by the sword, the meaning of the Hebrew is, "By a dart they shall pass by." They shall be in continual dangers, and often fall before they have lived out half their days.]
[13] But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
[Hypocrites in heart - The hypocrite is he who has the form but not the power, though he wishes to be thought as inwardly righteous as he is outwardly correct; and he takes up the profession of religion only to serve secular ends.
Cry not - They are too stubborn to humble themselves even under the mighty hand of G-d.
Bindeth - With the cords of affliction.]
[14] They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
[Die in youth - the psalmist says, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days," Ps. 55:23. Literally, the words of Elihu are, "They shall die in the youth of their soul."
Among the unclean - among the whores, harlots, prostitutes, and sodomites, though it also signifies consecrated persons. They shall die by some exemplary stroke of Divine vengeance. Yea, and after death, their life is among the unclean, the unclean spirits, the devil and his angels, for ever excluded from the New Jerusalem, into which no unclean thing shall enter.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[21] Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
[Regard not iniquity - you have preferred death to affliction, thereby setting your wisdom against the wisdom of G-d. Many in affliction, long for death; and yet they are not prepared to appear before G-d! What madness is this! If he takes them at their wish, they are ruined for ever. Affliction may be the means of their salvation; the wished-for death, of their eternal destruction.
Chosen - you hast chosen rather to quarrel with G-d, and censure His judgments, than quietly to submit to them.]
Have you ever felt like you were bound in affliction?
Had a death wish that needs canceling out?
You don’t want to die in the youth of your soul and let life get you down. Learn to rejoice in all circumstances for we only see in part, He is in control!
[Bound and holden in cords - These are means which G-d uses, not of punishment, but of correction.]
[9] Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
[Work – He shows them the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Have exceeded - that they have strengthened themselves, and did not trust in the living G-d; and therefore they would not help themselves when trouble came.]
[10] He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
[Open and commands - He gives them to understand the reason why they are thus corrected, and commands them to return from those iniquities which have induced Him to visit them with afflictions and distresses.]
[11] If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
[If they obey and serve Him - There may appear in the course of Providence to be some exceptions to this general rule; but it is most true, that this is literally or spiritually fulfilled to all the genuine followers of G-d. Every man is happy, in whatsoever circumstances, whose heart is unreservedly dedicated to his Maker.]
[12] But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
[Perish by the sword - Instead of they shall perish by the sword, the meaning of the Hebrew is, "By a dart they shall pass by." They shall be in continual dangers, and often fall before they have lived out half their days.]
[13] But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
[Hypocrites in heart - The hypocrite is he who has the form but not the power, though he wishes to be thought as inwardly righteous as he is outwardly correct; and he takes up the profession of religion only to serve secular ends.
Cry not - They are too stubborn to humble themselves even under the mighty hand of G-d.
Bindeth - With the cords of affliction.]
[14] They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
[Die in youth - the psalmist says, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days," Ps. 55:23. Literally, the words of Elihu are, "They shall die in the youth of their soul."
Among the unclean - among the whores, harlots, prostitutes, and sodomites, though it also signifies consecrated persons. They shall die by some exemplary stroke of Divine vengeance. Yea, and after death, their life is among the unclean, the unclean spirits, the devil and his angels, for ever excluded from the New Jerusalem, into which no unclean thing shall enter.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[15] He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
[Opens their ears in oppression - He will let them know for what end they are afflicted, and why He permits them to be oppressed. The word yigel might be translated He shall make them exult, or sing with joy, in oppression; like the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.]
[16] Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
[He have removed thee out - If you had turned to, obeyed, and served Him, your present state would have been widely different from what it is.
Into - A state of ease and freedom.]
[21] Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
[Regard not iniquity - you have preferred death to affliction, thereby setting your wisdom against the wisdom of G-d. Many in affliction, long for death; and yet they are not prepared to appear before G-d! What madness is this! If he takes them at their wish, they are ruined for ever. Affliction may be the means of their salvation; the wished-for death, of their eternal destruction.
Chosen - you hast chosen rather to quarrel with G-d, and censure His judgments, than quietly to submit to them.]
Have you ever felt like you were bound in affliction?
Had a death wish that needs canceling out?
You don’t want to die in the youth of your soul and let life get you down. Learn to rejoice in all circumstances for we only see in part, He is in control!
Hyprocrite in Politics
[Job 34:30] That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
[Hypocrite - is not meant a common hypocrite in religion, but an hypocrite in politics; who pretends to great humanity and goodness, to a tender care of the people, and a preservation of them in their rights and liberties, and promises to support and establish the constitution, and observe the laws of the nation, with a show of zeal for the religion professed in it.
But when he has ascended the throne, and got the power into his hands, he throws off the mask and becomes a tyrant. Men of such a temper, either G-d does not suffer to ascend the throne, but if they do get on it through pretense and deceit, He suffers them not to continue, but deposes them, and cuts their reign short.
The pride of hypocrites is they aim to reign; the praise of men, and power in the world, are their reward, what they aim at.
The policy of tyrants is when they aim to set up themselves they sometimes make use of religion as a cloak and cover for their ambition and by their hypocrisy come to the throne. Power, in the hands of dissemblers, is often destructive to the rights and liberties of a people, which they are more easily wheedled out of than forced out of.
Much mischief has been done likewise to the power of godliness under the pretence of a form of godliness.
Reign – G-d suffers not such to reign, but when he does it is because of the offences or sins of the people. He gives them such kings in His wrath, to punish them for their iniquities.
Ensnared - be brought into bondage, and lose their rights, privileges, and liberties; or lest they be drawn into sin by their precepts or examples, as in 1 Kgs. 12:28, 30. lest the people should be longer kept in the snares of oppression.
G-d doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly men lay for them]
The word hypocrite is found 11 times in Scripture and six of those are in the book of Job.
[Hypocrite - is not meant a common hypocrite in religion, but an hypocrite in politics; who pretends to great humanity and goodness, to a tender care of the people, and a preservation of them in their rights and liberties, and promises to support and establish the constitution, and observe the laws of the nation, with a show of zeal for the religion professed in it.
But when he has ascended the throne, and got the power into his hands, he throws off the mask and becomes a tyrant. Men of such a temper, either G-d does not suffer to ascend the throne, but if they do get on it through pretense and deceit, He suffers them not to continue, but deposes them, and cuts their reign short.
The pride of hypocrites is they aim to reign; the praise of men, and power in the world, are their reward, what they aim at.
The policy of tyrants is when they aim to set up themselves they sometimes make use of religion as a cloak and cover for their ambition and by their hypocrisy come to the throne. Power, in the hands of dissemblers, is often destructive to the rights and liberties of a people, which they are more easily wheedled out of than forced out of.
Much mischief has been done likewise to the power of godliness under the pretence of a form of godliness.
Reign – G-d suffers not such to reign, but when he does it is because of the offences or sins of the people. He gives them such kings in His wrath, to punish them for their iniquities.
Ensnared - be brought into bondage, and lose their rights, privileges, and liberties; or lest they be drawn into sin by their precepts or examples, as in 1 Kgs. 12:28, 30. lest the people should be longer kept in the snares of oppression.
G-d doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly men lay for them]
The word hypocrite is found 11 times in Scripture and six of those are in the book of Job.
In Dispute
[Job 34:3] For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
[The ear trieth words- The ear of the well thought-out tries words, whether what is said be true or false, right or wrong, and he that speaks must stand the test of the intelligent. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the L-rd, from who are the hearing ear and seeing eye.
The mouth tasteth meat - As we must prove all things we hear, so we must be willing that what we speak should be proved. Words and doctrines are like meat, some good and some bad; and such that have a good taste try them, either a rational or rather a spiritual discernment: some have no spiritual taste, their taste is not changed, and therefore cannot distinguish, nor make any good judgment of things; but others have, and these discern the difference, relish truth, savor the things that be of G-d, taste the good Word of G-d, and esteem it more than their necessary food; and it is sweeter to them than the honey or the honeycomb.]
[4] Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.[Let us - Not contend for victory, but for truth and equity. He does not pretend to be sole dictator, nor undertake to say what is just and good and what is not, but he is willing to join with them in searching it out, and desires a consultation: "Let us agree to lay aside all animosities and feuds, all narrow-mindedness and affectation of disagreement, and all stiffness in hold fast to the opinion we have once take up.”
Choose to ourselves judgment - Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, let us fix right principles on which to proceed, and then take right methods for finding out truth. Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labor to find out what is good.
Among ourselves - and let us know among ourselves, by comparing notes and communicating our reasons, what is good and what is otherwise We are then likely to discern what is right when we agree to assist one another in searching it out.]
[11] For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
[For the work of man – G-d ever will do justice; the righteous shall never be forsaken, nor shall the wicked ultimately prosper. Good works shall be rewarded and evil works either punished or satisfied for; so that sooner or later, in this world or in that to come, He will cause every man to find according to his ways.]
[15] All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
[All – G-d's absolute and uncontrollable sovereignty over all mankind.
Perish together - What He may do with us without doing us wrong. He may recall the being He gave, of which we are but tenants at will, and which also we have forfeited; and therefore, as long as that is continued of His mere favour, we have no reason to cry out of wrong, whatever other comforts are removed.
Dust - Gen. 3:19 unto dust shall thou return.]
[21] For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. [For – G-d does not destroy either prince or people unjustly, no nor out of His mere pleasure, but for their sins, which He sees exactly, although they use all possible arts to hide them.
His eyes - Which denotes the omniscience of G-d, which reaches to every man, to every individual, and to all men in general; and to their ways, to every step taken by them, to the whole of their lives and conversations, and every action of them; to all their internal and external ways and goings?
He seeth all - all their inward thoughts, the workings of their mind, the imaginations of their heart; their entire secret purposes, designs, and schemes; and all the desires and affections of their soul; and all these, whether good or bad, the whole of his walk and conversation, conduct and behavior; all his external ways, works, and actions. Ps. 139:1-6.]
[The ear trieth words- The ear of the well thought-out tries words, whether what is said be true or false, right or wrong, and he that speaks must stand the test of the intelligent. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the L-rd, from who are the hearing ear and seeing eye.
The mouth tasteth meat - As we must prove all things we hear, so we must be willing that what we speak should be proved. Words and doctrines are like meat, some good and some bad; and such that have a good taste try them, either a rational or rather a spiritual discernment: some have no spiritual taste, their taste is not changed, and therefore cannot distinguish, nor make any good judgment of things; but others have, and these discern the difference, relish truth, savor the things that be of G-d, taste the good Word of G-d, and esteem it more than their necessary food; and it is sweeter to them than the honey or the honeycomb.]
[4] Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.[Let us - Not contend for victory, but for truth and equity. He does not pretend to be sole dictator, nor undertake to say what is just and good and what is not, but he is willing to join with them in searching it out, and desires a consultation: "Let us agree to lay aside all animosities and feuds, all narrow-mindedness and affectation of disagreement, and all stiffness in hold fast to the opinion we have once take up.”
Choose to ourselves judgment - Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, let us fix right principles on which to proceed, and then take right methods for finding out truth. Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labor to find out what is good.
Among ourselves - and let us know among ourselves, by comparing notes and communicating our reasons, what is good and what is otherwise We are then likely to discern what is right when we agree to assist one another in searching it out.]
[11] For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
[For the work of man – G-d ever will do justice; the righteous shall never be forsaken, nor shall the wicked ultimately prosper. Good works shall be rewarded and evil works either punished or satisfied for; so that sooner or later, in this world or in that to come, He will cause every man to find according to his ways.]
[15] All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
[All – G-d's absolute and uncontrollable sovereignty over all mankind.
Perish together - What He may do with us without doing us wrong. He may recall the being He gave, of which we are but tenants at will, and which also we have forfeited; and therefore, as long as that is continued of His mere favour, we have no reason to cry out of wrong, whatever other comforts are removed.
Dust - Gen. 3:19 unto dust shall thou return.]
[21] For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. [For – G-d does not destroy either prince or people unjustly, no nor out of His mere pleasure, but for their sins, which He sees exactly, although they use all possible arts to hide them.
His eyes - Which denotes the omniscience of G-d, which reaches to every man, to every individual, and to all men in general; and to their ways, to every step taken by them, to the whole of their lives and conversations, and every action of them; to all their internal and external ways and goings?
He seeth all - all their inward thoughts, the workings of their mind, the imaginations of their heart; their entire secret purposes, designs, and schemes; and all the desires and affections of their soul; and all these, whether good or bad, the whole of his walk and conversation, conduct and behavior; all his external ways, works, and actions. Ps. 139:1-6.]
Three times over
Job 33 is one of the best, the deepest, and the most spiritual and most important, chapters which the reader has yet met with in the Book of Job. It is every way important, and full of useful information. It is a grand exhibition of the WAY of salvation as revealed to patriarchs and prophets.
How much did G-d do to save them? Did He ever do any thing to save them? Did he ever design to save them? If not, how does that which was never done, nor designed, "render them inexcusable?
"L-rd, what is man, that thou shouldest thus visit him?" This should engage us, to comply with G-d's designs, to work with Him for our own good and not to counter - work Him. And this will render those that perish inexcusable, that, so much was done to save them and they would not be healed.
I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. Every man speaks with his mouth, but few, as Elihu, try their words with discrimination first and only say what is really good. He intended to make a solemn business of it, not to put in a word by the by, or give a short repartee, but to show his wit: after long silence he opened his mouth with deliberation and design. As G-d has given him His Spirit, from that Spirit alone will he speak; therefore all his words shall be of uprightness, knowledge, and truth. He does not ground the charge upon report, for what is said amiss in our hearing we are concerned to reprove; for you are my witnesses, saith the L-rd, to confront the accuser.
I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.Even the godly, though willing to confess themselves sinners in general, often dislike sin in particular to be brought as a charge against them. Affliction is therefore needed to bring them to feel that sin in them deserves even worse than they suffer and that G-d does them no injustice. Then at last, humbled under G-d, they find affliction is for their real good and is taken away either here, or at least at death. To teach this is Elihu's mission. Many that are just, in some particular instances, do not speak and act like themselves. On the one hand, we must not fail to tell even a good man wherein he mistakes and does amiss, nor flatter him in his errors and passions, for in that we are not kind; so, on the other hand, we must not draw on men’s characters, nor pass a judgment on them, from one instance or some few misplaced words, for in that we are not being just.
G-d is greater than man - There is enough in this one plain unquestionable truth forever to put to silence and shame all our complaints of His providence and our exceptions against His dealings with us. He is not only more wise and powerful than we are, and therefore it is to no purpose to challenge Him but more holy, just and good, for these are the inspiring glories and excellencies of the divine nature; in these G-d is greater than man, and therefore it is absurd and unreasonable to find fault with Him, for He is certainly in the right.
He giveth not account of any of His matters - G-d is not accountable to us! Woe to the clay that strives with the potter. He is under no obligation to show us a reason for what He does, neither to tell us what He designs to do (in what method, at what time, by what instruments), nor to tell us why He deals thus with us.
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
It is an evidence of His gracious design that He is pleased to speak to us of our own concerns, to show us what is our duty and what our interest, what He requires of us and what we may expect from Him, to tell us of our faults and warn us of our danger, to show us the way and to lead us in it. This He does once, yea, twice, that is, again and again. When one warning is neglected He gives another, not willing that any should perish. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line; it is so, that sinners may be left inexcusable. When once speaking doth not awaken men, G-d is graciously pleased to give them another warning. Though He will not satisfy men's curiosity in enquiring into His hidden judgments, yet He will acquaint them with their duty. G-d speaks to us by conscience, by providence and by ministers, but first, G-d admonishes men by their own consciences.
Man perceiveth it not - What enemies we are to our own welfare. Man perceives it not, that is, he does not heed it or regard it, does not discern or understand it, is not aware that it is the voice of G-d, nor does he receive the things revealed, for they are foolishness to him. He stops his ear, stands in his own light, rejects the counsel of G-d against himself, and so is never the wiser, no not for the dictates of wisdom itself.
Hide pride - that is, hide those things from him which are the matter of his pride, because by these glorious representations of His Divine majesty to man, He takes him off from the admiration of his own excellence and brings him to a sight of his own weakness and to an humble and ready submission to His will. Pride makes people eager and resolute in the trial of their purposes; they will have their way, therefore G-d withdraws them from their purposes, by mortifying their pride. Even the godly need to learn the lesson which trials teach, to "humble themselves under the mighty hand of G-d.
Pain upon his bed - The second way whereby G-d instructs men and incites them to repentance. Pain is borne with more difficulty than sickness, and with that the patient is chastened - not a dull heavy pain, but strong and acute. Frequently, the stronger the patient the stronger the pain, for the more confident the countenance is, the more violent, the disease is. It is not the smarting of the flesh that is complained of, but the aching of the bones. Pain can be the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of G-d, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul.
Destroyers - The pangs of death, here called the destroyers, are just ready to seize him; they compass him about(Ps. 116:3). Perhaps it intimates the very dreadful anxiety of death as a destroying thing when it stares them in the face, which, when it was at a distance, have been made light of. All agree when it comes to the point, whatever they thought of it before, that it is a serious thing to die. Were will you spend eternity?
Messenger & Interpreter – the third way G-d uses. The office of the interpreter is to expound the providence of G-d and give to understand the meaning of it; a man of wisdom that knows the voice of the rod and its interpretation. His business is to show unto man His uprightness, that is, G-d’s uprightness. The interpreter will not do as Job’s friends had done, make it his business to prove him a hypocrite because he is afflicted. But on the contrary,He will show him his uprightness, notwithstanding his afflictions, that he may take the comfort of it and be easy, whatever the event is. This is the wonderful work of the Holy Ghost that persons and events move in their own sphere in such a way as to unconsciously show forth Him who’s "testimony is the Spirit of prophecy"; as the same point may be center of a sboth mall and a vastly larger concentric circle. To direct him to the right way to please G-d and procure that mercy which he thirsts after, which is not by quarrelling with G-d, but by a humble confession and supplication for mercy.
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.When he sees that the sick person is indeed convinced and in sincere repentance, that uprightness which is perfection, are his interest as well as his duty. Wherever G-d finds a gracious heart he will be found a gracious G-d. When afflictions have done their work they shall be removed. When we return to G-d in a way of duty He will return to us in a way of mercy. Those shall be delivered from going down to the pit that receive G-d’s messengers and rightly understand His interpreters, so as to subscribe to His uprightness. I have found - which is the death of My Son, the Redeemer of the world, and with respect to which I will pardon them that repent and sue for mercy, even I am He that hath done it!
Pray - His soul recovers its peace; the patient, being a repentant, is a requester, and has learned to pray. When he finds himself recovering he shall not then think that prayer is no longer necessary, for we need the grace of G-d, as much for the sanctifying of a mercy as for the sanctifying of an affliction. He has a blessed calm of mind, arising from the sense of his justification before G-d. He shall receive the atonement, that is, the comfort of it, Rom. 5:11. Righteousness shall be imputed to him, and peace thereupon spoken, the joy and gladness of which he shall then be made to hear though he could not hear them in the day of his affliction. Bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit, and then reward him for the work, as if it were done by his own might
It profited me not - sin is the perverting of that which is right; it is a most unjust unreasonable thing; it is the rebellion of the creature against the Creator, the usurped dominion of the flesh over the spirit, and a disagreement to the eternal rules and reasons of good and evil. It is perverting the right ways of the L-rd (Acts 13:10), and therefore the ways of sin are called crooked ways, Ps. 125:5. Would we know what is to be got by sin? It profited us not. The works of darkness are unfruitful works. When profit and loss come to be balanced, all the gains of sin put all together will come far short of countervailing the damage.
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, - "three times over;" points in the dual number, it signifies twice three times, that is, again and again; very frequently. Blessed be G-d! He uses a variety of methods to do men good; if one thing does not do the work, He will try another; if neither do, He will try a mercy; and He will send a messenger to interpret both. If G-d did not take more care of us than we do of ourselves, we should be miserable. We would destroy ourselves, but He would have us saved and develops means, by His grace, to undo that by which we were undoing ourselves. Whom G-d saves from sin and hell, which are darkness, He will bring to heaven, the inheritance of the saints in light; and this He aims at in all His institutions and all His dispensations. This should engage us to comply with G-d’s designs, to work with Him for our own good, and not to counter-work Him. This will render those that perish forever inexcusable, that so much was done to save them and they would not be healed.
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
Those that would both show wisdom and learn wisdom must hearken and keep silence, be swift to hear and slow to speak and must therefore set themselves to improve by the means of wisdom and grace.
Has G-d talked to you once, twice even three times, before you heard Him?
How much did G-d do to save them? Did He ever do any thing to save them? Did he ever design to save them? If not, how does that which was never done, nor designed, "render them inexcusable?
"L-rd, what is man, that thou shouldest thus visit him?" This should engage us, to comply with G-d's designs, to work with Him for our own good and not to counter - work Him. And this will render those that perish inexcusable, that, so much was done to save them and they would not be healed.
I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. Every man speaks with his mouth, but few, as Elihu, try their words with discrimination first and only say what is really good. He intended to make a solemn business of it, not to put in a word by the by, or give a short repartee, but to show his wit: after long silence he opened his mouth with deliberation and design. As G-d has given him His Spirit, from that Spirit alone will he speak; therefore all his words shall be of uprightness, knowledge, and truth. He does not ground the charge upon report, for what is said amiss in our hearing we are concerned to reprove; for you are my witnesses, saith the L-rd, to confront the accuser.
I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.Even the godly, though willing to confess themselves sinners in general, often dislike sin in particular to be brought as a charge against them. Affliction is therefore needed to bring them to feel that sin in them deserves even worse than they suffer and that G-d does them no injustice. Then at last, humbled under G-d, they find affliction is for their real good and is taken away either here, or at least at death. To teach this is Elihu's mission. Many that are just, in some particular instances, do not speak and act like themselves. On the one hand, we must not fail to tell even a good man wherein he mistakes and does amiss, nor flatter him in his errors and passions, for in that we are not kind; so, on the other hand, we must not draw on men’s characters, nor pass a judgment on them, from one instance or some few misplaced words, for in that we are not being just.
G-d is greater than man - There is enough in this one plain unquestionable truth forever to put to silence and shame all our complaints of His providence and our exceptions against His dealings with us. He is not only more wise and powerful than we are, and therefore it is to no purpose to challenge Him but more holy, just and good, for these are the inspiring glories and excellencies of the divine nature; in these G-d is greater than man, and therefore it is absurd and unreasonable to find fault with Him, for He is certainly in the right.
He giveth not account of any of His matters - G-d is not accountable to us! Woe to the clay that strives with the potter. He is under no obligation to show us a reason for what He does, neither to tell us what He designs to do (in what method, at what time, by what instruments), nor to tell us why He deals thus with us.
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
It is an evidence of His gracious design that He is pleased to speak to us of our own concerns, to show us what is our duty and what our interest, what He requires of us and what we may expect from Him, to tell us of our faults and warn us of our danger, to show us the way and to lead us in it. This He does once, yea, twice, that is, again and again. When one warning is neglected He gives another, not willing that any should perish. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line; it is so, that sinners may be left inexcusable. When once speaking doth not awaken men, G-d is graciously pleased to give them another warning. Though He will not satisfy men's curiosity in enquiring into His hidden judgments, yet He will acquaint them with their duty. G-d speaks to us by conscience, by providence and by ministers, but first, G-d admonishes men by their own consciences.
Man perceiveth it not - What enemies we are to our own welfare. Man perceives it not, that is, he does not heed it or regard it, does not discern or understand it, is not aware that it is the voice of G-d, nor does he receive the things revealed, for they are foolishness to him. He stops his ear, stands in his own light, rejects the counsel of G-d against himself, and so is never the wiser, no not for the dictates of wisdom itself.
Hide pride - that is, hide those things from him which are the matter of his pride, because by these glorious representations of His Divine majesty to man, He takes him off from the admiration of his own excellence and brings him to a sight of his own weakness and to an humble and ready submission to His will. Pride makes people eager and resolute in the trial of their purposes; they will have their way, therefore G-d withdraws them from their purposes, by mortifying their pride. Even the godly need to learn the lesson which trials teach, to "humble themselves under the mighty hand of G-d.
Pain upon his bed - The second way whereby G-d instructs men and incites them to repentance. Pain is borne with more difficulty than sickness, and with that the patient is chastened - not a dull heavy pain, but strong and acute. Frequently, the stronger the patient the stronger the pain, for the more confident the countenance is, the more violent, the disease is. It is not the smarting of the flesh that is complained of, but the aching of the bones. Pain can be the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of G-d, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul.
Destroyers - The pangs of death, here called the destroyers, are just ready to seize him; they compass him about(Ps. 116:3). Perhaps it intimates the very dreadful anxiety of death as a destroying thing when it stares them in the face, which, when it was at a distance, have been made light of. All agree when it comes to the point, whatever they thought of it before, that it is a serious thing to die. Were will you spend eternity?
Messenger & Interpreter – the third way G-d uses. The office of the interpreter is to expound the providence of G-d and give to understand the meaning of it; a man of wisdom that knows the voice of the rod and its interpretation. His business is to show unto man His uprightness, that is, G-d’s uprightness. The interpreter will not do as Job’s friends had done, make it his business to prove him a hypocrite because he is afflicted. But on the contrary,He will show him his uprightness, notwithstanding his afflictions, that he may take the comfort of it and be easy, whatever the event is. This is the wonderful work of the Holy Ghost that persons and events move in their own sphere in such a way as to unconsciously show forth Him who’s "testimony is the Spirit of prophecy"; as the same point may be center of a sboth mall and a vastly larger concentric circle. To direct him to the right way to please G-d and procure that mercy which he thirsts after, which is not by quarrelling with G-d, but by a humble confession and supplication for mercy.
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.When he sees that the sick person is indeed convinced and in sincere repentance, that uprightness which is perfection, are his interest as well as his duty. Wherever G-d finds a gracious heart he will be found a gracious G-d. When afflictions have done their work they shall be removed. When we return to G-d in a way of duty He will return to us in a way of mercy. Those shall be delivered from going down to the pit that receive G-d’s messengers and rightly understand His interpreters, so as to subscribe to His uprightness. I have found - which is the death of My Son, the Redeemer of the world, and with respect to which I will pardon them that repent and sue for mercy, even I am He that hath done it!
Pray - His soul recovers its peace; the patient, being a repentant, is a requester, and has learned to pray. When he finds himself recovering he shall not then think that prayer is no longer necessary, for we need the grace of G-d, as much for the sanctifying of a mercy as for the sanctifying of an affliction. He has a blessed calm of mind, arising from the sense of his justification before G-d. He shall receive the atonement, that is, the comfort of it, Rom. 5:11. Righteousness shall be imputed to him, and peace thereupon spoken, the joy and gladness of which he shall then be made to hear though he could not hear them in the day of his affliction. Bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit, and then reward him for the work, as if it were done by his own might
It profited me not - sin is the perverting of that which is right; it is a most unjust unreasonable thing; it is the rebellion of the creature against the Creator, the usurped dominion of the flesh over the spirit, and a disagreement to the eternal rules and reasons of good and evil. It is perverting the right ways of the L-rd (Acts 13:10), and therefore the ways of sin are called crooked ways, Ps. 125:5. Would we know what is to be got by sin? It profited us not. The works of darkness are unfruitful works. When profit and loss come to be balanced, all the gains of sin put all together will come far short of countervailing the damage.
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, - "three times over;" points in the dual number, it signifies twice three times, that is, again and again; very frequently. Blessed be G-d! He uses a variety of methods to do men good; if one thing does not do the work, He will try another; if neither do, He will try a mercy; and He will send a messenger to interpret both. If G-d did not take more care of us than we do of ourselves, we should be miserable. We would destroy ourselves, but He would have us saved and develops means, by His grace, to undo that by which we were undoing ourselves. Whom G-d saves from sin and hell, which are darkness, He will bring to heaven, the inheritance of the saints in light; and this He aims at in all His institutions and all His dispensations. This should engage us to comply with G-d’s designs, to work with Him for our own good, and not to counter-work Him. This will render those that perish forever inexcusable, that so much was done to save them and they would not be healed.
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
Those that would both show wisdom and learn wisdom must hearken and keep silence, be swift to hear and slow to speak and must therefore set themselves to improve by the means of wisdom and grace.
Has G-d talked to you once, twice even three times, before you heard Him?
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