PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Job
George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 615,689 words · 663 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 361
higher re&lm of religion; that a man acting wisely, i.e. living under the influence of thal wisdom which oometh from above (Jes. iii. 17), filling his heart with that fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom (eh. xxviil. 28; Ps. cxi. 10; Prqv. I. .7; Eccles. xii. 13), and shaping bis ways in aocordance with…
892 wordsSECTION 362The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 362
Vere. 5 .....20.~Eliphaz to Job: Z, A false accusation. I. A OHARGI!: OP PLAGRAM'I! lMMORALlTY, 1. Oene1·ally preferred. (Ver. 5.) All sin may be justly characterized NI grent, being commiUcd against e. great God, e. gree.t Law, great li:;ht, great love, great obllgntions, and great penalties; and fSVery man's iniquiti…
907 wordsSECTION 363The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 363
proof was wanting. Yet was the charge of EliphA,;: 5. Wholly imagined. It was purely I creation of the Arabilm seer's fancy. Not only did Job declare it untrue, but EliphaPJ himself must have known it to be baseless (cf. eh. iv. 3, 4). Either Eliphaz he.d allowed his excited ancl wrathful imagination to beguile hie …
884 wordsSECTION 364The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 364
contends that their oornmon fate is rather that of the sinners who were engulfed by the Deluge (ver. 16); which fate, though often (1) invisible to them, coming on them at the moment when they are saying, "Depart from us," as it did on the infidels of Noa.h's day (Luke xvii. 26, 27), is (2) progressing towards them,…
906 wordsSECTION 365The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 365
all; and (4) cbearful, l&ying np his worch! in the l1011rt with an e11rneat dealre to bring the life into full a.ocord with their instructions. 4-. Ho1ilness before God. Equally does th• grace of repenmnce involve a hearty forAAking of sin and a steadfast resolution after new obedience (vu. 23). This 11enfiment is a…
944 wordsSECTION 366The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 366
reconciled (ver, 26), and will not only exult in his acceptance (Rom. v. 2), b11t deliCYht in bis Portion, i.e. take pleasure in studying God's character as unveiled in Jesus Ch~ist (2 Cur. iii. 18), in learning God's will as revealed in the Bible (lsa, lviii. 2), in obeying God's La.w as promulgated in tbo gospel (Rom…
880 wordsSECTION 367The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 367
to his neighboura--could be the cause of hio misfortunes and miseries (vere. 2-10), He then proceeds to give an earnest warning ag~inet further indulgenoe in profane thoughts and words, bec&use the fl\t&l end of the wicked man, whatever his course may have been, can be no other than dreadful, like that of all wickod me…
915 wordsSECTION 368The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 368
JoromiBh (xxiii. 28, Bqq.). God ie not 9.fnr off, but ne9.r to every cre9.turn----nr,t far from overy ono of ue (vers. 27, 28; Acts xvii.). To think th9.t Clod i11 too exalted to at.tend to our mean o.lfoire, ie to set out on the rorid of unhelief, sin, and ruin. Rather, her,aus~ God is so ox!lltcd, nothing is hidden f…
927 wordsSECTION 369The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 369
widespread harvest.II of suffering grow. Bnt it ia not within the power or man to fix on the actual offender. Suffering oocut'I! in a thousand instances where not the sufferer but. _imotber_ ie t~e offender. To cha~ge home, there~ore, upon every au_ft'erer the cause or b111 suffermgs 1s an error. Iato this error Job…
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II. Thie lgnornnoe is further perviirted into A BUPPOBITION OF TRE mcoMPETJ:NOY oF THE DIVINE JUDGMENT. "Can he judge through the dark cloud?" Thus the blind falls into the pit of error, One fault follows another in quick succession. The fnulty view which shuts Goel out from his own world, which thinks of him as too fa…
848 wordsSECTION 371The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 371
at all, it is to consider what they ml\y get from him for their o'wn advantao-e, Aby idea of sacrificing t.hetnselves to God and rendering him disinterested service hae neve~ de.wucd upon their consciousness. But when a true Christian spirit is aroused in tho hea.rt of n. man, he must look beyond himself; he must du…
878 wordsSECTION 372The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 372
If we go further we may pauperize the objects of our charity. It is necessary, therefore to consider chBrnoter and methods of help suited to lift, not to degrade, the recipients: Here most complicated problems arise. But the primary help is simple and uncon- ditional. IV. Trne IB CumeT-LIKE. Our Lord took pity on the …
864 wordsSECTION 373The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 373
"Oor times are in his hand Who eaid, • A whole l pl~ned,1 Youth ahowe but half; h'nst God; see all, nor be a.Mid.~ W.F.A. Ver. 21.-Peaoefrom the 'lenowkdge of God. Elipbaz has here atumhled on a great truth, which even his wrong-headedness cannot pervert, .which is indeed a flash of Di,·ine inspiration. Our unres…
1,227 wordsSECTION 374The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 374
Ver. 23.-The penitent's return and rest&ration. I. THE BETUBN. 1. To God. All sin is departure from God; and repentance is a return to God. As the fall is from personal relations, so the recovery is a renewal of personal relations. When the sinner conies to himself, he sees that his one hope is to "arise and go unto" h…
706 wordsSECTION 375The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 375
Vel'II. 24, 25.-Rich in God. The idea of these verses seems to be that if a man will give up his earthly riches, his jewels and gold of Ophir, God will be to him a Defence, and as gold ore and silver in bars. L RENUNClATION THE 00?,"DITlON OF TRUE WEALTH. We do not get the heat riches by grasping, but by giving. Sa…
656 wordsSECTION 376The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 376
Almighty," 1. God gives joy. Aa we have but to acquaint ourselves wit.h God to be at peace (ver. 2,1), eo we have but to appreciate hie intentions to eee tl,at he does not wieh ue to be in distre8s, 2. This joy is in himself. We have to learn by experience how this is the case, for no words can express it. "Eye bath…
1,340 wordsSECTION 377The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 377
L Tm: DUTY il"D JOY _oF UPLIFTING THE FALLEN. 1. TM. d>aty_i w:e a'ie":b_y nature members of one family, because our descent from a common J>are:lltage makes U'B all brothers and sisters. But Christianity has strengthened the 'ties of natu.r~; • -There is no Christian duty so obligatory &S that of following our Lord ir…
552 wordsSECTION 378The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 378
EXPOSITION. cessible. It needed revefatio11 to let man OHAPTER XXIII. know that God is not far off', but very near Vera. 1-ch. xxiv. 25.-Job replies to Eli- to each one of us; that" in him we live, and pbaz in 11, speech or' no great length, which, move, and have onr being" (Acts xvii. 28). though it occnpies two ch…
869 wordsSECTION 379The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 379
iDg might which be ponessea? No, Job on the right llaD.41 that I oannot ■ee him; answeni, certainly not ; but b.e would pot litere.lly, and I do not. see him, strength in me; or, rather, but 1Ml would Ver. 10.-But he lmoweth the way that I take; or, the tbO!f that is wllh me. My gi,x, heed l-0 me. 1le ll!OUld par, …
1,356 wordsSECTION 380The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 380
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-7.-Job to EUphaz: 1. The experience of a seeker after God. I. GRE..1.'l' BORROW. (Ver. 2.) Two wonders. 1 . .An ajfiicted man a seeker after God. Designed to recall men to God (eh. xxxvi. 8, 9; Isa. xix. 22; Jer. ii. 27; Hos. v. 15), temporal calamity is not always a.t~nded by so blessed a result. …
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seeker Clrfre,· 'Goa. olwayw 1)008Ded qf eerlam ~hru:ac~; II.ii ! (1) Kn6w\edge. ' Llk6 Job, be may be ignorant of where God's seat is; but be must know that God is, and' has II eeat. Like the Greeks who spoke to Andrew abd Philip (John xii. 21), he may not undenitand how t.o reach the Saviour's presence; but he must …
891 wordsSECTION 382The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 382
eeek~r after God. 2..A mlln may be getting: nearer God, though a(1. outward ei<rtte appear to proclaim the rereree. 3. The gospel has for over rendered Job's prayer unnecessl\ty. 4,, lf a man (ails .to find God, he must be seeking for him in the wrong quarter or the wrong way. o. 'rhey who come to God's throne in earne…
883 wordsSECTION 383The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 383
·4; Col. i. 16; Heb. i. 3), in whom alone, accordingly, God can now be found. (Z) A faithful servant of God. Recogniz'ing bis allegiance to God, Job not only used means to acquaint himself with God's will, as all saints should do, but acoepted that will as the rule and pattern of his life: (a) cheerfully, making God…
879 wordsSECTION 384The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 384
filmed 11t in llflliction, makes it possible for God's people to glory in tribulations (Rom. v. 3; 1 Pot. i. 6; Jae. i. 12). 3. Emei-gingfrom the darkne,as. Indirectly alluded to but contemplated ns cert11in. (1) At what time? "When he hath tried me," whe~ the process of assaying has been completed, but not till the…
883 wordsSECTION 385The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 385
mined from the beginning, are in no degree inconsist.ent with his immutability. What- ever further eJ.teration appears 'to surround his decrees is tbe result of chl\nge or variability in the creature. 3. The irresistibilily of the i>ivine power. " And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth;" literally, "And his …
924 wordsSECTION 386The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 386
of prosperity, 11nd In visible enjoyment of the Divine favour, So good people are often puzzled to tmdcret11nd why, in the providence of God, they should have been reserved for this or that particul11r calamity; and why, being what they a.re, 9incere and humble followers of God, they should be treated with ae much seve…
1,043 wordsSECTION 387The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 387
Vers. 1-17.-Longing for the appl!arance of the delivering and justifying God. I. EXCLAMATION. (Vers. 2-5.) So bitter is his complaint, "his hand is heavy upon his groaning," i.e. he must force gror.n after groan out of himself. Oh that he knew where to find the ju<lgment-seat of God, and that he might have the opport…
1,269 wordsSECTION 388The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 388
Vers.14-17.-,-Thehumbledand overwmlmed sufferer. The position of Job is one of confusion and unexplained mystery. He is in the hands of the Almighty. His punish- ment, e.s some affirm it to be, is very heavy. It at times seems to be greater than he can bear. Yet he is uncondemned within. He holds fast to his integrity,…
1,078 wordsSECTION 389The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 389
Ver. 3.-The search for God. I. ITs B0UBOE, Job is prompted to seek God by his terrible troubles. The false Rccusations make him the more anxious to find the just Judge, who can clear up the dreadful misunderstandings and vindicate his injured cause, Thus the innocent man in trouble needs God. Still more does the gui…
885 wordsSECTION 390The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 390
the providential control of hum11n 11ff'aire. It le not always e11sy t.o aee God in thia l!tmngely confused hum,m world, where eo m11ny thin~s go wrong, 11nd where so little seems to be done to keep them right. In hie perplexity and distress m11n cries out, " ·where is God? If there is indeed a God, why does he not …
800 wordsSECTION 391The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 391
hu had no theory to oppose to his friends' orthodox notion that it is the merited punishment of sin. That that notion was wrong, experience and observation have made him see quite clearly. But hitherto he has not been able to supply an alter- native idoe.. Now there dawns on him a perception of the disciplinary purpose…
875 wordsSECTION 392The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 392
tlrifl!II. 'Men decide from pArtial knowledge, and then fuller lnfOl'Dlation leads tbein to cha~ their minds. But God lrnows everything from the first. 2, He is strOflg, 'Men are persuaded &gainst their betoor judgment, or they weakly yield to temptntlon, But God Is perfect in will and ob1m1cter. He oannot be urged …
1,192 wordsSECTION 393The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 393
EXPOSITION. OHAPTER XXIV. another's is by termini, or "landmarks," which are genera.Uy low stone metes or The general subject of this chapter is the bourns, placed at intervals on the boundary- prosperity of the wicked, whose proceedings line. An easy form of robbery W&B to dis- and their results are traced out in…
586 wordsSECTION 394The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 394
(Jndg. v. 6). The second bemistich favours other words, their clothing. Thay will no~ the latter interpretntion, The poor of the lend to them on any otner terms, and so earth (or. fJie meek of tlie earth) hide them- force them to po.rt with their garments, and ■elvea together. In the East there have go about naked. …
982 wordsSECTION 395The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 395
and be guided by suoh restraints continu- themselves oloee. Professor Lee. however, ally. On the oontrary, defends the Authorized Version. They Ver. 14.-The murderer rising with the know not the light; i.e. they e.voi,l it light killeth the poor and needy, The mur- keep e.we.y from it, will have nothing oo d~ derer ri…
998 wordsSECTION 396The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 396
wmnl," t.o mean "hi.a own mother." The him live on, 11n.fe 11.nd 11e0ure, and the tnan - u..U hell IWMtly on him (oomp. eh. himself ]'('Btll on the 1ec1irlly thus e.tTordod :nii. H). He ehall ~ no more remembered. him, quite !lontcnted with il Yet hil IIY" Obli'l"inn 11h11.11 flt.II upon him Bnd hi!doingio. a'N! upon t…
985 wordsSECTION 397The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 397
Rtalk forth on e&rth unchallenged and nn&venged, without let or hindrsnce pretty much e.e If there were no euch tribunal in existence. And this fact, which' ,fob 80 strenuously affirme, In addition to having been observed by Aesph (Ps. lxxiii. 5), David (Pe. 1. 21), the Preaober (Eccles, viii. 11), Jeremish (xii. I)…
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because unable to st&nd before the 'Violenoe of their invaders. (1) Leading a greg1nloua ond wandering life, like wild nsses in tbA dt>sert, like the vagrant gipsies of modern time~, rising up early and going forth in search of food with an e.ppetite e.s keen as if they were hunting prey, with infinite labour extrac…
893 wordsSECTION 399The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 399
Learn : 1. The impunity of sinners on earth is no proof that they shall enjoy like Impunity hereafter. 2. That God's people do not now discern his judgment throne ie no argument that such II throne does not exist. 3. Little faults are as really sins, and as certain to be punished, as great offences. 4. Uriminals who st…
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(John iii. 20) h11ten of the light. Light is a frequent biblioal eymbol for Divine truth (Prov. vi. 28; Ps. cxix. 105; b&. ii. 6), anrl in particular for the gQ&pel (Matt. iv. 18; Luke ii. 32; John xii. 36; Eph. v. 8). Hence the unbelieving and therefore uncon- Vc>rted wick~ heart naturally looks upon the light of G…
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aga.inet the light. .Aooording to Eliphaz, these creatures of the da.rkneee ■hould be over- taken with 01110.mitiee proportioned to their crimes; but, according to Job, the contrary is the cas&---they are (1) prosperous in life, gliding rtown the stream and current of time like a light skiff (ver. 18), elperiencing no …
875 wordsSECTION 402The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 402
pel'tlecution, permitt.ed by God-the removal of l11n<lmarka (Deut. xix. 14; xxvii. 17; Prov. xxii. 28; xxiii. 10); the plunder of herds ( oh. xx. 19); the taking of the property of the helpless in plC'dge (Exod. xxii. 26; Deut. xxiv. 6); the thrusting of the po.or from the way into pathless spots, so that the misera…
896 wordsSECTION 403The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 403
22 ; Ps. xxxvi, 11 ; lxxxv. 6), AHhough the oppressor is sometimes in deepair of life yet he rises up 11,11d flourishes a.gain. God grantl! him ae.fety, and he is supported, and God's eyes e.ro upon bis ways to protect and to bless. But it is for a little while only that this recovery and this security last-then they v…
1,197 wordsSECTION 404The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 404
Ver. l.-God's special, d,a,ys. Job thinks that if it may not be always possible to see God, there may at least be certain times when he can be found. If he cannot be always giving an audience to his people, can he not be like a judge on circuit, allowing a day for those who would seek his aid at each pa.rt of his do…
437 wordsSECTION 405The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 405
Qf providence. But we have, what be had not, the fuller renla.tion of God in Christ What we now need is not a fresh revelation, but eyes to read and henrte to perceive the Christian revelation, External, visible manifestations of God are not to be looked for now. Miracles were useful in the childhood of the race and in…
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day, though it often &sl!umes subtle &nd deceptive forma. Many thinge contribute to an unfair treatment of the poor. 1. Their ignora,n~. They do not always know their rights, nor perceive where cunning men he.ve an adV&nt&ge over them. Thus they are not able to protect themselves fe.irly. 2. Thei,r obscurity. It is …
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III. DRINK, All who he.ve looked carefully into the condition of the miserably poor of great cities a.re driven to the one conclusion the.t the most prolific source of enl le intemperance, No doubt the overcrowding, the miRery, the absence of all other resources drive people to this one desperate consolation. We mus…
841 wordsSECTION 408The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 408
problem tb11.t his misfortunes have rai~ed. Rejecting the hMktniyed doctrine o( hla friends tbat trouble comes IU! the temporal '!'>llnlshment of IJin, and seeing tha.t bad mcln often escape trouble, he concludes that all the injustice is bu't temporary. The proa• perity of the wicked is but for "a little while." Be…
1,309 wordsSECTION 409The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 409
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-6.-Bi1dad to Job: The greatness of God and the littleness of man: an old 1e1·mon • reproduced. I. THE GREATNESS OF Goo. 'l'o impress Job with suitable conceplions of the ineffable majesty of that Divine Being before whom he desired so confidently and, as it appeared to the speaker, so irreverently …
440 wordsSECTION 410The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 410
they are completely prevent.£ from working hllI"ID against his throne or empire, but are kept in chaine againet the judgment of the great day. As God rules in hel\ven, so &I.so does be reign on el\rtb in e.nd through Christ, who is our Peacerue.ker (Eph. il. 14), having by his incarnation me.de peace (unity instead …
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obeoure hints are believed to be foun1l in Scripture (cf. Candlish'e • Fatherhood of God ' leot. vi, p. 260). 2, Impure. "How can be be clean that ie born of a woman/" (ver, 4). In Bildad's estimation the moral defilement of man is (1) involved in his origin, as being the child of woman--a sentiment in which Job (cf. e…
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Ver. 4.-Condemnation. If, in the course of Job's replies to his friends, he has sought to exculpate himself from all blame, and to aver his righteousness in the sight of God, he is now answered by a brief speech of his friend, "How can man be justified in the sight of God?" True, Job holdeth fast bis integrity; true…
752 wordsSECTION 413The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 413
from bis enlted position he surveys the whole panorama. of existence, e.nd e.dministere the affairs of the universe. 3. He e:urta active infl= over all. God iR not 110 urnnmenta.l figure-head. He not only reigns, he rules. His government is absolute; not despotic, only because it is paternal. II. Goo's RULE 18 A NE…
844 wordsSECTION 414The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 414
beyond bis care. As there 110ems to be no end to the radiation or light when this le not hindered by obstructing objects, so no limit oan be discovered to the radiation of God's lo,•e. Though the hosts of beings are innumerable, there is a share of God's goodnesB for eaoh. "Its etrMms tho whole creation reaoh, So ple…
773 wordsSECTION 415The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 415
eels forth, first or 1111, the mlgM 11ncl majesty addressed to me ?-a. discouree made up or of God (vers. 6-14), 11fter which he proceeds truisms. to de11l with the qneetions which aoncem Ver. 4.-To wb.om hut thou uttered words 1 Whom dirlst thou intend to. ad- hie own Integrity, and God's dealings with dress? Surely …
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nrth ,q,ou nothing. "T&kee," i.e., "the reverberations of f,be tlmnder, whioh shake lmge ball of the P&rih, and euapends it in the air, seem to shake the oorth also. Auel vacancy, with nothing to support it but hie &n1 a■toni1hed at hi■ reproof. To the mind own fixed will, bis own firm laws." This ill of the poet ihis…
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-14.-Job to Bi1dad. another BlfT'mon on the foregoing text. I. THE PREPAOE TO THl!l BlmMON; OR, THE DISOOUBSE OP BILDAD CRITIOIZED. In Job's estimation it was: 1. Wholly unserviceable. With stinging irony Job, according to our view, represents it ne hnving been extremely helpful to him in hie feeble…
834 wordsSECTION 418The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 418
Ruler, tracing hie governmental power and authority through every department of creation. 1. In the realm of shadt111, (Vel'II. 15, 6.) Bildad had said that God's dominion pervaded "the heights," or heavenly plaoee (oh. :u:v. 2). Job adds that it also extends to the dark underworld of depart.oo. spirits; oonceming w…
920 wordsSECTION 419The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 419
descended with OccidentBl glory, pRssing Rt the end of dRy into R dark world, which its golden beams could not illumino, and emerging at the <Rll of morn into the clear briaht realm of light. Passing by the misconception ae to tbo sun's movemer,te and funct~n, which science better enables us to understand, the truth re…
1,168 wordsSECTION 420The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 420
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-14.-Praiaes of th£ Eternal. I. REPARTEE AND REPROOF. (Vere. 2--4.) The tone seems to be ironical: "How well hast thou helped feebleness, supported the arm of bim that has no .strength, counselled unwisdom, and in fuJness given utterance to good sense! To whom bast thou offered w…
535 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.