The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 37

Vers. 6-19.-The trial of the righteous man. The central subject of this boolr is the trial of the righteous man. Job is acknowledged of God to be "a perfect and a# upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil." Yet be is tried,. and tried &orely, and by permission of God. The difficulty to be solved by the history of Job is -How c:an it come to pass that the righteous suffer? To what end is this permitted? The trial of Job is divided into two parts-the first is briefly recounted, it contains the main facts; the second part is extended. The discussion of the book relates to the whole. L A'I"'.rn'TION IS INSTANTLY DIB.ECTED TO THE AGENT OF THE TRIAL. Satan'--the adversary. All our knowledge of the spirit-world is derived from Holy Scripture~ The teaching of Scripture concerning evil spirits is full, minute; consistent. No valid objection to the existence of evil spirits can be raised on the ground of our ignorance, or our unfamiliarity with the phenomena attending the action of evi\ spirits. It is impossible to remove the teaching concerning Satan from Scripture with- out doing so great violence to it as to derange the whole. To a revelation we come to be taught, not to cavil. But the story is pictorially and dramatically represented. Satan is throughout "the agent of probation." Satanic action is not prevented, but controlled by God. The spirit of Satan is revealed by the malignant accusation made agaiust Job. He charges Job with selfu,hness; his motive to obedience is a false one; his intei!'rity will not stand a severe test. Very significant is the representation of the allowed Satanic testing-" All that he hath is in thy power." . II. ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE NATURE OF THE TRIAL. It embraces the loss to Job of his substance, his servants, and his children. Wave after wave of sorrowful intelligc[jce reaches him. Yet it is sudden. While one was "yet speaking, there came also another." It robbed the man of property, of his possessions; the man of honour, authority, and influence, of his servants; tbe tender father, of his family. How sad the change in his circumstances I How poignant hie grief from the loss of his children I How desolate the home! How suddenly the brightness of noon changed for the dark- ness of 1nidnig71t ! It would be difficult to conceive a picture of more severe trial. l\ was inter:.se, widespread, irreparable. . . ill. ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE TEACIDNG 011' THE TRIAL. 1. The folly of depending too confidently on earthly ha.ppiness. Every condition of happiness present, every ground of hope for its continuance; yet how speedily destroyed I 2, The demand OB. J, 1-22.] 'l'HE BOOK OF JOB.