Ven.. S--16.-.Elipha.z to Job: 4. The saint's confidence in God. I. TBE SAIN'l''s CHARACTER DESCRIBED. 1. Negatfrely. By way of contrast to the ungodly, who are depicted as (I) crafty, i.e. persons who cunningly concoct schemes against either God, Christ, or their neighbours (Ps. ii. 2; Acts iv. 25-28); (2) strong, i.e. violent, ferociouH sinners, who use their swords as wild beasts their mouths, for devouring, eating up, God's people as bread (Ps. xiv. 4).. 2. Positively. Exhibiting them as (1) humble (ver. 11), i.e. depressed or cast down, prostrated by affliction and, in consequence, dejected in spirit-a common experience with God's people; (2) mourning (ver. 11), i..e. going in squalid garments, expressive of penitential sorrow and self-abasement, and wherever grace exists it excites such emotions in the heart; (3) poor (ver. 16),-i.e. wea.k, feeble, thin, slender, too destitute of strength to be able, and too gentle and patient to care, to resist the assaults of the ungodly. The tbree above-mentioned characteristics may be compared with the persons specified in the first three Beatitudes -the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek (Matt. v. 3-5). • II. 1'HE SAINT'S Gon EXTOLLED. 1. ~s a God of power. (1) Essentially great; El (ver. 8) denoting God. as the Strong or Mighty One, and suggesting a contrast to the feebleness of the saint, and the violence of the saint's oppressor above alluded to. (2) Perpetually active; the omnipotence of God being not merely a potential ability residing in his infinite nature, but a vital energy continually proceeding forth in active operation (John v.17)- (3) Endlessly diversified; the plural Elohim (ver. 8) pointing out the totality of his variously m11.nifested nature, and his wonders being declared to be beyond computation-a statement whose correctness not even the discoveries of science have disproved. (4) Infinitely marvellous are the great things he performs, transcending the highest efforts of the human intellect to explain, understand, or even compute (eh. ix. 10; xi 7; xxxvi. 26; Ps. cxlv. 3). 2. As a, God of benevolence. Operating: (1) In the realm of nature; e.g. by sending rain upon the earth-a miracle of Divine power and wisdom (eh. uvili. 26)-to water the face of the thirsty soil, and csuse the rivers to overflow their banks upon the pasture-grounds, to render them fruitful-a miracle of Di vine goodness (Ps. lxviii. 9; J er. v. 24; Acts xiv. 7); that be might deliver men from dismal apprehensions as to prospective failure in the promised harvest, and convert their doleful vaticinations into triumphant hallelujahs-a miracle of grace and compassion (Ps. c~lvii. 8~. (2) In the spb~r~ of h~man!ty; e.g. b_y ~a,) confounding the crafty,-explodmg thell' schemes, neutrahzmg their actions, outwitting their cunning, precipitating their purposes, so causing their best-concocted devices to appear structures of consummate folly, and themselves to look like stupid bunglers, as helpless and perplexed as men stumbling in the darkness of night (examples: the tower-builders of Babel, Gen. xi 1-9; Potiphar's wife, Gen. xxxix.1-23; Abithophel, 2 Sam. xv. 31; Ha.man, Esth. vii 10); (b) rescuing the poor,--delivering them from the hands of their enemies (e.g. the Israelites from Egypt, Exod. xvih. 10; St. Peter from Herod, Acts xii. 11; St. Paul from Ne~o, 2 Tiw. iv. 17), inspiring them with hope and not only silencing their calumniators and oppressors, but sometiJDe~ strikh;ig them'. dumb with horror and amazement at God'• manifest interposition 011 behalf of bis sufierinir; &ervanta. (lg, v. 1-27.] THE BOOK OF Jon. 91
III. TuE eAtNT'B OONFIDENOE DEOLARED, 1. Emphatioolly. "Nevertheless I would" do eo and eo. Ae Eliphaz delicately insinuated that Job was a fool, so here he does not hesitate to propose himself as the perfect model of a wise man. No donbt thie resulted from want of modesty on the part of Eliphaz; but still, overlooking thh, the bold, unhesitating character of his avowal is not altogether unworthy of imitation. God's saints and Christ's followers should never be ashamed to confess their confidence in God, or avow their attachment to Chridt (Matt. v. 16; x. 32; Rom. i. 16). 2. Sincerely. "But 1-I would seek unto God; unto God would I commit my cause." The speaker signifies that his trust in God was no mere lip-profession, but a heart-emotion which would lead him, if circumstanced as Job was, to have recourse to God, and to commit his cause to the Godhead in prayer and in the exercise of faith. And certainly, if God should be sought for at oil times (1 Chron. xvi. 11), he should specially be resorted to in time of trouble (Ps. I. 15)---" for counsel and direction in it; for comfort and support under it; for grace to glorify God by it; for deliverance in God's own timB and way out of it; for the spiritual benefit and improvement intended through it" (Robinson). 3. Hopefully. '!'hough not affirmed at the outset, it is clearly expressed at the end. "So," i.e. by going to God and committing one's cause to him, "the poot bath hope;" God having revealed himself as the Hearer, and therefore as the Answerer, of prayer (Exod. x.xii. 27; 1 Chron. x.xviii. 9; eh. xii 4; xxii. 27; Ps. xx:xiv. 17: xxxvii. 5; Matt. xxi. 22; Phil. iv. 6); and this being sufficient ground for the saint's confident expectation that God will interpose for his succour and salvation. Learn : 1. It. is not enough to simply reprove those whom we believe to have erred, we must likewise instruct them how to amend. 2. The best thing to do with trouble of e.ny sort is to carry it to the throne of grace, and leave it there. 3. There is no God like the saint's'.God, the saint's enemies themselves being judges. 4. God has given men and saints the highest reason to trust him: the first, the wonders of nature; the second, the marvels of grace. 5. The weakness of God is stronger than men, while the foolishness pf God is wiser than men. 6. If God can tum the daylight into darkness round his· enemies, he can- also turn the darkness into light round himself a.nd his people, 7. God can rescue bis people from the greatest perils, from the mouth of the grave, and frolll the jaws of hell. 6. It is no vain thing to hope in God, since we are saved by hope, and God loveth them that hope in bis mercy. 9. The tongues of wicked men, however they may now blaspheme the Name and revile the children of God, will yet be effectually put to silence. 10. When Christ comes at last to save his poor ones, ;he ungodly world will stand speechless aud self-condemned.