The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 104

fore, BHbough he Wll!I applying those truthe in an irritatingly mistaken way, he, rightly enough from hie standpoint, urged Job to seek God's mercy in penitence that he might thue benefit by hie chastisement. To be purged from sin is better than to be made rich, comfortable, externally happy. It is true blessedness, though at first experienced amid tears of sorrow. 3. (Jhastisement leads to joy. Afterwards it brings forth tbe "peaceable fruit of righteousness." We count a man happy who is on the road to a. great good. He may enjoy it already by anticipation. At a.II events, he is to be congratulated on his destiny, as one congratulates the heir of great estates. The Christian may be congratulated if he can say with St. Paul, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us " (Rom. viii. 18). II. IT IS TBEREFom,; DOTH WRONG AND FOOLISH TO DESPISE CHASTISEMENT. It is wrong, because we ought to submit with humility to whatever comes from the hand of God; and it is foolish, because contempt will destroy the efficacy of chastisement, which needs to be felt if it is to be effective, and which blesses us through our humility and contrition. A proud and haughty bearing under chastisement defeats the ends of the gracious ordinance. We see here how diametrically opposite the enlightened Hebrew view of suffering is to that of the Stoic. Both views regarded pain as not the evil thing that most men took it to be; both demanded patience and courage from the sufferer. But Stoicism inculcated contempt for suffering. Thus it engendered Pharisaic pride. The scriptural idea-in the Old Testament as well as the New-is rather to lead us to attach more importance to suffering than the thoughtless give to it, not that we may magnify the sensations of distress, but that we may let the trouble have its full work in our souls. 1. We may despise the chastisement when we make light of it. 2. The contempt may be shown by denying its meaning or use. 3. It may also be experienced by re"belling against chaKtisement. In this last case we do not regard the - trouble as slight. But we do- not reverence the holy purpose with which it is sent. Our wild resistance shows contempt for the character of our affliction. Christ is the model Sufferer, who deserved no chastisement, and yet who was " led as a lamb to the slaughter," and was thus made perfect through sufferings (Heh. ii. 10).-W. F. A. Ver. 23.-In league with nature. Elipbaz argues that, if Job will but submit him- self to the ordinances of God, nature itself will be his ally, and the very stones that obstruct his plough, and even the beasts that ravage his flocks, will become his auxiliaries. Here the seer of visions has touched on a great truth. To be in harmony with the Lord of nature is to be in league with nature. I. WE ARE NOT NATURALLY IN LEAGUE WITH NATURE. This is a paradox in form, yet it is a transcript of experience. The experience is peculiar to man. All other things find their habitat congenial to them. Man alone discovers himself to be as an alien among foes-stones, weeds, vermin, beasts of prey, cruel winds, tempests, earth- quakes, frustrating his designs. Two very different causes may account for this discord. 1. Our natural greatness. We are a part of nature, yet we are above nature. In our higher self we cannot he content to take our share with the beasts that perish. Our aspirations lift us out of agreement with the life that is lived by plants and animals. 2. Our sinful fall. We are meant to be above nature, ruling over it. By sin we have fallen below nature, and it has trampled on us. The master has become the slave and victim of his servant. II. IT IB aooD TO BE IN LEAGUE WITH NATURE. So Eliphaz implies by his promise to Job of this condition as a reward for contrite submission. The Bible nowhere teaches a Manichman horror of nature. All God's works are good and deserve to be appreciated by us. Neither do_we learn from Scripture to entertain a monkish horror of nature. 'l'he inherent innocence of every natural power and action is suggested by the biblical description of creation. Therefore we shall make a great mistake if we think we are to escape from the tyranny of nature either by flight or by warfare. We cannoG escape from nature if we would. Though we crushed our nature, it would arise and reassert itself. But, supposing our flight or our warfare were successful, that we could absolutely leave or completely extirpate nature, we should only find our lives maimed and impoverished; for nature is part of us, anrl is intended to be our useful servant. Ill. WE CANNOT F0BM A SUC0EBBFUL LEAGUE WITH NATURE BY DESCENDING TO 102 THE BOOK OF JOB.