II. ZoPHAB'B OPINIONS OONOERNING GoD. Zopbar suggests \hat, if God appeared to Job, he would be found: 1. Irresistiblf! m teaching. "Oh that God would speak, and open his lips against [or, 'with thee']" (ver. 6). Thy complaints would then be silenced by the convincing light of God's revelations I What Zophar hero desiderated for his friend has been practically granted to all. "God manifest iu the flesh," "the Mao Christ Jesus," who appeared in the fulness of the times, is God's .An~wer to all preceding and subsequent centuries perplexed with the dark problem of existence. No solution of life's enigma but God's ever satisfies a soul, God oan accomplish what no human teacher can (eh. xxxvi. 22); he oan exhibit to the soul truth in its naked purity causing it to commend itself to every mau's conscience, and, whether accepted o; rejected, putting to silence all doubts and questionings as to its import (1 Cor. ii. 4-13; 2 Cor. iv. 2; 1 Thess. i. 5). 2. Unsearchable in wisdom. ".And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is [or perhaps, 'that it is fold upon fold']." True wisdom lies deep. Its secrets are seldom patent to superficial observation. Hidden fold over fold, their discovery is a work of labour, the fruit of profound reflection, the result of Heaven's revelation, Even that wisdom which is purely mundane requires patient, painful, persevering study (Prov. ii. 3, 4); much more" that wisdom which cometh from above" (Jas. iii. 17). Most of all the wisdom of the Divine mind lieR fold upon fold, deep. intricate, unfathomable, unsearch- able, and therefore undiscoverable by man except through Divine revele.tion (see horn ile ties on next paragraph). 3. Merciful in fud,gment. " Know therefore that God exactetb of thee less than thine iniquity [literally,• forgets for thee of thy guilt']" (ver. 6). Designed for Job's humiliation, the exhortation, nevertheless, contains precious truths. (1) That God can forget a man's guilt, suffer it to drop out of his mind in such a way that it i,hall never plead against him for punishment (Isa.. xliii. 25 ; Rom. iii. 26). (2) That God, in point of fact, forgets a portion of every man's guilt, since otherwise no man could stand before him (Ps. cxxx. 3). Zophar failed to see (3) that God can forget a.11 a sinner's trespass, and exact from him nothing of what he deserves. Learn : 1. That all the opinfbns of a good man are not necessarily correct. 2. That it is sometimes harder to be just to one's fellow-men than it is to be fair to God. 3. That man's ideas of God and truth may be arraigned without incurring the charge or infidelity. 4. The.t men often behold sins in others which they cannot, though they shou.ltl, see in themselves. 5. That good teaching should not be rejected, even though rudely proffered. 6. That even vulgar dogmatists may sometimes utter lofty truths; 7. That God is more merciful than even the best of men think.
Ver. 6.-.A lle1"1Mn on the Difline forbear<VMe. L T.11E DESERT OP BIN. 1. The 1U1ture of it. The punishment of death-temporal, spiritual, e.nd eternal. 2. The ~i•erity of it. Were this pena.lty exacted from each transgressor to the full, it would mean the extinction of every spark of terrestrial happiness, the withdrawal from the sinful soul of every gracious influence, the absolute cessation of hope of eternal felicity beyond the grave, with all the misery which such a melancholy state of being would entail. 3. The certainty of it. That is, unless the execution of this awful penalty can be delayed. That it can, constitutes the glad tidings of the gospel. But where the gospel of the grace of God is not permitted to interpose for the sinner's rescue., the infliction of this appalling retribution is inevitable. 4. The justness of it, To sorne minds it seems scarcely consistent with absolute equity to inflict so tremendous a chastisement upon feeble men for the trifling defalcations of a short lifetime. But this objection springs from imperfect notions of the heinousness of sin as committed against an infinite God and a holy Law. Besides, the penalty is that of the Divine Law, and we know that the Law is holy (Rom. vii. 12). II. THE l'OBBEA.RilTCE OF GoD. 1. The proof of it. (1) Our own lives attest this. (2) God's Word affirms this. (3) God's providential dealings with men in genere.l discover this. 2. The reason of it. (1) In mercy to man, because he willeth not that any should perish. (2) In justice to Christ, from whom the full penalty hath already been exe.cted. (3) For the honour of himself, the glory or his grace being the highest motive by which God can be actuated. ill. TID!: INSTRUCTION OF IUll. " Know thou ; " meaning that precious lessons OD, :EI, 1-20,] THE BOOK OF JOB. 11)7