Vera. 7-10.-The testimony of the creature to the Divine government. Job again vindicates himself in presence of his accusing friends. He professes his knowledge to be as theirs, and he even points them to the lower animals to find wisdom from them. The very beasts of the earth, the fowls of the air, the fruitful field, the fishes in the deep, all tell the great truth-Jehovah reigns supreme. "In his haud is the soul of every Ii Ting thing, and the· breath of all mankind;" all proclaim the Almighty, all spPak of the Ever-living One in whom all live. This testimony is witnessed- !. IN THE CONSCIOUS LIFE OF EVERY CREA.TUBE. Even man, at the bead of all, is conscious of the dependence of bis life upon some power higher than himself. There is vne Lord of life, Author of all life, Supporter of all. Every individual life declares "the h~nd of the Lord hath wrought this." In his hand alone is "the soul "-the life "of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." He is the Creator and Preserver -0f every life. II. IN TUE INFINITE VARIETY OF LIFE. What an nnlimiled variety do we behold! The birds of the air, the beasts of the field, the fish of the sea, abound in a wide diversity of life. A.11 speak of the infinite Creator, in whom are the possibilities of iuftnite life; who, of his own infinite resources, has created and made the whole. That the species vary according to the encircling conditions of their life does not detract from their testimony to the infinite and supreme Power. For the very existence of every life speaks of that Power. How great is be whose creative skill reveals itself in this unlimited variety I lll. NOT LESS TESTIMONY IS BORNE BY THE CONTINUOUS BEPRODUCJTION OF' THE VAST VARIETIES. That age after age this power continues to bring forth, each after its own kind, is another testimony to the greatness of him "in whose hand is the soul of every living thing." The creation and preservation of the many species age after age speaks to the thoughtful mind of him who is the one Lord of all life, who by his omnipotent overruling preserves all in their order and in their continuance. IV. BoT IN THE MARVELLOUS STBUOTUBE OF THEIR BODIES ANOTHER n:&TIMONY lB BORNE. How delicate are the organs of the body-the powers of sight, of bearing, of activity; the strength of one, the delicacy ot the structure of another I How wonderful are the nerves of the body, conveying the impression from the outer world to the brain I Equally so the blood-vessels, and the hidden powers by which the bones are built up, and again the powers of nutrition gathering food from without and assimilating it to the body in all its 11arts. '!'bis is done without the knowledge and consent of the creature; for the creaturn, even mo.u, knows not how it is done. It is above him; it speak.a 220 THE DOOR: OF JOB,
<ie6nitely l\nd distinotly and loudly of God, "in whose hnnd la the breath of all mankind." V. YET A FURTHER TESTIMONY 19 TO BE SEEN IN THE ABUNDANT PROVISION MADIii FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF ALL. Notwithstanding the vastness of the realm in which creature-life is found, and the variety of the forms of life, each having its own peculillr needs, yet he "satisfieth ihe desire of every living thing," Food is abundant for man • and beast, and of the fowls of the air it is t.ruly said, "he feedeth them." So the Divine work is aeen on every side; and from all the varieties of conscious life one testimony arises to tl,e great truth," The Lord reigneth." On every work the truth lies dearly impressed, "'l'be hand of Jehovah made tbis."-R. G.
Vers.11-25.-The Diuim supremacy illustrated. Bildad appeals to "the a.noients." Job replies, "I nlso know their teaching." But there is a wisdom higher than that of the ancients. 'Wisdom-unfailing wisdom-is a Divine attribute. From the earthly to the heavenly wisdom Job turns. He speaks of a higher and a mightier One-One "with whom is strength and wisdom," by which he rules. The supremacy of that Divine rule he illustrates from a very wide field of survey. He points to the evidences of the Di1·ine almightiness- I. lJs- THE COIITJ:tASTED POWERLESSNESS OF THE HUMAN OPPOSITION TO THE DIVINE WILL. (Ver. 14.) II. IN THE CONTROL OF THE M:IGHTY ELEMENTS OF NATURE. The very ~· waters" obey his behest (ver. 15). III. JN COMPELLING EVEN THOSE THAT ERR AND THOSE THAT DECEIVE TO BE BUD- SERTIF.l\'T TO HIS WILL A.1''"D PURPOSE. (Ver. 16.) IV. IN CONFOtll<'"DING TBE WISDOM OF THE '\\'TSE. Leading "counsellors a.way spoiled," and bringing down the judge to the level of the fool (ver. 17). V. IN HUl[BLING KINGS illD PRIESTS AND MIGHTY MEN. (Vers. 18, 19.) VI. IN RESTRATh'TNG THE SPEECH OF TlIE ELOQUENT AND ROBBING TlIE AGED OF TBEIB UNDERSTANDING. (Ver. 20.) VII. IN CASTING CONTEMPT UPON THE HONOURABLE, AND MAKING THE STRONG TO TOTTER WITH WEAK1''Ess. (Ver. 21.) He giveth or taketh away wisdom an1l might ae it pleascth him, proving that he is wise and mighty above all ; for these are his gifts to the children of men that have them. VIII. IlE FURTHER SHOWS Tll.AT TBE ffiDDEN THINGS OF' DARKNESS ARE OPEN TO BIS VIEW. He discovereth the secret works of evil. Even the thick shadow of death cannot hide from him (ver. 22). IX. NATIONAL HISTORY IB EQUALLY UNDER BIB CONTROL. His power is over the nations ; he enlarges or straitens as he pleases. He scatters or gathers as he will (ver. 23). :X. TH£ VERY CHIEFEST A.KONG .ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH .ABE SUBJECT TO ms SOVEREIGN SWAY. It is a little thing for him to remove the light of re3son from them, confounding and confusing them, and ea.sting them into darkness and gloom. Elsewhere we learn why and when the .Almighty deals thus with men. Job's purpose is to show that man is as nothing before him. In his highest honour, in his utmost wisdom, in his greatest strength, he cannot contend with Jeho1•ah. Overt.he individual life in all its various conditions, over the combined lives of men in their national or political combinations, he is still supreme. And over the heavens and the earth he is Lord-even over alL This is Job's faith and bis declaration. He can proclaim the supreme and absolute majesty of Jehovah as truly, and even more strikingly than hi1 friends.-R. G.
Ver. 2.-lrony. I. IBoNY IS TO BE FOUND IN SoarPTUBE. There is great variety in the style of Scripture. Almost every modification of language is to be found in the Bible, consecrated to some holy purpose. Even the faculty of humour is utilized, W! in the incident of Bale.am's ass (Numb. xxii. 28-30), and in St. Paul's recom- ruendation that the woman who will not wear a veil had better complete the exposure of her bea.d by being shorn (1 Cor. xi. 6). The prophets abound in irony. Christ Wied irony in the parable of the rich fool (Luke xii. 16-20). lL THERE IS .t.. PLACE FOB I.BONY IN DISOOUBBE. Some evils can be best met just b7 dB. XII, 1-25,] THE BOOK OF JOB. 221