Vers. 13-25.-The wisdom and might of God. Job meets his friend's authoritative utterances of proverbs and worldly maxims by a citation of simil:u- sayings, but wiili a different import. It is not true that the righteous always prosper, and that th;i wicked always suffer. Such a primitive notion implies too authropocentric a conception of the universe; it goes on the assumption that all things are done just to suit our condition and conduct. Now, Job takes a higher and wider view. He appeals to say- ings that speak of the supreme wisdom and irresistible might of God, altogether irrespective of man and his concerns. I. Goo's WIBDOU AND U!GBT ARE OVER ALL. We cannot fathom his thought; we cannot resist his arru. He will do what he thinks best whether we concur or not. The universe is under an irresistible Ruler. It is possible for us to question what God does, but we cannot answer hiru. We may rebel against his authority, but we cannot overthrow it. , Therefore we should escape from our petty parochialism, and consider God's large world and universal rule, before we attempt to form llllY theory of life. II. Ooo's svrBEll{E WISDOM AND ~IIGUT CONOERN OTBKR urrERESTS THAN THOU OF 224 THE BOOK OF JOB. [on. xu, 1-26,
llAN. Our n11rrow views of God's government lead to false opiuione about his I\Ction, We are tempted to fancy that all he does is solely with I\ view to ita effect on our- selves. Thus we colour the universe with our egotism, But the Lord of all muat have vast interellts to consider of which we know nothing. What looks foolish to us beoalll!e we cannot 1me the end in view-a.n end often quite outside ourselves, would appear in a very different light if we knew all God's far-reaching designs. III. GoD's WISDOM AND MIGHT ARE BOTH IN HARMONY WITH BIB GOODNESS. This fo not so apparent in Job's representation of the Divine action as it must bo to a. Christian. The patriarch has fallen into the error of a one-sided view in combatting the narrow and erroneous opinion of his friends, and he hM come to represent God too much as the irresponsible Oriental autocrat, whose only law is his will, but whose will may follow mere caprice, and may be free from all considerations of justice. Job would not say as much of God, but his description leans in this direction. Now, wo know that the mOBt supreme thing in God is not his might, nor is it his wisdom; it is his love (1 John iv. 8, 9). Therefore, although we cannot understand his large purpose, that must be a good one. We sec God in his irresistible might ca.stin"' down kinas and princes, leading clever people into scenes of bewilderment, apparently playing with all sorts of men as mere pawns. But this is only because we are short-sighted, The large purposes which include other worlds than ours do not exclude our world. God does not bru8h man aside as a llonentity when he goes forth to achieve hie vast ,lesigns. One of God's greatest purposes is the redemption of man by the gift of his own Son (John iii. 16).-W. F. A.
Ver. 22.-" Deep things out of d,a,rkn&s." L How Go» DIBOOVEBS DEEi' THINGS OUT OF DARKt."BSS. He has meanR of knowledge which are sealed to us, a. key which unlocks the most secret chamber, an eye tha.t can see down to the most hidden depths. He i;ees the skeleton in the cupboard. The mask of the hypocrite can never deceive him. 1. God 11ees inwardly.· Man looks on the outward countenance, God on the heart (1 Sam. xvi 7). His indwelling Spirit sees as far as it influences, and it influences the inmost springs of our being. 2. God sees immediately. This results from his inward ,ision. We have to infer and draw conclusions by means of a. chain of reasoning. God can dispense with this process. ffe sees everything; his knowledge is direct and intuitive. 3. God sees everywhere. Oar vision is limited to a certain area. Even when we stand on the top of a. mountain and endeavour to take in a great panorama of scenery, we can only look attentively at one part of the prospect at a time. But God's infinite gaze takes in all the facbi of the universe at once. II. WHAT DEEP THINGS Goo BRINGS TO LIGHT. 1. He discovers hidden sin, The nefarious design of the unscrupulous statesman concocted within the locked doors of the council-chamber, the da.rk plot of the little band of desperate conspirators, the ugly scheme of the robber horde, the foll purpose of the betrayer, are all quite known to God from the moment when the :first black thoughts entered the minds of their originators. The sin which has once been committed is all known io God, though it may have been hushed up and kept from the observation of men. In the great day of judgmcnt God will bring it to light. 2. He disoovers hidden goodness. All that God brings out of it.a secret hiding-place is not evil. There are hidden treasures. Miners bring up precious minerals from the dark interior of the earth. The voyage of the Ohallenger wai; a mea.w; of bringing to ligbt many wonderful works of God from the dim depths of the sea. God observes all hidden worth. "The violet born to blDSli nnteen" is perfectly well known to him. He also understanc'II! the innocence that ia cruelly misjudged and condemned as guilt by men. Some day he will bring that to light, and vindicate the cause of every true martyr. liL THI!: COIIBEQUENCES THAT BEBULT FBOM GOD 1i DISCOVEBY OF THE DEEP THINGS OF DARKNE88. He will rectify al! wrong. He will give righteous judgments. 'l'he dark creatures of sin that are brought to light cannot be left out in the full• blaze of the sun to befoul the day with their obscenity. All we stamp on the unclean things tb11t creep out of dark places when they are suddenly disturbed and crush them, so God must destroy the wicked wheo their evil is brought to light, 'l'he revelation can only OR. lrnL 1-28.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 225
bo preliminary to the oondemnation. Meanwhile the delusion which load& men to harbour their sin ie fatal. Whatever excuse covers it is a lie. " For love of grace, Lay not that flattering unction to your eonl: It will but skin and film the ulcerous pl868: Whiles rank oonuption, mining all within, Infects unseen." On the other hand, the ultimate vindication of the right is a. grand encouragement to "patient perseverance in well-doing."-W. F. A.
EXPOSITION.