The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 292

the ending of the day, Pain may ce&Be then; but no ell.l!e comes thence to the e.ffiictcd one. To ory "father," "mother," "sister," to the worm and to corruption bas no element of cheerfulness in it, no inspiration of brightening hope to relieve the gloomy sorrowfulness of the present. Such a future could not be anticipated but with the uttermost dread and abhorrence save by one pressed ont of mind by the severity of his present affiictions. Ill. SuoH A HOPE 19 INSUFFICIENT, INCOMPLETE, UNSATISFYING. It leaves the soul with an unfilled void. lu its incompleteness and unsatisfying character it points to the necessity for a better and brighter hope. Human hfe lacks a harvest in the absence of something brighter than this. For the best life to go down into the grave as its final condition seems so anomalous that everywhere the longing for a brighter condition exists. JV, SUCH A HOPE STANDS IN CONTRAST TO THE CLEAR, COMFORTING, ASSURED HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, Life and immortality had not been brought fully to light when these gloomy words were written. It remained for the perfect revelation and the all-perfect Revealer to make known the brightness of that future which awaits the godly. Israel-held possession of the hope of the resurrection; but it is part of the skilfulnes~ of the teriching in this book that anything Abort of a fully assured immor- tality of blessedness ·is insufficient to meet the utmost requirements of the human soul.-R. G. Ver. 3.-.A pledge from God. Job is assured by faith that God will ultimately vindicate his innocence; but meanwhile his horrible disease is eating into his very life, so that he fears he may not live to. see the end when all shall be made clear. Therefore be prays for a pledge of the future liberation from calumny and vindication of his character. In other experiences we crave a pledge of the fulfilment of our most choice hopes. Let us consider what pledges God offers to us, and their significance. I. OBSERVE THE MANY KINDS OF PLEDGE WHICH Goo GIVES TO us. 1. In natwre. Nature is.full of promise. She is eloquent with prophecy. Her parabolic significance points to the spiritual and the eternal. The messages of God's goodness in spring !lowers and autumn fruits are real pledges from the hantl of God, earnests of his gre:i.ter goodness. 2. In instinct. God has implanted in our breasts ineradicable desires- .thirst for truth, hunger for love, yearning for holiness. The very existence of these instincts are pledges of the satisfaction of them, for God wonld not mock his children and torment them with.delusive hopes. We may all have some delusive hopes, indeed; but not by nature as original instincts. 3. Jn revelation. God reveals himself in nature and in instinct, but more explicitly in the utterances of inspired human teachers. The Bi\)le is a Divine pledge. Its self-evidencing inspiration contirms his truthfulness. God will not, cannot lie. Therefore the promises of Scripture, and even its precepts, carry with them pledges of the future when what is then portrayed will be seen in experience. 4; In Christ. He is the great Pledge from God. By giving us his Son God has confirmed his Word. He has not only fulfilled Messianic prophecy ; he has given a token of his changeless purpose of love, and an earnest of his future redemption of the race. Christ is the one greatest Pledge from God. II. CONSIDER THE BIGNIFIOANCE OF THE DIVINE PLEDGE. 1. To reveal truth. (1) A pledge of pardon. Christ is to us a sign that llod is willing to forgive sin and to welcome his penitent children. We are not left to vague surmises; we have a definite assurance in the mission and work of Christ. (2) A pledge of love, The root from which the pardon comes is love. Christ is the Proof that God loves us. (3) A pledge of character. The new Christian life is fir~t seen in the Person of Christ. He lived it, and bis experience is the pledge of what it will be when it is perfectly followed by his disciples. (4) A pledge of hope. Nature, instinct, and revelation poillt vaguely to the immortality of which Christ is the sure Pledge. He is the Firstfruits of the resurrection, the Pledge of eternal life to hi~ people. 2. To confirm faith. Job longed for a pledge from God. We have received pledges, and one of them of highest worth. The supply of what Job desired should have e. great effect upon us. We a.re unreasonable if we disregard the pledge of God, and tum a.side from it to plunge into despairing scepticism. Like Moses, we can see the promised land. We have a better assurance than Gideon's fleece, in Christ ond his resurrection. Therefore our attitude should be one of calm,  30f THE BOOK OF J'OB. [oa. :r.vn. 1-16,