The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 351

calamity; (6) in their domestic security: (6) in their abund11nce and joy,- Thie mystery Job do011 not imtlmtly unr!l.vel. But what is the effect of all this prospority on the wicked? It does not bumble him nor IUake him thankful. Aa au uneven gla1111 distort.@ the fairest image, so their impnre and ill-regulated minda turn the goodO:ess of God into en occasion of impious rejection. " Thc-refore they 1111,y unto God, Depart from us." The distortions of the e¥il mind pervert the goodness :of God into- I. AN 000As10N oF mrrnus DESPI8AL oF THE DIVINE Nun. They refuse to know God. They shut out the knowledge of God from their hearts, With a wicked "Depart! " they resist the Holy One. They have no aspiration after a holy oom munion, or t:be ¥ision of the pure.. The Lord is abhorrent to them. Their tastes are corrupt; their preferences are for evil. Truly they pervert and reverse all good things:, They put darkness for light, and light for darkness. 'l'hey put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. The very-call to adoration and praise they turn into an occasion of deap.eal and rejection. . Il. In their perversions they make t.he Divine goodness All 000.lSION FOR ·.A DESPISAL OF THE Drvnn: WAYS. This is always the danger of them who have .abundance and yet lack tlH! fear of God. This is the basis of a teaching long afterwards touchingly taught concerning the rich, to whom it is so "hard" to "enter into the kingdom of heaven." The satisfied man beoomes the self-satisfied, even though indebted to another for his possessions. Then the spirit of independence bec.:imes a spirit of revulsion against all authority that might be raised over it. So they. who "spend their days in wealth" say," We desire not the knowledge of thy ways." · ' , : : III. This 6&IIle spirit ripens into AN ABSOLUTE REFUSAL TO SUBMIT. TO THE DIVINE AUTHORITY. "What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?" So far is the goodness of God from leading him to repentance who is evil in spirit. Wickedness is the fruit of an ill-directed judgment, and -it tends to impair. the judgment JJlOre. and more. It dist.orts all the moral sensibilities, and therefore all the moral processes. If the judgment were accarately to decide in favour of the Divine Law and its obligatory character, the perverted preferences of the mind would reject. the testimony, and·by a rude rebellion within wouid prevent a right decision from being arrived at. Even. the check and restraint of the enlightened judgment becomes a signal for resistance. Its goad is kicked against; its repressions refused; its warning unheeded; its plain path, narrow and difficult to follow, is rejected, and a broad and easy way, in which the foolish heart finds its ple.asure, chosen in preference. So the Divine authority is rejected and despised. . The ill effects of rejecting the Divine authority are seen: 1.. In the lose of the guidance of the supreme wisdom. 2. In the inevitable injuries resulting from following a false and erroneous judgmen.t. 3. In the demoralization of the life. 4. In the final vindication of the Divine autharity.-R. G.·· • Ver. 30.-~ reBe.rvation of the DiTJine-judg'l'TIUlt. The expositions of these verses are various, and all true homiletics must be based on true expoeitien. Bnt there is no diversity of opinion amongst .expositors as to the ·final judgment of the wicked. Whatever, therefore, may ·be the aspect in which it is viewed by the argument,of this chapter, it cannot be too loudly declared that judgment upon the wicked is reserved. That a final day of adjudication will come has its aspect of warning to the wrong-doer who temporarily escapes punishment, and its aspect of encouragement to the patient doer of that which is good, who is nevertheless called upon to swfer affliction. The reservation of the Diviue judgment--- I. A. W AB~ING TO ·rHE WICKED NOT TO PRESUME ON A PRESENT EXEMPTION FROM CALAlliTY. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Thus is man perverse, blind, foolish. The declaration of a final, inevitable judgment is the effectual check upon foolish presum:i,tion. The wicked man is a. weak man, whose own conscience makes a coward of him. The appeal to hie fear and dread ili the effectual check upon- hia ca.releesneas. ' IL In the reservation of the Di vine ju.dgment, THE OPPBEBBED BIGHTEOUB ONES HAy PDlll A TROE GBOO!ID OJ' CONSOLATION. Revenge is not a pious sentiment. To desire pnnishment upon the wicked from vindictive feeliDgs is far from the pure mind ; but  OR, X:U. 1-34.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 365