The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 353

Ver. 4:.-The eomplaint that g068 beyond man. I. THE OOMl'LAIN_T THAT IB OF Jll,ORB TRAN 'IIA~'s DOINGS. Job d.oes not only ~omplain of man's injustice. The.t would be be.rd to bear; and yet e. strong soul should be able to withstand it, trusting in a higher justice that will set all right at le.st. But the mystery, the horror, the agony, of Job's complaint, spriug from the persuasion that his troubles are to be attributed to a more than earthly ori~n. They are so huge and terrible that he cannot but ascribe them to a superhuman rnur~e. 'l'his fact intensifies the complaint in many respects. 1. The mystery of the rupernatural. Man quails before it. 'l'he bravest hero who is not afraid of any human strength trembles at the thought of the unseen. 2. 1.'he power of tl111 Divi11e. Job can resist man, but he cannot stand out against God. It is not murta.l frailty, but immortal Omnipotence, that assails him. The contest is unequal. 3. Tlie apparent injust£ce of the Just One. 'l.'his is hardest of all. It would be possible ·to bear the lower injustice if assured of the impartiality and triumph of the higher justic9t But when Job looks up for justice to its great central throne, even there he seems to see wrong, misapprehension, and unfair treatment. It is not that Job directly charges God with injustice; but there is in his heart an all-perplexing, baffling thought, dis- couraging confidence. Though we may not doubt God, it is hard to bear his hand when he seems to go against justice and love. Here is the great test of faith. . II. 'l.'HE COMPLAINT TH.AT GOES BEYOl\'D MAN'S EABS. As Job complains· of what ls done by more than man, so he cries to a power above the _human. The sublimity of the drama is seen in its relations with the unseen world. It assumes more than heroic proportions. It is concerned with God as well as man. 1. The compwining cry. Job continually lifts up his voice to God. We have to learn to look above the earth. It is foolish to complain of God, but it is natural to complain to God. If w.e even think bard thoughts of God, it is not necessary for us to bury them in the secrecy of our own breasts. There they will only burn as hidden fires, and consume all faith, and hope. It is far better to be courageous, and confess them frankly to God himself. H~ can undel'6tand them, judge them fairly, and see the sorrow and perplexity from 'which they have sprung. And it is he who can dissipate them. 2. The merciful Heaven. God bears every cry of his children, and when faith is mixed with fear he acceptSi the faith and dispels the fear. Men judge their fellows harshly for their complaining utterances. God is like the patient mother who soothes her fretful child. Though the cry is wrung from the heart in an agony of dismay, so that no hope of relief is visible through the blinding veil of tears, God does not fling i$ back with a~gered dignity; he treats it with pitying mercy. If only the soul.will give itself utterly up to him, even in its darkness and despair, he will hear and save.-W. F. A. • Vers. 7-21.-The prosperity of the wwken.. Job here gives his v~rsion of the ·~Id familiar theme. It is not as the three friends supposed. These neat maxims do not fit in with the facts of life as Job bas seen them. The prosperity of the wicked is a real though a mysterious fa.et, one that cannot be gainsaid. . L THE FAC'l'S AS 'WITNESSED IN LIFE. 1. .An establishe,d family. Job's home ia desolate. The seed of the wicked is established in their sight. They have their children about them. 2. Security. (Ver. 8.) "Their how;es are safe from f~i." 'l'hey are not haunted by the alarms of guilt. On the contrary, they are very comfortable and self-satisfied (ver. 9). 3. Freedom from chastisement. The rod of God, i~ not upon them. The rigb teow; man is chastised; the godless man is spared (ver, 9). 4. Good fortune. Their cattle breed successfully (ver. 10). The mishaps which fall, to the lot of others avoid them. .A certain good fortune follows them, e~en into those chanc86 of life which are beyond human control. 5. Pleasure. These wicked. people are not troubled by their sins. They have no puritanical scruples to sour them. They spend their days in gaiety (verd. 11, 12). 6. Prosperity lasting till, death. (Ver. 18.) 'l'hey do not have the reverse of fortune which the three moralizers assumed to be their lot. A long life of wealth and ease is followed by a quick and almost painless death. Here i1, unruitigated prosperity from the cradle to the grave.· IL ~ DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES OF THEBS FACTS. Because t1i.ey are so prosperous the wicked harden them 11elves agair,st God. 1. Diapen,ing 11Jith God. (Ver. 14.) They th!nk they can do very well without God. This world's goods satisfy them, and of this world's goods they have a sufficiency. They have no need to cry to God for help,  TH}l: BOOK OJt' JOB, 367