The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 381

seeker Clrfre,· 'Goa. olwayw 1)008Ded qf eerlam ~hru:ac~; II.ii ! (1) Kn6w\edge. ' Llk6 Job, be may be ignorant of where God's seat is; but be must know that God is, and' has II eeat. Like the Greeks who spoke to Andrew abd Philip (John xii. 21), he may not undenitand how t.o reach the Saviour's presence; but he must be aware that I\ Sniour exists. The fi111t step in seeking God or Christ is illumination. The minim~ of kU{1wledge for a seeker after God is more now than in the days of Job. God must be known BS revealed in Christ. (2) Faith. Like Job, he must not simply know that God 1~ and has a seat; he must believe that God is accessible to sinful_men (Heb. xi. 6). Besides undel'8tanding where to find God, viz. anywhere, in Christ, seated on a thronu of grace, we mllllt apprehend the way to that throne to be continually open (2 Oor. v. 19; Heb. iv. 16; L 22). Faith in this now constitutes an indispeusable prerequisite for genuine l!eeking after God. (3) Desire. Like Job, and like the Greeks who were anxious to see Jesus, the seeker after God must be in earnest. Those whose longina& after God are as intense as were David's (Ps. lxiii. l; xiii. 2) cannot always 1:lbtain access to his presence; but it is oertain they who have no such warm aspiratipns will be denied, though they seek. . ,• " III. B01.Y -RoLD:KEM. (Vers. 4, 6.) The oourage of the 'patriarch a,rose from thre!i things. 1. Well-arranged thO'U!Jhts. Coming into God's presence, ·and commencing to plead before God's throne, he would set forth his words in Cll'derj.y arw.y.,i 'l'his impli~ that Job had spent much time in communing with his heart. Thoughts. seldom arrange themselves spontaneously or unconsciously, rather their arrangement requires deliberate and sometimes protracted mental effort. IntelUgent disposition of the soul's ideas and emotions before pressing forward t.o heaven's throne is_not only qeman_d~d by the ineffable majesty of him who sits upon the throne {eh. :xxxvii.-19), but is etti.inentlyconaucive to the spiritual fortitude cif him who as a suppliant·approaohes the throne. Thoroughly prepaT'ed and well-arranged. words never fail -to impart oonfidence to a speaker, as fo ward disorder is almost sure to overwhelm him with outward confusion. 2. WeU-oonstructed argufflfflts. Job meant that he was able to adduee convincing proofs of his integrity; What these were is not stated, but that he alluded to the witness of-his past life may be reasonably conjectured. The best evidence of piety is -the: testimony of the outer walk and conversation (Matt. vii. 20; John xv. 8; Gal. v. 22; _l John iii. 10). Nor is any si~ so assuring to the heart before God as the consciousliess-of inward :sincerity when supported by the argument of outward propriety. And to thie the. believer may legitimately appeal in hie pleadings before God, like St. Pe~r when -he said to the risen Christ," Lord, thou knowest that I love thee" (John xx.i. 17). 8. Well,-assured.hope. So confident is Job of having right upon his side, that he fears riot to hear _the decision of the Judge. In this Job was perhaps a little guilty of pride. • The spirit, here'e'vinced is that of self-righteousness, rather than of trnst in the mercy of God. Still, a child of God might now evince as great a confidence as Job .without being open, like him;:to the challenge of self-righteousness; might be able to anticipate the Judge's decision without, alaim, not bec81lse of bis own pe111onal integrity, but because of the all-sufficient merit of Jesus Christ (cf. eh. xiii. 18, homiletics). • • IV. SUBLD1E COKFIDENCE. Of two things Job declares "himself satisfied. 1. God's mercy tou,ards him. (Ver. 6.) God would not confound him with the fulness of his strength, or terrify him with his majesty (eh.ix. 34, q:v. ), but would mercifully strengthe~ him to plead his cause, or, according to a more literal translati9n, would set his heat~ upon him, i.e. would regard him with affectionate attention, not only giving him a fair hearing, but disJJelliug hls apprehensions, and enabling him to present bis case with l11cidity and completeness. What Job anticipated, the believer in God is promised. God will not overawe with hie majesty any suppliant who comes to his throne; but will regard him with tender Jove (Prov. xv. 8; Zech. xiii. 9; John iv. 23); will listen to his cries (2 Chron. vil.15; Ps. xx.xiv. 15; cxlv. 18); will even strengthen him with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Zech. :xij. 10; ~m. viii. 29; Eph. ii. 18). 2-. His ~ through God. (Ver, 7.) The sincerely upright man, having an oppor'- tunity to plead before God, would be certain of ultimate triump:li over all who should eeek to condemn him ; and so shall the Christian believ1Jr come off victQriol.!B, when ho stands before God's throne, and be made more than a conqueror "through him that.loved us (Rom. viii. 33-39). • • Lea.rn : 1. 'l'he 1irst step towards ble8800lless is taken by man when he becomes a  11tE BOOK'. <:JF j013_ 395