The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 390

the providential control of hum11n 11ff'aire. It le not always e11sy t.o aee God in thia l!tmngely confused hum,m world, where eo m11ny thin~s go wrong, 11nd where so little seems to be done to keep them right. In hie perplexity and distress m11n cries out, " ·where is God? If there is indeed a God, why does he not declare himself? why doea be not put forth bis hand and rectify tbe world that eo greatly needs him?" Whllt- ever may be the theoretical scepticism that g11thers round problems of science and philosophy, the moral doubt that springs from the experience of injustice and misery is much more keenly felt. III. THE SPIRITUAL CAPACITY TO SEE Goo. We cannot find him by means of our philrnmphy; we miss him in the dark struggles of man's world of action and suffering. But why? Because we are looking for him in wrong directions. The true vision of God is only to be seen by means of spiritual fellowship with him. Meanwhile, although this is hard to obtain, we m11y console ourselves with the knowledge that if he does indeed exist, his being uoes not become shadowy and unreal just bec11use we do not 11ee him. It is desirable that we should have a more intimate acqU&intance with our Father, but even before we have attained to this, even while we are blunderin"' and stumbling in the darkness, God is truly existing, and is ruling over all. Our ignirance does not limit God's being, our blindness does not cripple his activity. We cannot Hee him; we find it hard to trace his purposes among the tangled threads of life; all looks dsrk and aimless. Yet God is God, and therefore he will not desert his creatures. "God's in his heaven, All's right with the world.'' (Browning.) W.F.A. Ver. 10.-God', knowledge and man's discipline. L GoD's KNOWLEDGE. 1. Th, fact. Job has just been owning his difficulty in finding God. He searches in e.11 direc• tions, forward and backward. on the left he.nd and on the right, e.nd he cannot discover God (vers. 8, 9). But although it is so hard for him t.o attain t.o a knowledge of God, he is quite cert.ain that God knows him. We are known by God before we think of acknowledging him, and when we a.re bewildered with the mystery of life e.ll is clear and open t.o God. 2. Its scope. God knows the way that his servants take. (1) Pe.st experiences. He knows whe.t we have had to contend with, e.nd why our lives he.ve been vexed and tried. (2) Present circumstances. A.t the very moment when we he.ve some new difficulty to face, some new height t.o climb, or some new snare to avoid, God is with us, perfectly UDderst.anding the whole situation. (3) Future scenes. One step is enough for us, because God knows all that lies before us. Although our way may seem to be leading to impossible regions, he who sees the end from the beginning can lead us through. 3. Its consequences. If God knows onr way, we have not to travel, like Columbus, over UDtried seas. The whole ronte has been mapped out by God. We cannot be lost if he who knows our way is our Guide. Gordon's favourite passage from Browning shows the right spirit of one who trusts this truth- " I go to prove my sonl. I see my way as birds their trackless way. I shall arrive! What time, what circuit first, I ask not; but unless God send his hail Or blinding firebalJs, sleet or atilling snow, Jn some ti.we, bis good time, I shall arrive. He guides me, e.nd the bird. In his good time.'' n MAJJ's DISOIPLDlE. Job is now confident that when God has tried him he will come forth as gold. 1. Jt, source. The suffering man holds t.o the idea the.t his trouble comes from God. All along he baa not perceived Satan's share in it. Therefore his faith is the more remarkable. He is right to liOme extent, because his trouble is only what God permits. God may not be the direct agent of a person's affliction. Thia may come from the cruelty of men or from other undetected causes. Yet it is all within the restraint of God. 2. Its proras. Job perceives that be is being tried by Gorl. This is the first time that he he.s given evidence of holding such an idea, Hitherto be hu been simply dismayed and distressed at the vroblem of eqtferiI1g. Il@ tJtJ. nm. 1-17.] THE BOOK OF JOU.