The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 404

Ver. l.-God's special, d,a,ys. Job thinks that if it may not be always possible to see God, there may at least be certain times when he can be found. If he cannot be always giving an audience to his people, can he not be like a judge on circuit, allowing a day for those who would seek his aid at each pa.rt of his dominions? I. TDERE ARE TIMES OF SPECIAL DIVINE lI.ANIFESTATION. God does give, in some manner, what Joh is asking for. There is the" day of the Lord," when he breaks through the settled order of the world, and sets his court as the Judge of all men. Such a day was often spoken of by the Hebrew prophets. It came iu Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem, and again in the later overthrow of the city by Titus and the Roman legions. It is predicted in the great final judgwe1,t of the world. So also there. is. a "day of the Lord" for individual men, when God breaks up the normal condition of life, and in the upheaval and confusion a Di vine coming to judgment may be recognized. But God also has gracious seasons of visitation, "times of refreshing from the Lord." Then the soul perceives his nearness, and enters into the joy and light of his presence. II. Goo IS PRESENT WREN BE DOES NOT MANIFEST HillBELF. Although when thus siwply stated this is a truism, it is certainly not commonly recognized in the world. Nobody denies it; yet many ignore it. God's presence being invisible, and not gen.e- ral.l_y evidenced by startling signs, men come to pass it by in their full absorption in secular pursuits. The practical question then arises-How may the constant unseen presence of God come to be more fully recognized? It is absolutely necessary that we should learn to withdraw ourselves more from the things that are seen and temporal. If the pressure of worldly pursuits is allowed to crowd the thought of God out of the soul, the result must be e. perfect deadness in regard to his presence-a practical athtism, a living es though there were no God. When the desolation and dreariness of thiB life is perceived, we may well start back in horror from such a condition. of ■piritual decay. ID. IT IS FOOLISH TO WAIT J'OB A .NEW JlilTU'EB't'ATION OP Go». Job seemed to need t.hie bece.uae his position wu peculie.r, and he was set to work out new problems QH, XXIV, 1-25,] 'DHE BOOK OF JOB. 419