The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 542

authority, and entitled to be oared for by the same paternal governm1int. And llB it I■ bRsed on the fundamental equality of cien in the sight of Heaven, so is It pro'Ved by the pe.lp.'\ble fact t.h11t all alike are subjected to the s11me impartial doom (ver. 20); great and mightypotentetes dying in a moment, like Belsb&zzar (D11n. v. 30) or like Pharaoh (Exod. xiv. 28), or, being taken away without band (cf. Dan. ii. 34; viii. 26), i.e. by some supem1ttural visitation, like the rebellious princes of the congregation (Numb. xvi. 29) or like H,·rod (Acts xii. 23), and their peoples being troubled at midnight, like the Egypti11ns (Exod. xii. 29), or suddenly and unexpectedly overthrown, like the ante- dilu,·ians (Gen. vii. 22) and the inhabitants of the cities of the plain (Gen. xix. 24, 25). 4. The all-encompassing omniscience of God. (Ver. 21.) The eyes of the Supreme are constantly on the ways of man. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where workers of iniquity can bide themselves from his penetrating glance. With such accu- racy can he read the human heart, that be does not require to regard a man twice in order t.o understand his character and conversation. He has no need to pause before bringing the individual into judgment. Job's demand that God should hold a court of assizes and put his case to trial was wholly superfluous. So thoroughly does God comprehend man by the glance of his omniscient eye that he can proceed to break the mighty without investigation, making short work of their trial, and setting others in their stead (ver. 24). Clearly, reasons Elihu, a God who thus exactly and fully com- prehends every case that is brought before him is not likely to be guilty of committing wickedness by perverting ju~"lllent. 5. The unchallengeable righteousness of God. (Vers. 24-30.) Elihu means that the absolute integrity of God may be established by a consideration of the character of his judgments, which are: (1) Sudden. "He overtnmet.h the wicked in the night" (ver. 25); i.e. instantaneously and unexpectedly, which, of conrae, he would not and could not do unless he were completely satisfied with the right.eous character of his judgment.a. But "he knoweth their works" without investigation, in virtue of his omniscience; and hence he does not hesitate, as if fearing miscarriage of justice, t.o proceed to swift execution. (2) Public. " He striketh them u wicked men "-i.e. as convicted malefactors, about whose criminality there can be no question-" in the open sight of others," literally, "in the place of spectators." "He that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." But God, whose works are all of them verity and judgment, and done in truth and uprightness (Ps. cxi. 7, 8), has no need to shun observation or be afraid of criticism, Hence he never does resort t.o star-chambers or secret inquisitions, but courts the greatest possible publicity for all he does. (3) Retributive. When God steps out of his pla.ce t.o inflict sufferings on men, it is never for the gratification of any private feeling of revenge, never in the reckless exercise of merely arbitrary power, but always for tl.Je vindication of insnlted justice, always for the punishment of some outrageous display of wi.cked.ness. When mighty tyrants are struck down in the open sight of others, it will generally be fonnd, says Elihn, that it has been "because thoy turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways," but proceeded to such a height of daring impiety, oppressing and trampling on the poor, that they "caused the cry of the poor to come unto him." and in a manner obliged him to hear the cry of the afflicted (ver. 28). Examined into, every such case will be found in its most essential features to be in complete accord with the eternal fitness of things. (4) Unimpeach- able. They are BO evidently right, BO self-justifying, in fact, that no one can venture to assail them on the ground of inequity. "When he giveth quietness "-i.e. maketh peace by striking down the oppressor of the poor (Delitzsch, Gesenius, Oarey), rather than" when he stri.keth to the earth" (Umbreit)-" who then will condemn him?" or" who then will make a noise?" as if he had perpetrated an injustice. And vice wrsa, " when he hideth his face," in the sense of being angry with and punishing an individual or a nation (Ps. m. 8; civ. 29), "who then can behold him, i.e. make him visible, and caUBe him t.o rest.ore his favour, as if by withdrawing his regard he had been guilty of doing wrong? The universal conscience feels, says Elihu, that the. Almighty in BO acting is acting rightly. (6) Beneficent. And not only so, but God's Judgments evince the moBt benevolent and philat,thropic design, being dictated by a lofty regard for the general welfare of mankind, to the end that " the hypocrite [literally, 'the ungodly.' IIUch u lead others to impiety] reign not, that they be not ~nares ~ the people •~ (ver. 80), u wicked rulers commonly are; e.g. Jeroboam (1 Kmgs llll, 28), Omn OR, UDV, 1-87,] THE BOOK OF JOB