The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 562

most part, trite 1md oommonplaoe. And and be holden in oord1 of aflliotion, On the will uoribe righteon1111.e11 to my Xaker. I other hand, there are doubtl898 oe.see where will show, i.e., that God is righteoua e.ud the ril(hteoue suffer adveniity-are even just (comp. oh. iaxiv. 10, 12). "bound in fetters," e.nd "holden in oords of Ver. 4.-P'or truly my words she.11 not be affliction'' (G 3n. x:uix. 20; Jer, xl. l; Dan, fa.he : he the.t is perfeot in knowledge is iii. 21 ; Matt. xiv. 3 ; Acts xii. G: xvi. 24: • with thee. The words sound arrogant : but xxiv. 27, eto.). But even here Ood's vigi: perhap• Eliliu does not moon e.ny more the.n lance is not relaxed. On the oontmry, ho to pledg-e himselr to speak truthfully, e.nd WRtches with the utmost oe,re over their to eay only what he hu perreot knowledge affliC'tions, apportioning them o.ccordiug to of. It is clear the.t he epea].."B of himself, not the nC'ede of ench, and making every possible of God (Stanley Leathes), in the second effort, by means of them, to work their re- clsnae of the vel'86, a.a in the ftrsL formation (see the two following verses). Ver. 5.-Behold, God is mighty. The Ver. 9.-Then he ahoweth them their pref'e.ce over, the argument to prove God's work. God, hy his chastisements, mnkea Justice begins. First, he" is miglity." How men see what ho.a been faulty in their life's unlikely the.t e.ny one who is mighty-nay, work. in whe.t respects they have been negli- almighty-should b6 unjust I Next, he de- gent, where they he.ve lapsed into aotual spileth not any. Job hss wrongly charged sin. Signal afflictions are a call to men to him with "despising the work of his own "consider their ways," and search out the he.uds." In truth. he despises nothing the.t nature of their offences. Some afflictions, as he he.a made. "Are not two sparrows sold sickn8SB and imprisonment, by depriving men far a farthing ? and one of them shall not of active employment, almost force them to fall to the ground without your Father. But engage in such a retrospect. And their the very hairs of your head are all num- transgressions that they have u.ceeded; bered" (Matt. x. 29, 30). Much less, then, rather, and their transgressions, wherein they is any man despised.. Moreover, God is hat1e beJi.aved themBelvea proudly ( compare the mighty ill atr8llgth. and wisdom; or rather, Revised Version). lu all sin, as it is e. con- ir. BtrengtA of understanding, and therefore tempt of God's Law, there is an element of above the weakness of being unjnst. pride. The temptation to pride especially Ver. 6.-B:e preserveth not the life of the besets those whose conduct is, in outward wioked. There is no special providence over appearance, correct and virtuous. the life of the wicked, as Job had supposed, Ver. I 0.-B:e openeth also their ear to dis- or pretended to suppose (eh.Di.'/; comp. eh. cipline. It is the especial merit of Elihu'a xii 6 ). Ou tbe contrary, God "overturneth" theory of suffering that he views it as fe.r wicked men •· in the night, so the.t they are less penal than disciplinary and restorative. destroyed ; he striketh them ss wicked men Job's su1feriugs especially he views in thia in the open e.ight of others" (eh. :u:xiv. 25, light. Instead of looking upon Job, like his 26). llut giveth right to the poor. The other friends, e.s a heinous sinner, upon whom poor and e.fll.icted, the meek e.nd humble, God is to.king vengeance, he regards him IUI God viudicates. They are his special charge. e. person who is being chastised, in 1ove, for So far is he from favouring the ungodly. some fanlt or faulls that he has committed, Ver. 7.-B:e withdraweth not his eyeafrom to his ultimate advantage and improvement. the righteous. Under no circumstances does This, though not exactly the truth, is fe.r God cce.se to keep an eye upon the righteous, nearer the truth than the view taken by the a@ Job had seemed to imply when he ex- other three " friends.'' And oom.me.ndeth claimed, " Oh that I were as in mouths of that they return from i..Diquity. God's chus• old, in tLe days when God pre110rved me I" tisements a.re to be viewed e.s commands to or "watched we l" ( eh. :u:iL 2). "The eyes men to " go and sin no more." of the Lord are" always" upon the righteous, Ver. 11.-ll the:, obe:, e.nd servo him, e.e his ears are open unto tbeir cry" (Ps. they shall spend their days ill proaperit:,, uxiv. 15). With ki.ngs are they on the and their yea.re ill pleasures (comp. eh. xii.' throne. In some cases, God shows his care 13-19; Jer. vii. 23; uvi. 13). Under the of the righteous by "setting them with old covenant, prosperity was promised to the princes, even with the princes of his people" righteous, and even to the repentant, fre• (Pa. c:xiii. 8), raising them, that is, to high quently, and in the most definite terms. station, e.nd making them companions of the Under the new, when e.ny such promise is great of the 61.rlh. Yea, he doth eata.blish ma.de, it is carefully guarded (Mark x. 30); them for ever, and they a.re ualted. They while in me.uy pwisa.ges the promise is of are permanently esiablished in their high an opposite character-the righteous aril p011itions, like J011eph a.nd Mordecai and t.old to expect tribulations and persecutions Daniel ; e.nd they are exalt.eel to the highest (John xvL 33; Acts xiv. 22; 2 Tim. iii. 12; pitch of proi1perity. Heh. Iii. 1-11; I Pet. iv. 12, 13, eto.). Ver. 8.-.bd it the;r be bou4 ill ~ . Ver. 12.-B~t if thq obq not, ~117 1h~ on. XXXVI, 1-33.J THE BOOK OF JOB. G77