The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 569

Vere. 22-33.-Elihu to Job: 4. A sermon on the greatness of God. I. AasoLUTE IN ms SOVEREIGNTY. 1. Ruling by his own power. "Behold, God exalteth" (sc. himself), i.e. showeth himself to be exalted, "acteth loftily" (Delitzsch) "in his strength" (ver. 22). The universal empire of God is based on bis omnipotence. With him might and right are co-ordinate and coextensive. "He ruleth by bis power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves" (Ps. lxvi. i). 2. Holding dominion from no superior. "Who hath enjoined him bis way?" (ver. 23). Princes and potentates of earth derive their authority from him (Prov. viii. 16); the ever-blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, derives his from none. "Dominion and fear are with him" (eh. xxv. 2). Yea, saith Jehovah, "I am the Lord, and there is none else" (Isa. xiv. 18). 3. Admitting of 110 inspection. "Wh.o can say, Thou bast wrought iniquity?" (ver. 23). As the Almighty brooks no superior or rival on his throne, so admits he of no opposition to his work. "Whatso- ever his soul desireth, that.he doeth" (eh. xxiii. 13). As none can interpose to say, '' What doest thou?" (Dan. iv. 35), so none can claim a right to subject his work to critical inspection. To pass judgment on it is for a creature to be guilty of the highest arrogance. Substantially this was the sin of Job. H. INCOMPARABLE IN HIS TEACHING. "Who teaoheth like him?" (ver. 22). In the judgment of Elihu, one of the principal ends contemplated by God's providential government of the world was the educatio_n of men (eh. x.xxiii. 14; x.xxv. 11; x.x:s:vi. 9). Hence by Elihu God is styled an Instructor or 'l'eacher-Moreh, translated by the LXX. "Lord." So God represl'nted himselr to Moses (ExoJ. iv. 15), to Israel (Kx:od. x.x. 1), to David (Ps. xxxii. 8). So is God to his people generally (Isa. liv. 13; J er. x.xxi. 33, 34; Micah. iv. 2; John vi. 45). As a Teacher of men, God surpasses all other instructors, possessing qualifications never found, unitedly or severally, to perfectly exist except in himself. 1. Ability. Many undertake to instruct others who ::re wholly destitute of the capacity to understand either their subjects, their pupils, or tbemedves. But no such deficiency can be with God, who, besides knowing himself, compreheuds all things and accurately gauges all men. This qualification w,is pos~es:;ed. in an eminent degree by Christ. 2. Authority. The Divine authority to teach and the authoritative character of the Divino teaching are based upon God's Lordship over man, nnd God's perfect knowledge of that. which be teaches. So Christ, for exactly the same reasons, spake with authority, and not as the scribes (Matt. vii. 29). 3. Variety. Like every intelligent instructor, God employs different methods in teacl,ing -his works (eh. xxxv. 11), his Word (Ps. xciv. 10), his providential dispensations (eh. xxxiii. 16), his Spirit (~ eh. ix. 20; Prov. i. 23). So did Christ instruct his followers, by his works (Matt. vi. 26-31), by his Word (Luke xxiv. 27), hy his pro,·idences (Luke xiii. 1-5), by his Spirit (Luke x.ii. 12; Johu xiv. 26). 4. Suitabiliiy. Go,l's teaching is always adapted to the occasion (Ps. xxxii. 8; lsa. xlviii. 17); and to the capacities of his scholars (lR-"l. xxviii. V, 10); and so likewise was Chri,t's (Johu xvi.  584 THE BOOK. OF JOB. [oH, XXXVI. 1-33,