The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 575

III. IN HIB REGARD FOR THE OBEDIENT AND PtrRE, "He withdr&weth not his eyee from the righteous." This is especially seen- IV. IN me DIBOIPLINE AND OORREOTION OF THE RIGHTEOl/8. This topic Elihu expands. While the Almighty suffers the wicked to perish, he maintains the lot of the oppressed and righteous poor, keeping them ever in view, and ever working all thinas together for their good. 1. In leRding them to an established honour. "With kings a~e they on the throne." He "doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted." 2. H0 sanctifies their sorrows as means of spiritual discipline and correction. "If they be bound in fetters, and be bolden in cords of affliction, he sboweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded." 3. He imparts instruction, warning them away from the dangers of iniquity. 4. He crowns their obedience with ample reward. " If they obey and serve him," be makes them to spend their days in prosperity. How does this anticipate the final condition of Job I and in the process of this Divine poem, how is the unravelling of the mystery, the knot of beman suffering, gradually promoted I Again, with another motive to urge Job to repentance, Elihu points out: 5. That even the righteous, if they are disobedient to the Divine instructions and correction, "shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge." He makes a direct application of the whole teaching to Joh: "Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place;" but lays at Job's door the accusa- tion of fulfilling the judgment of the evil-doer and saffering, as be does, for the severities of "judgment and justice." 'fhe principle of Elihu's teaching is just, if his application of it is faulty. All may learn (1) to acknowledge, (2) to bow to, (3) to harmonize their life with, the perfect work of God.-R. G. Ver. 2.-Speaking on God's behalf. Elibu is not a little bold in roundly asserting that be is speaking on God's behalf. He may be right, but his assertion needs testing. Not all who claim to speak for God can be accredited as his ambassadors. We must examine the credentials of those who say that they speak on behalf of God. I. THE FALBE CLAUI TO SPEAK ON Goo's BEHALF. 'l'bis claim is put forth repeatedly. 1. By officialism. Because certain people hold a high office, they assume that they have a right to represent God. But they may be true in their work and in discharging the proper functions of their office, and yet quite false in pretending to speak for God. God does not confine his heavenly communications to official channels. 2. By authori- tative orthodo:r;y. No one can read the sad records of ecclesiastical history without seeing what ungodly passions have been engaged in the battles of theology. Dare we say that the issue of these miserable conflicts has always been a triumph for truth? 3. By personal, dogmatism. Young men, such as Elihu, declare that they a.re speaking for God. They a.re very positive. But are they infallible? Would it not be well to see that God is not absolutely dependent on our advocacy? Vast mischief bas accrued through bungling and even unrighteous attempts to vindicate God's truth and God's action. Can be not take care of his own cause? Shall we, like Uzzab, interfere at every crisis to eave the ark of God from destruction? Much unbelief is simply due to unwise advocacy and defence of religion. Sometimes it is best tn say nothing:, but to trust God's cause to himself. "Be still, and know that I am God." II. 'l'BE NEOESBABY DUTY OF SPEAKING ON Goo's BEHALF. '!'here are times when God requires hie people to speak for him, and we dare not be silent under all circum- stances. Wrong must be denounced, error corrected, truth maintained, the gospel made known, How, then, can this advocacy be saved from the mischievous effects which follow from a wrong way of speaking for God? 1. By a Divine commission. They who speak for God must be called by God. Whatever be their human mission, they certainly need a Divine vocation. Let a man be well assured in his heart that God has called him before he opens his lips. The asiairance may not come by any mystic Toices, but by clear indications of providence, the prompting of conscience, the faculty to speak, the open door, 2. By a hold of troth. The teacher must be taught. The advocate must have his brief; the envoy his despatch. The Christian missioniuy must be clear in bis own grasp of Christian truth. We have the best guide to truth in the Bible. If any one would speak for God, let him follow the teachings of this book. 3. By sympathy with the Spirit of God. We cannot even speak the truth we know wisely and well, unless we are guided by the present i.nftuence of the Holy 590 THE BOOK OF JOB. [ea. XXXVI, 1-38,