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Matthew Henry |
J O B
CHAP. XXIII.
This chapter begins Job’s reply to Eliphaz. In this reply he takes no
notice of his friends, either because he saw it was to no purpose or
because he liked the good counsel Eliphaz gave him in the close of his
discourse so well that he would make no answer to the peevish
reflections he began with; but he appeals to God, begs to have his
cause heard, and doubts not but to make it good, having the testimony
of his own conscience concerning his integrity. Here seems to be a
struggle between flesh and spirit, fear and faith, throughout this
chapter.
I. He complains of his calamitous condition, and especially of God’s
withdrawings from him, so that he could not get his appeal heard
(ver. 2-5),
nor discern the meaning of God’s dealings with him
(ver. 8, 9),
nor gain any hope of relief,
This made deep impressions of trouble and terror upon him,
But,
II. In the midst of these complaints he comforts himself with the
assurance of God’s clemency
(ver. 6, 7),
and his own integrity, which God himself was a witness to,
Thus was the light of his day like that spoken of,
neither perfectly clear nor perfectly dark, but “at evening time it was
light.”
| The Reply of Job to Eliphaz; Job Appeals from Man to God. | B. C. 1520. |
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1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier
than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come
even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with
arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and
understand what he would say unto me.
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he
would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be
delivered for ever from my judge.
Job is confident that he has wrong done him by his friends, and
therefore, ill as he is, he will not give up the cause, nor let them
have the last word. Here,
I. He justifies his own resentments of his trouble
(v. 2):
Even to day, I own, my complaint is bitter; for the
affliction, the cause of the complaint, is so. There are wormwood
and gall in the affliction and misery; my soul has them still in
remembrance and is embittered by them,
Even to day is my complaint counted rebellion (so some
read it); his friends construed the innocent expressions of his grief
into reflections upon God and his providence, and called them
rebellion. “But,” says he, “I do not complain more than there is
cause; for my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Even today,
after all you have said to convince and comfort me, still the pains of
my body and the wounds of my spirit are such that I have reason enough
for my complaints, if they were more bitter than they are.” We wrong
God if our groaning be heavier than our stroke, like froward children,
who, when they cry for nothing, have justly something given them to cry
for; but we do not wrong ourselves though our stroke be heavier than
our groaning, for little said is soon amended.
II. He appeals from the censures of his friends to the just judgment of
God; and this he thought was an evidence for him that he was not a
hypocrite, for then he durst not have made such an appeal as this. St
Paul comforted himself in this, that he that judged him was the
Lord, and therefore he valued not man’s judgment
but he was willing to wait till the appointed day of decision came;
whereas Job is impatient, and passionately wishes to have the
judgment-day anticipated, and to have his cause tried quickly, as it
were, by a special commission. The apostle found it necessary to press
it much upon suffering Christians patiently to expect the Judge’s
coming,
1. He is so sure of the equity of God’s tribunal that he longs to
appear before it
(v. 3):
O that I knew where I might find him! This may properly express
the pious breathings of a soul convinced that it has by sin lost God
and is undone for ever if it recover not its interest in his favour. “O
that I knew how I might recover his favour! How I might come into his
covenant and communion with him!”
It is the cry of a poor deserted soul. “Saw you him whom my soul
loveth? O that I knew where I might find him! O that he who has
laid open the way to himself would direct me into it and lead me in
it!” But Job here seems to complain too boldly that his friends wronged
him and he knew not which way to apply himself to God to have justice
done him, else he would go even to his seat, to demand it. A patient
waiting for death and judgment is our wisdom and duty, and, if we duly
consider things, that cannot be without a holy fear and trembling; but
a passionate wishing for death or judgment, without any such fear and
trembling, is our sin and folly, and ill becomes us. Do we know what
death and judgment are, and are we so very ready for them, that we need
not time to get readier? Woe to those that thus, in a heat,
desire the day of the Lord,
Amos v. 18.
2. He is so sure of the goodness of his own cause that he longs to be
opening it at God’s bar
(v. 4):
“I would order my cause before him, and set it in a true light.
I would produce the evidences of my sincerity in a proper method, and
would fill my mouth with arguments to prove it.” We may apply
this to the duty of prayer, in which we have boldness to enter into
the holiest and to come even to the footstool of the throne of
grace. We have not only liberty of access, but liberty of speech. We
have leave,
(1.) To be particular in our requests, to order our cause before
God, to speak the whole matter, to lay before him all our
grievances, in what method we think most proper; we durst not be so
free with earthly princes as a humble holy soul may be with God.
(2.) To be importunate in our requests. We are allowed, not only to
pray, but to plead, not only to ask, but to argue; nay, to fill our
mouths with arguments, not to move God (he is perfectly apprized of
the merits of the cause without our showing), but to move ourselves, to
excite our fervency and encourage our faith in prayer.
3. He is so sure of a sentence in favour of him that he even longed to
hear it
(v. 5):
“I would know the words which he would answer me,” that is, “I
would gladly hear what God will say to this matter in dispute between
you and me, and will entirely acquiesce in his judgment.” This becomes
us, in all controversies; let the word of God determine them; let us
know what he answers, and understand what he says. Job knew well enough
what his friends would answer him; they would condemn him, and run him
down. “But” (says he) “I would fain know what God would
answer me; for I am sure his judgment is according to truth, which
theirs is not. I cannot understand them; they talk so little to the
purpose. But what he says I should understand and therefore be fully
satisfied in.”
III. He comforts himself with the hope that God would deal favourably
with him in this matter,
Note, It is of great use to us, in every thing wherein we have to do
with God, to keep up good thoughts of him. He believes,
1. That God would not overpower him, that he would not deal with him
either by absolute sovereignty or in strict justice, not with a high
hand, nor with a strong hand: Will he plead against me with his
great power? No. Job’s friends pleaded against him with all the
power they had; but will God do so? No; his power is all just and holy,
whatever men’s is. Against those that are obstinate in their unbelief
and impenitency God will plead with his great power; their
destruction will come from the glory of his power. But with his
own people, that love him and trust in him, he will deal in tender
compassion.
2. That, on the contrary, he would empower him to plead his own cause
before God: “He would put strength in me, to support me and bear
me up, in maintaining my integrity.” Note, The same power that is
engaged against proud sinners is engaged for humble saints, who prevail
with God by strength derived from him, as Jacob did,
See
3. That the issue would certainly be comfortable,
v. 7.
There, in the court of heaven, when the final sentence is to be given,
the righteous might dispute with him and come off in his
righteousness. Now, even the upright are often chastened of the
Lord, and they cannot dispute against it; integrity itself is no
fence either against calamity or calumny; but in that day they shall
not be condemned with the world, though God may afflict by
prerogative. Then you shall discern between the righteous and the
wicked
(Mal. iii. 18),
so vast will be the difference between them in their everlasting state;
whereas now we can scarcely distinguish them, so little is the
difference between them as to their outward condition, for all things
come alike to all. Then, when the final doom is given, “I shall be
delivered for ever from my Judge,” that is, “I shall be saved from
the unjust censures of my friends and from that divine sentence which
is now so much a terror to me.” Those that are delivered up to God as
their owner and ruler shall be for ever delivered from him as their
judge and avenger; and there is no flying from his justice but by
flying to his mercy.
| Mystery of Providence. | B. C. 1520. |
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8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward,
but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold
him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see
him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not
declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I
have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary
food.
Here,
I. Job complains that he cannot understand the meaning of God’s
providences concerning him, but is quite at a loss about them
(v. 8, 9):
I go forward, but he is not there, &c. Eliphaz had bid him
acquaint himself with God. “So I would, with all my heart,” says Job,
“If I knew how to get acquainted with him.” He had himself a great
desire to appear before God, and get a hearing of his case, but the
Judge was not to be found. Look which way he would, he could see no
sign of God’s appearing for him to clear up his innocency. Job, no
doubt, believed that God is every where present; but three things he
seems to complain of here:–
1. That he could not fix his thoughts, nor form any clear judgment of
things in his own mind. His mind was so hurried and discomposed with
his troubles that he was like a man in a fright, or at his wits’ end,
who runs this way and that way, but, being in confusion, brings nothing
to a head. By reason of the disorder and tumult his spirit was in he
could not fasten upon that which he knew to be in God, and which, if he
could but have mixed faith with it and dwelt upon it in his thoughts,
would have been a support to him. It is the common complaint of those
who are sick or melancholy that, when they would think of that which is
good, they can make nothing of it.
2. That he could not find out the cause of his troubles, nor the sin
which provoked God to contend with him. He took a view of his whole
conversation, turned to every side of it, and could not perceive
wherein he had sinned more than others, for which he should thus be
punished more than others; nor could he discern what other end God
should aim at in afflicting him thus.
3. That he could not foresee what would be in the end hereof, whether
God would deliver him at all, nor, if he did, when or which way. He saw
not his signs, nor was there any to tell him how long; as the church
complains,
He was quite at a loss to know what God designed to do with him; and,
whatever conjecture he advanced, still something or other appeared
against it.
II. He satisfies himself with this, that God himself was a witness to
his integrity, and therefore did not doubt but the issue would be
good.
1. After Job had almost lost himself in the labyrinth of the divine
counsels, how contentedly does he sit down, at length, with this
thought: “Though I know not the way that he takes (for his
way is in the sea and his path in the great waters, his thoughts
and ways are infinitely above ours and it would be presumption in us to
pretend to judge of them), yet he knows the way that I take,”
That is,
(1.) He is acquainted with it. His friends judged of that which they
did not know, and therefore charged him with that which he was never
guilty of; but God, who knew every step he had taken, would not do so,
Note, It is a great comfort to those who mean honestly that God
understands their meaning, though men do not, cannot, or will not.
(2.) He approves of it: “He knows that, however I may sometimes have
taken a false step, yet I have still taken a good way,
have chosen the way of truth, and therefore he knows it,” that
is, he accepts it, and is well pleased with it, as he is said to
know the way of the righteous,
Ps. i. 6.
This comforted the prophet,
Thou hast tried my heart towards thee. From this Job infers,
When he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold. Those that
keep the way of the Lord may comfort themselves, when they are
in affliction, with these three things:–
[1.] That they are but tried. It is not intended for their hurt, but
for their honour and benefit; it is the trial of their faith,
1 Pet. i. 7.
[2.] That, when they are sufficiently tried, they shall come forth out
of the furnace, and not be left to consume in it as dross or reprobate
silver. The trial will have an end. God will not contend for
ever.
[3.] That they shall come forth as gold, pure in itself and precious to
the refiner. They shall come forth as gold approved and improved, found
to be good and made to be better. Afflictions are to us as we are;
those that go gold into the furnace will come out no worse.
2. Now that which encouraged Job to hope that his present troubles
would thus end well was the testimony of his conscience for him, that
he had lived a good life in the fear of God.
(1.) That God’s way was the way he walked in
(v. 11):
“My foot hath held his steps,” that is, “held to them, adhered
closely to them; the steps he takes. I have endeavoured to conform
myself to his example.” Good people are followers of God. Or, “I have
accommodated myself to his providence, and endeavoured to answer all
the intentions of that, to follow Providence step by step.” Or, “His
steps are the steps he has appointed me to take; the way of religion
and serious godliness–that way I have kept, and have not declined from
it, not only not turned back from it by a total apostasy, but not
turned aside out of it by any wilful transgression.” His holding God’s
steps, and keeping his way, intimate that the tempter had used all his
arts by fraud and force to draw him aside; but, with care and
resolution, he had by the grace of God hitherto persevered, and those
that will do so must hold and keep, hold with resolution and keep with
watchfulness.
(2.) That God’s word was the rule he walked by,
He governed himself by the commandment of God’s lips, and would
not go back from that, but go forward according to it. Whatever
difficulties we may meet with in the way of God’s commandments, though
they lead us through a wilderness, yet we must never think of going
back, but must press on towards the mark. Job kept closely to the law
of God in his conversation, for both his judgment and his affection led
him to it: I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my
necessary food; that is, he looked upon it as his necessary food;
he could as well have lived without his daily bread as without the word
of God. I have laid it up (so the word is), as those that lay
up provision for a siege, or as Joseph laid up corn before the famine.
Eliphaz had told him to lay up God’s words in his heart,
ch. xxii. 22.
“I do,” says he, “and always did, that I might not sin against
him, and that, like the good householder, I might bring forth for
the good of others.” Note, The word of God is to our souls what our
necessary food is to our bodies; it sustains the spiritual life and
strengthens us for the actions of life; it is that which we cannot
subsist without, and which nothing else can make up the want of: and we
ought therefore so to esteem it, to take pains for it, hunger after it,
feed upon it with delight, and nourish our souls with it; and this will
be our rejoicing in the day of evil, as it was Job’s here.
| Job’s Comfort in His Integrity. | B. C. 1520. |
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13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what
his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and
many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I
am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither
hath he covered the darkness from my face.
Some make Job to complain here that God dealt unjustly and unfairly
with him in proceeding to punish him without the least relenting or
relaxation, though he had such incontestable evidences to produce of
his innocency. I am loth to think holy Job would charge the holy God
with iniquity; but his complaint is indeed bitter and peevish, and he
reasons himself into a sort of patience per force, which he
cannot do without reflecting upon God as dealing hardly with him, but
he must bear it because he cannot help it; the worst he says is that
God deals unaccountably with him.
I. He lays down good truths, and truths which were capable of a good
improvement,
1. That God’s counsels are immutable: He is in one mind, and who can
turn him? He is one (so some read it) or in one; he has no
counsellors by whose interest he might be prevailed with to alter his
purpose: he has no counsellors by whose interest he might be prevailed
with to alter his purpose: he is one with himself, and never alters his
mind, never alters his measures. Prayer has prevailed to change God’s
way and his providence, but never was his will or purpose changed; for
known unto God are all his works.
2. That his power is irresistible: What his soul desires or
designs even that he does, and nothing can stand in his way or
put him upon new counsels. Men desire many things which they may not
do, or cannot do, or dare not do. But God has an incontestable
sovereignty; his will is so perfectly pure and right that it is highly
fit he should pursue all its determinations. And he has an
uncontrollable power. None can stay his hand. Whatever the Lord
pleased that did he
(Ps. cxxxv. 6),
and always will, for it is always best.
3. That all he does is according to the counsel of his will
(v. 14):
He performs the thing that is appointed for me. Whatever happens
to us, it is God that performs it
(Ps. lvii. 2),
and an admirable performance the whole will appear to be when the
mystery of God shall be finished. He performs all that, and that only,
which was appointed, and in the appointed time and method. This may
silence us, for what is appointed cannot be altered. But to consider
that, when God was appointing us to eternal life and glory as our end,
he was appointing to this condition, this affliction, whatever it is,
in our way, this may do more than silence us, it may satisfy us that it
is all for the best; though what he does we know not now, yet we shall
know hereafter.
4. That all he does is according to the custom of his providence:
Many such things are with him, that is, He does many things in
the course of his providence which we can give no account of, but must
resolve into his absolute sovereignty. Whatever trouble we are in
others have been in the like. Our case is not singular; the same
afflictions are accomplished in our brethren,
1 Pet. v. 9.
Are we sick or sore, impoverished and stripped? Are our children
removed by death or our friends unkind? This is what God has
appointed for us, and many such things are with him. Shall the earth be
forsaken for us?
II. He makes but a bad use of these good truths. Had he duly considered
them, he might have said, “Therefore am I easy and pleased, and well
reconciled to the way of my God concerning me; therefore will I rejoice
in hope that my troubles will issue well at last.” But he said,
Therefore am I troubled at his presence,
v. 15.
Those are indeed of troubled spirits who are troubled at the presence
of God, as the psalmist, who remembered God and was troubled,
Ps. lxxvii. 3.
See what confusion poor Job was now in, for he contradicted himself:
just now he was troubled for God’s absence
(v. 8, 9);
now he is troubled at his presence. When I consider, I am afraid of
him. What he now felt made him fear worse. There is indeed that
which, if we consider it, will show that we have cause to be afraid of
God–his infinite justice and purity, compared with our own sinfulness
and vileness; but if, withal, we consider his grace in a Redeemer, and
our compliance with that grace, our fears will vanish and we shall see
cause to hope in him. See what impressions were made upon him by the
wounds of his spirit.
1. He was very fearful
(v. 16):
The Almighty troubled him, and so made his heart soft,
that is, utterly unable to bear any thing, and afraid of every thing
that stirred. There is a gracious softness, like that of Josiah, whose
heart was tender, and trembled at the word of God; but this is meant of
a grievous softness which apprehends every thing that is present to be
pressing and every thing future to be threatening.
2. He was very fretful, peevish indeed, for he quarrels with God,
(1.) Because he did not die before his troubles, that he might never
have seen them (Because I was not cut off before the darkness,
v. 17),
and yet if, in the height of his prosperity, he had received a summons
to the grave, he would have thought it hard. This may help to reconcile
us to death, whenever it comes, that we do not know what evil we may be
taken away from. But when trouble comes it is folly to wish we had not
lived to see it and it is better to make the best of it.
(2.) Because he was left to live so long in his troubles, and the
darkness was not covered from his face by his being hidden in the
grave. We should bear the darkness better than thus if we would but
remember that to the upright there sometimes arises a marvellous light
in the darkness; however, there is reserved for them a more marvellous
light after it.
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