Job 11

Job 11:1-6

Zophar here takes up the argument, and applies not balm, but corrections to Job’s bleeding wounds. 1. He condemns Job, as proud and false as justifying himself, ver. 1—4. 2. He begs God to convince him, ver. 5. (1.) Of his wavering wisdom, and inviolable justice, ver. 6. (2.) Of his unfavorable perfections, ver. 7—9. 3. Of his incontestable sovereignty, and uncontrollable power, ver. 10. 4. Of the cognizance he takes of the children of man, ver. 11, 12. (3.) He assures him, that upon his repentance and reformation, ver. 13, 14. God would restore him to his former prosperity and safety, ver. 15—19. But if he were wicked, it was in vain to expect it, ver. 20.

1. THEN answered Zophar the Naamashite, and said, 2. Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should * a man full of talk be justified? 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 4. For * thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and * I am clean in thine eyes. 5. But, O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; 6. And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! know therefore, that * God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserved.

With eyes sparkling with indignation, at seeing all the former arguments slighted and ineffectual, Zophar the third replers.

1. He opens with much insolence and abude. Far from admitting any thing of Job’s vindication of himself to be either true or pernicious, he treats him as a mere talkative, that pretended by a multitude of words to make a shew of wisdom; gives the lie to his affections of his integrity, and brands him as mocking God in such appeals to his omniscience. Note, (1.) Controversy usually produces unbecoming warmth, but in religious controversy to be abusive and passionate, is, though too common, especially indecent and sinful. (2.) When there is a disposition to find fault, the most ineffective words, the most reasonable discourse, will afford a handle for malevolence. (3.) We need not count it strange to be treated unmercifully, when we see so good a man thus abused by his unavail friends. (4.) Though some way he so rude as to give us the lie, and others so wicked as to brand those with manneeds, who do not shew their resentment, the grace of God teaches a different lesson, and bids us overcome evil with good.

2. Zophar had called Job fair, and lo! his first charge against him appears a fasthood; so sure it is, that the first to give the lie is usually the most guilty, and abude a sad foregone of a bad cause. Job had maintained his integrity; but had acknowledged withal, that though no hypocrite, or wicked man, he had sin in him, which in God’s sight would condemn him. Zophar interprets all his pleas of sincerity as pretenses to perfection

faction: so early it is by a wrong construction of our meaning, to draw inferences utterly opposite to our sentiments.

1. He wishes God to take up the controversy, since their arguments seemed fruitless, concluding that he must be on their side; though alas! they who must solemnly appeal to him, are often very far from being most in the right. Of two things Zephyr wished God to convince Job, 1. The unfavorable depths of his wisdom, that they are double to that which is in man, who shows only his own weakness and wickedness, when he attempts to artrage what he cannot comprehend. 2. The unexceptionable equity of his procedure, far from exacting more than our iniquity deserves, his chastisements are less than our provocations. Now, (1.) Men may speak great truths, though they may draw very wrong inferences from them. (2.) A sense of our own blunder’s should ever make a silent under God’s affective dispensations; though we know not how, there is wisdom, yea and mercy in them. (3.) It is certain that every man, whilst he is out of hell, hath left than his iniquities deserve; and cause therefore to praise God for his mercy, and cheerfully to submit to whatever burden is laid upon him.

2. Can’t thou by searching find out God? can’t thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8. If it is high as heaven, what can’t thou do? deeper than hell, what can’t thou know? 9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11. For he knoweth vain men: he serth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? 12. For ‘vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ais’s colt.

3. 7-12. In our present fallen state we can comprehend so little, either of the Divine perfection or providence, that to pretend to find fault with them, were the arrogance of folly. Zephyr here,

4. Display God’s incomprehensibility, sovereignty, and omniscience, as arguments to silence Job’s plea before him. His infirmity is sufficient, v. 7-9. are beyond our most enlarged and professing researches; the more we labour to comprehend of his immensity, eternity, &c. the more we shall be lost in the contemplation, and forced to cry, O the depth, &c. Rom. xi. 13. His sovereignty, v. 10. who shall control: if he cut off by death and judgments, or make a change in his dealings with any person of family, as in Job’s case; yea, should he reduce to its primitive nothing the whole created universe, who can say unto him, what do? thou not that God merely to display his sovereignty makes his creatures miserable: infinite wisdom and justice made all his ways, v. 11. He demand unto men, he serth wickedness; however closely covered or concealed, he detects the vain pretence; Will he not then consider it? yea, and will such persons with the judgments they have provoked. Note, (1.) Every view of the Divine perfection should humbly be before God. (2.) From him nothing is hid or secret: how should the consideration engage our watchfulness against the most secret desire of evil within our hearts?

5. He represents man as vain in his imaginations, affecting to be wise, though born stupid as the wild ais’s colt, and like it shabson and untruthable. Note, (1.) Men is by nature proud, and wise in his own conceits; ever since the first man, by affecting forbidden wisdom, fell, all his potency have not ceased to imitate his sin. (2.) Pride ever makes a man untruthable; they who have a high opinion of themselves, are usually above advice.

6. If thou prepare thine heart, and ‘stretch out thine hands towards him; 14. If ‘inquiry be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 15. For then ‘shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, yea, ’thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: 16. Because ’thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: 17. And thine age ‘shall be clearer than the noon day: thou shalt thine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 18. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and ’thou shalt take thy rest in taster. 19. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 20. But ’the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and ’their hope shall be as if the giving up of the ghost.

Job 11:13-20

Zephyr concludes his speech with sound advice, but evidently intimates his sense of Job’s afflictions, as proceeding from his secret sins, which, if not parted with, must provoke his utter ruin.

1. His advice to, to prepare his heart by serious reflection, and setting before himself the humbling views of his sin, is stretch out.

not his hands in penitent prayer for mercy, to put away iniquity from his hand, allowed sin, or the gains of oppression and fraud, and to purge out wickedness from his tabernacles, which he seems to intimate he had allowed, or connived at in his family. Note, (1.) They who desire to return to God’s favour, must refuse their ill gotten gains, however painful and shameful such refutation may be. (2.) The sins of his household are chargeable on the negligent matter, and God will require them at his hands.

2. He supports his counsel by a variety of considerations evidencing the comfort which would accrue to him from following it; For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot before God and man, who will regard him with favour, thou shalt be stedfast, fixed in prosperity, and shalt not fear such awful changes, as of late he had should. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, the comforts refused will obliterate the remembrance of just calamities, and remember it as waters that pass away; if they are reflected upon, they vanish at the house afield up in farmers; or, like the flood of Noah, he may be affured that they shall no more return: and thine age shall be clearer than the noon day, thou shalt thine forth, thou shalt be as the morning; though clouds and darkness of affliction had covered him, there in his age should be dispelled, comfort and cry, as the light at noon, cheat his future day, and lay evening sun thine bright at the splendor of the morning. And thou shalt be scour from future calamity, because there is hope of God’s returning favour. You thou shalt dig about thee, and fix a durable mankind, or find wells of water for his cattle, or as in entrenchment secured; and thou shalt take thy rest in taster, no danger being near to terrify or disturb: thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit to thee, thou shalt be more honoured and courted, than now thou art slighted and despised. Note, (1.) When we have returned to God in faith and humble prayer, we may be confident of his favour. (2.) If God establishes us, we shall not fail, nor need fear what all the powers of evil can do against us. (3.) Though the faithful here below, by temptation or affliction, may suffer a short eclipse, the day is near when they will thine without spot, brighter than the sun for ever and ever. (4.) If we call the anchor of hope on the sure bottom of God’s faithfulness, no storms can hurt or endanger our security.

3. He describes the miserable end of the ungodly: The eyes of the wicked shall fail, whilst looking after relief in vain, and they shall not escape from the hand of God’s judgments, and their hope shall be desperate, and the disappointment terrible, as the giving up the ghost. And such he seems to infirmate would be Job’s case, if he rejected the admonitions of his friends; and whilst his sins remained, continued proudly and falsely to vindicate himself. Note, (1.) If not before, in death at least, the vain confidence of the wicked and self-righteous experts. (2.) There is no escaping God’s judgments; they who will not turn, must burn.