Job 2

Job 2:7-10

The first trial disappointed the tempter, and magnified the sufferer; but Satan will not yet dofit. 1. He means for another trial, ver. 1—3. 2. God permits it, ver. 6. 3. Satan invites him with a very painful and loathsome disease, ver. 7, 8. 4. His wife tempts him in early God, but he refoils the temptation, ver. 9, 10. 5. His friends come to console with, and to comfort him, ver. 11—13.

1. A GAIN there was a day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence cometh thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hath thou confidereit my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and echeweth evil? and ‘fill he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to ‘destroy him’ without cause. 4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will be give for his life. 5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will ‘curse thee to thy face. 6. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life.

c. 7—8. Restless is our hellish foe, and disappointment but sharpens his rage, and makes him return more furious to the attack. Though proved a liar, he persists in his accusations, and pretends another trial as least will yet prove Job a hypocrite. They who hate God’s people will submit to no evidence, but lie on in spite of conviction. We have,

1. Another solemn assembly of the sons of God, and Satan with hardened impudence appearing among them, filled with

the same inveterate stature against the faithful sufferer: The same enquiries, and the same answers, introduce the great point in dispute, the integrity of Job; and now it might be so poised, that on the issue of his own proposal he would own God’s character of Job, and take shame for his infamous insinuation concerning his hypocrisy; seeing, saith God, he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou removed me against him, to destroy him without cause: he cries higher under every pressure, and gains in true greatness by his losses.

2. With persevering accusation this enemy dares support his plea, and, though baffled, pretends that it was more owing to the insufficiency of the test, than the integrity of Job, that he had not made good his allegation. Says for this, yet all that a man hath will be give for his life: whilst he himself rests in a whole skin, he can do calm under the other losses; but put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, torture him with pain, or afflict him with sickness, and then he will curse thee to thy face. Note, Mostly torture is indeed the feverish trial of human patience.

3. God contents he shall make the experiment; reserving only Job’s life, he is at liberty to afflict him to the uttermost: thus purposing ultimately to make a more glorious display of the power of his grace; to preserve to future ages an eminent monument of patience under every affliction; with deeper confusion to cover this wonder of the brethren, and by these works of wickedness permit him to fill up the measure of his iniquities.

4. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with fore boils, ‘from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8. And he took him a pottherd to scrape himself withal: and he sat down among the afters. 9. Then said ‘his wife unto him, ‘Dost thou still retain thine integrity?’ Curse God and die. 10. But he said unto her, ‘Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh: what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

No sooner is the permission granted, than the devil is impatient to worry his prey; and whilst every thing Job feels is tormenting, every thing he hears in discouraging; thus Satan hoped he should at last prevail.

1. Job is smitten from head to foot with fore boils. What was his peculiar disease, hath occasioned many conjectures: I should suppose it was no common case, but some extraordinary effort of him who hath the power of death, to concenter the force of every disease in one, uniting the anguish, pain, sickness, nauseousness, selfishness, and every other ill that flesh is hurt to; whilst no comforter was near, no medicine to affleag, no oil to supple, no rags to cover, not even a dog to lick his force. In the afters he sat, a poethed in his hand, and whilst with this he sought to affleag the intolerable itching, it served but to aggravate his torment. Yet in this miserable state no murmuring word is heard; he is dumb before God, and his soul deeply abated, as his body in the dust and afters that were spread under him. Note, (1.) How admirable does Job appear? what a lesson to us in pain or sickness, to keep the door of our lips from impatient complaints? (2.) When our body is humbled with disease, our souls should correspond with our circumstances, in deep and lowly abatement.

2. The wife of his bosom becomes the tempter of his soul, and no trials to severe, as those that come through their hands who are dearest to us. She cannot wish patience for her husband retain still his humble submission to God; Dost thou still retain thine integrity? How useless is how little doth he deserve thy service, whose mind hast thus rewards thy fidelity? Curse God and die: blaspheme his name, and renounce all dependence upon him; get out of his reach, and by death rid thyself of thy troubles. Or, as the words will bear a milder sense, Bless God and die: bless him, pray to him to take thee away, as weary of a life now rendered insupportable. Note, (1.) The blackest suggestions of blasphemy and self-murder have sometimes attacked the dearest saints of God. (2.) They are bad judges of true religion, who look no further than this present world: had we hope here only, we should be often miserable indeed.

3. Job nobly repels this fiery dart thrown at him from Satan’s quiver. Thus speaketh at one of the foolish women speaketh; far different language should flow from these lips, that have so long been taught a wider lesson. Such attentional and blasphemous words might be expected from the profane libelants, but the wife of Job had been better taught. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? With indignation he receives the suggestion: many blessings they had received at God’s hand; if now he chose to afflict them, it was what with meekness they should prepare to receive, and, under all submissive, wait in hope. Note, (1.) When we rebuke even great provocations, we should avoid every rash or hasty expression, and do it calmly and seriously.

(2.) We Benedictine

(2.) We must never put with the suggestions, but reject them with abhorrence. (3.) In this world, good and evil are set over against each other; whatever we enjoy of the one, we may not expect exemption from the other; and the latter to a child of God usually proves the greatest blessing.

4. God bears a fresh testimony to Job’s integrity, In all this he found not with his lips, never yet uttered a murmuring impatient word; and whatever struggle there might be within, hitherto grace had triumphed; and in bridling his tongue, he had maintained the deserved character of a perfect man.

5. 9 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz the * Temanite, and Billiad the * Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to * mount with him, and to comfort him. 12. And when they lift up their eyes afar off, and * knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept, and they rest every one his mantle, and * sprinkled duft upon their heads toward heaven. 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights, and more spake a word unto him: for * they saw that his grief was very great.

Job 2:11-13

The afflictive circumstances of so great a man’s fall and suffering soon spread abroad; his enemies rejoiced, but his friends mourned. We have here,

1. An appointment made by three of them to come and confide with him, Eliphaz, Billiad, and Zophar, generally for-posed descendants from Abraham, by the sons of Keturah or Efeso; See Gen. xxxvi. 12. Gen. xxv. is men of deep knowledge and experience. They had known Job in the days of his greatness, and were not like many others, who left him when brought love, but thought themselves then especially bound to testify their regard; and by sympathetic tears, to alleviate the sorrows of the mourners. Note, (1.) A true friend is known in advertise, and such may be justly esteemed among the chief blessings of this life. (2.) The house of mourning will be frequented by the wife and gracious, both in charity to support others, and as a school to learn themselves.

2. Their astonishment, grief, and anguish is painted in the strongest colours. When after off, they lift up their eyes: so changed was his countenance, so disfigured his body, so wretched his appearance, that they at first burn him out; but soon discovering through the dark veil the miserable sufferer, a buff of tears and cries tellified their deep affliction; they rest every one his mantle, and sprinkled duft upon their heads towards heaven, the tokens of expression forests; so they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, probably never stirred, and in bitterness are the bread of mourners, and mingled their drink with weeping: or at least each day and part of the night they spent with him, however painful and grievous the scene; and none spake a word unto him. In silence overwhelmed with such stupendous woe, too big for utterance; for they fear that his grief was very great. Note, (1.) Disease makes frightful changes; the dear loved countenance will soon be hurled ghastly: let us remember what vile bodies we have, and be abased. (2.) They who haite from the chamber of disease, and are glad to fly from the melancholy door, their themselves strangers to true friendship, as well as unmindful of, and unprepared for the evil days they must tharrily die. (3.) When we perceive the grief so great, as to be incapable of admitting immediate consolation, we must wait till an opening offers, to speak a word in season.

Job 2:22-24

3. In earth. 4. Lem. III. 15. 9. Or, I am fath; if I fied it, I should not know my feel.

4. • How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reefen with him? 15. Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. 16. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had breached unto my voice. 17. For he breaketh me with a tempeft, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. 18. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but I filletth me with bitterness. 19. If I speak of strength, lo, be it strong, and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

5. 14-21. Job applies to his own exile the wives of God’s perfectiones he had described, as a ground of self-absolument be-

fore him. However he could maintain his cause before man, as in no wise a hypocrite, as he was accused, he could not vindicate himself before God, as free from sin.

1. He owns his inability to stand the contest with God: He is too wise for man to plead with him; of purer eyes, than that sinful man should prelums to appear righteous before him; too mighty to be resisted; and from his judgment no appeal can lie to any superior court, v. 19. Note, There is no standing before God on the footing of our own defects. In a constant of grace, not of works, can the sinner alone be justified. Therefore,

2. However righteous he was as a magistrate, and sincere in profession as a good man, he resistes rather to cry for mercy, than to plead his merits, v. 19; not that he expected to be heard for his prayer’s sake, but, if answered, he should exercise it solely to God’s rich grace, and not to the words of his own supplications, v. 16. Note, Mercy, not desert, must be our plan; nor can our best prayers make God our debtor: nay, so much infirmity is mixed with them, that we are undone, if he pardons not the iniquity of our holy things.

3. Job had spoken right things hitherto, but his infirmity now appears in the conclusion he draws, that whilst his afflictions were not removed, his prayers could not be answered; and the acknowledging himself a sinner, he seems to think that sufferings exceeded his defects. He breaketh me with a tempeft of afflictions, and multiplieth my wounds without cause, nor hath cause at least as his conscious friends had suggested. He will not suffer me to take my breath, I can scarce pray or speak, through the violence of my disease; but he filletth me with bitterness. Note, We may not judge our prayers rejected, because our sufferings remain: though we cannot now see why God thus deseth with us, we shall be convinced by and by, that the greatest kindness God could do us, was the continuance of our affliction.

4. He repeats his renunciation of self-justification before God: the attempt would prove his perverienet. If he said he was perfect, he should deceive himself: nay, though he were, he should not dare to insist upon it before God, in whose presence all creature-perfection is imperfection; or, as the words may be rendered, I perfect? no; if I entertained such an imagination, I should not know my soul, should prove myself ignorant of my own heart: I would despise my life, not think it would pleading for; or, though perfect, wish for its continuance here below. Note, (1.) Concert of sinless perfection can only arise from ignorance of ourselves, of God, and of the spirituality of his law. (2.) Self-justifiers will out of their own mouth be condemned.

5. This is one thing, therefore I said it, he de-shoyeth the perfect and the wicked. 23. If the scourge, say suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where and who is he?

The grand point in dispute is, Whether the wicked are always miserable, and the innocent prosperous. This his friends affirm, he as resolutely denies. This is one thing, singular as it may appear to you, yet certain and sure, and which from the fullest conviction I advance, God dislopseth the righteous and the wicked; eternally indeed the righteous cannot perish, and sometimes there may have been peculiar interpositions of God in their behalf; but, in general, they fall in the promiscuous ruin, when defolating judgments arise; and if the scourge, say suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. Not that God delights in the miseries of his people, but if he seems unconcerned for their sufferings, or takes even pleasure in them, to be found he intends their trials for the increase of their graces, and the brightening their crown. The earth, in general, is given into the hand of the wicked; they prosper, have dominion, and bear the sway. He covereth the faces of the judges thereof; gives them up to blindness of heart, and leaves them to execute their unrighteous decrees, to the oppression of the innocent: if not, if this be not fact and truth, where and who is he that can confuse me? or, if this be not God’s doing, whose is it? He hath the government of the world, and these things cannot be done but by his permission: sufferings therefore are no proof of his anger, nor prosperity, of his favour. Note, (1.) Though the righteous here suffer with the wicked, they suffer not as the wicked; their afflictions are merciful corrections, not angry judgments, and the end of them not their ruin, but more abundant glory. (2.) It must silence our complaints under oppression, and suppress all envy at the prosperity of the wicked, that it is God’s doing, permitted for wise ends, which, though we know not now, we shall know hereafter.

25. Now * my days are swifter than a post: they see away, they see no good. 26. They are passed away as the twists thine: as the eagle that hasheth to the prey. 27. * If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave

off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 28. “I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29. If I be wicked, why thou laborer I in vain? 30. “If I wash myself with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean; 31. Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine owe clothes shall abhor me. 32. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment: 33. Neither is there any I days clean he spent us, that might lay his hand upon us both. 34. “Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me. 35. Then would I speak, and not fear him; I but it is not so with me.

9. 35—35. His complaints mingle with his arguments.

10. He bewails his past prosperity and, his present sorrows incurable. Swifter than a post on full speed his days of joys were burned by, and now are succeeded by days of misery, which made the former forgotten, as if they had never been: they are gone, like those that flims before the wind, and, as if labouring for expression to express their velocity, and as the eagle, when darting on his prey. In vain he sought to recover a glimpse of former comfort, or to compose himself under present afflictions; If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my humanity, and comfort myself, the attempt were fruitless; sorrows followed him close as his shadow, and he feared they would overwhelm him at full. Note, (1.) Time is rapid, not day excepting, all temporal good transitory; let us be wise then to redeem it, that when the present moment is lost in eternity, as the drop in the bountiful ocean, our happy portion there may be focused. (2.) It is easier to know we ought to submit, and to laid the miserable forgets their complaints, than to exercise that silent resignation, which is so evidently our bounden duty.

11. He despairs of being able to plead with God; either it is the language of humility, expression of his sinfulness and worthlessness, or of his impatience, and hard thoughts of God, as if he had cleaned his hands in vain. I know thou wilt not hold me innocent, I begin to despair of recovery, and expect, in the continuance of my afflictions, to be treated as if I be wicked, which will be believed without doubt if I perish in my suffering. Why, then labour I in vain, to clear myself, when the calamities I suffer will plead against me, in the eyes of the world, stronger than any arguments I can urge will vindicate me. If I wash myself with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, use every effort to maintain my innocence, and shew my conversation never so blameless, then shalt plunge me in the ditch of deep afflictions, and my own cheeks shall abhor me; my dearest friends will continue my case abominable, and my sufferings will make me a burden to myself. On these words may also express his desire of sin; I acknowledge my guilt, I am wicked, though not as my friends suggest, yet to as to be unable to bear the severity of my judgment; nor can I cleanse myself from my sins by any attempts of my own; though I try every expedient, I should fail to be in the hands of my own, and my best righteousness would be like his filthy rage. Note, (1.) The hell of men have the lowest thoughts of their own goodness. (2.) The more a sinner goeth about to establish his own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God, the more desperate his case grows. (3.) Though we may be never so clean from the grosser pollutions that are in the world thro’ hell, there is corruption enough in every man’s heart, to make him loathsome in the eyes of a holy God.

12. He complains of the unequal content. He is not a man, as I am; the pretences may strive with the pretences of the earth, but impossible it is, that I, a worm, should answer him, the glorious and infinite God, and that we should come together to judgment, or alike, on equal terms. He can have no superior, nor is there any court where the cause can be tried; neither is there any days-man, or arbitrator, to whom the cause can be referred, and by whose decisions we must abide. Or it may be rendered, O that there were a mediator, that might lay his hand upon us both, so as effectually to settle and adjust the dispute. Note, The days-man Job wanted, the Lord Jesus Christ appears to be: his hand is laid on both, to bring an offended God near in mercy to sinful man, and to incline man, a sinner, to return to humiliation to a pardoning God.

13. He wishes for a short respite, that he might speak for himself. Let him take his rod away from me, of challestment that oppressed him, and let not his fear terrify me, that dead of his awful majesty which now overwhelmed him; him would I speak, in prayer and supplication, or plead for himself, and not fear him, as in his present state he did, God appearing as an enemy; or perhaps, daring as the challenge was, he would then maintain his cause without fear, and, though a sinner confessed, yet reason with him on the exceeding greatness of his suffering; but it is not to be with me, I am disabled by his service to speak before him, and I have no days-man; or, I am not to wish myself, so master of himself, as to be able, in his disordered state,

to maintain his cause alight. Note, Even truly good men, before the under fore trials, have spoken unadvisedly with their lips; therefore we need ever pray, that we may not be led into temptation.