Job 8

Job 8:1-7

Job’s friends are like Job’s messengers: Bildad takes up the dispute, as second to Esiphan, and in the same strain. He endeavours to convince Job, 1. That he had spoken too passionately, ver. 2. 2. That he and his children had suffered justly, ver. 3. 4. 3. That if he were a true penitent, God would soon turn his captivity, ver. 5—7. 4. That it was a usual thing for Providence to extinguish the joys and hopes of wicked men, as his were extinguished, and therefore they had reason to suspect him for an hypocrite, ver. 8—10. 5. That they should be abundantly confirmed in their suspicion, unless God did speedily appear for his relief, ver. 20—22.

1. THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2. Have long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? 3. ‘Doth God pervert judgment? or doeth the Almighty pervert justice? 4. If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgressions: 5. ‘If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 6. If thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. 7. ‘Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

We have here,

1. Bildad’s hasty reproof of Job: How long wilt thou speak these things? impatient in thy complaints, obstinate in sex vindication, disregarding the good advice that was given thee, and charging God foolishly. How long shall the words of thy mouth be as a strong wind? rude to thy friends, and indident against the almighty. Note, Reveling language proves both a bad disputant, and a weak cause.

2. His vindication of God. Doth God pervert judgment? or deth the Almighty pervert justice? No; the Judge of all the earth must do right. So far the truth was evident, and none would dispute it; but he was greatly mistaken.

3. In the application. He supposes Job’s children wicked, and himself a hypocrite; and intimates, that the awful providences upon him were the consequences thereof. If thy children have sinned against him, which he concludes from their sudden death, and he have cast them away for their transgressions, it was an act of justice. If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty, notwithstanding all those heavy visitations, if thou wert pure and upright, as thou pretended to be, surely now, without delay, would God appear to comfort and

John Chall and restore thee: he would awake for thee, to rebuke thy afflictions, and make the habitation of thy righteousness; in which thou manismist thyself, prosperous; which would be the fure evidence of his approbation; then, though thy beginning were small, reduced as thou now do, yet thy letter and should greatly unrose. He seems to advise him as a friend, but insinuates a strong suspicion of his hypocrisy, and makes two superditions, (1.) That extraordinary afflictions are always the punishment of extraordinary sins. (2.) That righteousness was always blessed with outward prosperity: both which are false, and yet God’s judgments and justice in no wise impeached thereby. Now, (2.) In every affliction it is good advice to fly to God for help. (3.) We can have no good hope he will answer us, if we are conscious of our own hypocrisy before him. (3.) God’s bidding can soon make a little effort a great increase. (4.) Though men call us hypocrites, if God knows our simplicity, it need little more us.

8. For 1 inquires, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers. 9. (For 1 we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow). 10. Shall not they reach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? 11. Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 12. Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 13. So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: 14. Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose truth shall be a spider’s ♦ web. 15. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fall, but it shall not endure. 16. He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. 17. His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of fumes. 18. If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. 19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

9. 8—19. From the miserable disappointment and end of the hypocrite and ungodly, Bidad goes on to infer, that the similar effects in Job’s cafe proceeded from a similar cause.

10. He appeals to the experience of former ages for the truth of what he was advancing, and bids Job search the traditions of the ancient fathers in proof of his argument, as he wished not to tell the matter on their own authority, who, though men of age and experience, were but of yesterday, creatures of a day; compared with the age of those who had gone before, and knew nothing, comparatively speaking, because their days upon earth were a shadow, so soon gone, and afforded less time for the improvement of knowledge, and opportunity for observation. But if he would be at the pains to enquire of these impartial judges, he would doubtless receive satisfaction. Now, (1.) The experience of God’s faints of old, recorded in the word of truth, should be diligently enquired into, and applied to our own cafe. (2.) We are not now, though mercy, left to precarious tradition, but have God’s infallible oracles to guide us. (3.) There is a great deference due to age and experience, and in general, to consult with these is to be wise.

11. He illustrates his main position by a variety of similitudes. Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? these are their nourishment and support. Whilst it is yet in its greenness, seems most flourishing, and not cut down by the scythe, of its own accord it withereth before any other herb, or in their profeties, they looking on, and deciding its fall. So are the paths of all that forget God. Though planned in earth, and led with the mire of sensual indulgencies, prosperous for a while, and flourishing; yet at best they are hollow and afeled, and in a moment they wither under the blasts of God’s displeasure; and the hypocrite’s hope perisheth. Fair as their profession seemed, and well-grounded as their hope appeared, a day of trial, like the scorching sun, exhales the water, and their worldly supports being withdrawn, they apothatize, and perish, which hope shall be cut off in black despair, and which trust shall be as the spider’s web, or house, spun from their own bowels of self-sufficient righteousness, too weak to make a cable for hope’s anchor, and too thin for garments to hide the shame of their nakedness; I keep away without resistance with the before of destruction, and affording no more shelter for the soul against divine justice, than the hole of the spider. He shall lean upon his body, his prosperity, his religious profession, his moral duties, his external worship and services, but it shall not stand; tottering on the laudy foundation, it can yield the hypocrite no support: he shall hold it fall, cling to it, as the spider to her web, retelling to be beat out of his vain confidence and self-dependence, but it shall not endure; his prosperity shall fail, and his false professions be detected. He is green before the sun, like a flourishing tree, whilst the world smiles; or in the eyes of

Vol. I.

men he appears eminently pious and heeft, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden, strong and vigorous, and bound on every side. His roots are wrapped about the heap, strike deep, and be seeth the place of fumes, or house of fumes, grows so high as to overlook the stastier’s building. Such is the appearance often of prosperous iniquity, and so high the hypocrite lifts his head. If he destroy him from his place, as God afforably will, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee: so utter will be the extermination, that neither root nor branch will be left. Behold, this is the joy of his way, spoken ironically, this is what it comes to at last; and out of the earth shall others grow; either hypocrites, like them, who take no warning by their end; or good men, for whom the wealth of the sinner is laid up. Note, (1.) Hypocrisy among professors is the most common and deadly weed that grows in the church and garden of God upon earth. (2.) Forgetfulness of God is at the bottom of all iniquity. (3.) The self-righteous humanketh, fair as he may appear without, hath his spider’s poison within; and though he prides himself in his works and doings, they will be found as unable to bear the severity of God’s justice, as the spider’s web to bind Leviathan. (4.) Though worldly prosperity continue long with sinners, even until death, yet then at least the we will be laid to the root of the tree, and all their hopes perish.

20. Behold, “God will not call away a perfect man, neither will he ♦ help the evil doers: 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with ♦ rejoicing. 22. They that hate thee: shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling-place of the wicked ♦ shall come to nought.

21. 20—22. Bidad here sums up his discourse, confident that every man would receive from God according to his work, but as he looked no farther than temporal rewards and punishments, and extended no view to eternal ones, his inference was utterly defective.

22. The perfect man, or sincere, God will not call away: however great his distress might be for a season, joy and gladness would again return, and peace and plenty crown his head, to the confusion of all that hated him.

23. The evil doers God never will help out of the pit into which they are fallen, but their dwelling-place shall be covered with perpetual desolations. Hence he puts the issue of the controversy on the return of Job’s prosperity; insinuating, that the continuance of his afflictions, from which there now appeared no prospect of deliverance, would be a full evidence of his insincerity and iniquity. Now, (1.) Though here the same event cometh alike to all, it is a blessed and comfortable truth, that in eternity God’s justice shall be vindicated in the everlasting salvation of the righteous, and the eternal condemnation of the wicked. (2.) Till this great day comes, we may not conclude from men’s outward circumstances either God’s love or hatred, but must wait patiently, to know the true characters of men, and judge nothing before the time, when every man shall receive according as his work is.

Job 8:7-10

7. O remember that ‘my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. 8. ‘The eye of him that hath been me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 9. As the cloud is consumed, and vanISHED away: so ‘he that goeth down to the grave, shall come up no more. 10. He shall return no more to his house,’ neither shall his place know him any more. 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou feteth a watch over me? 13. ‘When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint: 14. Then thou scareth me with dreams, and terrificest me through vishes. 15. So that my soul choofeth strangling, and death rather than my life. 16. ‘I loath it, I would not live alway: ’let me alone, for ‘my days are vanity.

Job here directs his discourse to God. If his friends care not for him, he hopes God will remember him, either to ease or release him.

1. He begs him to remember the vanity of his life, hanging upon the breath in his nostrils, and puffing as the wind. He defrains of seeing any more prosperity upon earth: hid in the grave, v. 8. he should no longer afford this spectacle of woe; and one glance of God’s eye were enough to bring him thither. There all his sorrows would end, and, once removed, he should return to this miserable world no more, v. 9, 10. vanished as the cloud, and forgotten. Note, (1.) Our life is vanishing as a cloud, and passing as the wind; and when we lie down in the dust, there is no returning to redeem or amend the days that are sled. (2.) If we must shortly take our leave of a vain world, it highly becomes us to have our affections weaned from it, that we may with readiness wait our great change, and cast on lingering look behind.

2. He pours forth his passionate complaint: in anguish, in bitterness he expoundates with God on his affections. Am I a joy, proud and raging, or a whale, ravenous and oppressive, that thou feteth a watch over me? beminning me in with sore affections, and preventing my escape by death, which I long for, v. 15. Nor can it be thought strange I should thus eagerly court it, when, rising up, and lying down, misery pursues me elects: than my shadow. Terrificest with fearful dreams, my bed, inflicted of ease, aggravates my complaint: my life is become indisputable; I lache it, or am become forgiven; the most tormenting death is preferable to my present sufferings, v. 15. Let me then alone, that I may close the wretched eyes in the dust. I could not wish to save alway in the most prosperous condition, how much less thus afflicted, where my days all of them are vanity, full of evil, misery, and woe. Surely this also is his infirmity; how merciful is God to disappoint his wishes, and refuse an answer to his prayers? Note, (1.) ‘Thou to depart and he wish Christ makes death desirable to the believer in his best estate, yet he is not unwilling to wait, in the midst of torture, till God is pleased to give him his dismissal. (2.) Adopt or awake, God can reach our spirits, and on our beds make us a terror to ourselves.

p. Pf. viii. 4. 6. xxiv. 1. 7. Or, worship with him. Or, a grist. p. Pf. xxix. 9. Pf. xxvi. 6. Or, Observer. c Chap. xvi. 11. 17. xviii. 11. Lem. iii. 11. 12. xviii. 19. Dan. iii. 2.

17. ‘What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? and that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him? 18. And that thou shouldst will him every morning, and try him every moment? 19. ‘How long wilt thou not depart from me? nor let me alone, till I swallow down my spirits? 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, ‘O thou § preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21. And why doft thou not pardon my transgressions, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust, and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Job 8:17-21

We have here,

1. Job foolishly expoundating with God, What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? which God seemed to do, by entering the lifts as an adversary, to worship with him, as the world may be rendered, a foe to unequal, and beneath his notice; and that thou shouldst let thine heart upon him, or against him, as an enemy! and that thou shouldst wise him every morning, with repeated strokes of affliction, and try him every moment, giving him no respite from sufferings. Heve long with thou not depart from me, or look off from me? turn away thy frowning face, or eye me not so

fiercely as a contending wrestler; nor let me alone till I function down my spirits? Take thy hand off for a moment at least, just whilst I draw breath. Note, (1.) If God contends with us, it is in mercy, because our way is perverse. (2.) The trials we suffer here are designed as the furnace for gold, to purge our droids, and brighten our greens; therefore we ought not to murmur under them, but seek to answer their design.

2. Widely confessing his sins, and pleading for pardon and reconciliation. I have sinned; though, respecting the charges laid by his censorious friends, he maintained his integrity, yet before God he was ready to acknowledge himself a sinner, and therefore unable to contend with him. What shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men, or saviour of men? ain would I obtain thy favour, and avoid thy displeasure, that now so heavily oppresseth me. Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, or, appointed me to meet thee in the lifts? Shew me wherefore thou contendeth with me so finely, that I am a burden to myself? And why deft thou not pardon my transgressions, and take away mine iniquity? that the cause of all my evils being removed, the dire effects of them may cease. For now, if thou wilt grant me this, I shall sleep in the dust in peace, when my iniquity is forgiven; and thou shalt find me in the morning, and I shall not be like a kind friend coming to enquire in the morning after him, and lo, he is happily released from his misery. Note, (1.) The most perfect man need confess himself a sinner: though sinner, he is not sinless. (2.) A humbling sense of sin will serve exceedingly to silence every complaint in our affections. (3.) The great concern under our severest sufferings, is not so much to obtain each for our bodies, as well for our souls, in the pardon of our sins. (4.) If we ask, what a sinner must do? the answer is, Apply to the sinner’s friend, the saviour of men, and none go from him with a repulse. (5.) When our souls are at peace with God, we can comfortably commit our bodies to the dust, and take our leave of the world with as much calmness and satisfaction, as when we bid good night to our friends on retiring to repose. (6.) If in the morning our spirit should be sled, and the corpse alone remains, let not weeping friends complain, that we have so easily and suddenly escaped the pains of dying.