Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/75

Rh and it is God that weakens them, (v. 21.) and overthrows the mighty, v. 19. Strong bodies are weakened by age and sickness, powerful armies moulder and come to nothing, and their strength will not secure them from a fatal overthrow. No force can stand before Omnipotence, no not that of Goliath.

4. Those that were famed for eloquence, and entrusted with public business, are strangely silenced, and have nothing to say; (v. 20.) He removeth away the speech of the trusty, so that they cannot speak as they intended, and as they used to do, with freedom and clearness, but blunder and falter, and make nothing of it. Or, they cannot speak what they intended, but the contrary, as Balaam, who blessed those whom he was called to curse. Let not the orator therefore be proud of his rhetoric, nor use it to any bad purposes, lest God take it away, who made man's mouth.

5. Those that were honoured and admired, strangely fall into disgrace; (v. 21.) He poureth contempt upon princes. He leaves them to themselves to do mean things, or alters the opinions of men concerning them. If princes themselves dishonour God, and despise him, if they do indignities to the people of God, and trample upon them, they shall be lightly esteemed, and God will pour contempt upon them. See Ps. cvii. 40. Commonly, none more abject in themselves, nor more abused by others when they are down, than those who were haughty and insolent when they were in power.

6. That which was secret, and lay hid, is strangely brought to light, and laid open; (v. 22.) He discovers deep things out of darkness. Plots closely laid are discovered and defeated; wickedness closely committed, and artfully concealed, is discovered, and the guilty brought to condign punishment; secret treasons, (Eccl. x. 20.) secret murders, secret whoredoms. The cabinet-councils of princes are before God's eye, 2 Kings vi. 11.

7. Kingdoms have their ebbings and flowings, their waxings and wanings; and both are from God; (v. 23.) He sometimes increases their numbers, and enlarges their bounds, so that they make a figure among the nations, and become formidable; but, after a while, by some undiscerned cause, perhaps, they are destroyed and straitened, made few and poor, cut short, and many of them cut off, and so they are rendered despicable among their neighbours; and they that were the head, become the tail, of the nations. See Ps. cvii. 38, 39.

8. They that were bold and courageous, and made nothing of dangers, are strangely cowed and dispirited; and this also is the Lord's doing; (v. 24.) He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people, that were their leaders and commanders, and were most famed for their martial fire and great achievements; when any thing was to be done, they were heartless, and ready to flee at the shaking of a leaf. Ps. lxxvi. 5.

9. They that were driving on their projects with full speed, are strangely bewildered and at a loss; they know not where they are, nor what they do, are unsteady in their counsels, and uncertain in their motions, off and on, this way and that way, wandering like men in a desert, (v. 24.) groping like men in the dark, and staggering like men in drink, v. 25. Isa. lix. 10. Note, God can soon non-plus the deepest politicians, and bring the greatest wits to their wit's end; to show that wherein they deal proudly, he is above them.

Thus are the revolutions of kingdoms wonderfully brought about by an overruling Providence. Heaven and earth are shaken, but the Lord sits King for ever, and with him we look for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

CHAP. XIII.

Job here comes to make application of what he had said in the foregoing chapter; and now we have him not in so good a temper as he was in then; for, I. He is very bold with his friends, comparing himself with them, notwithstanding the mortifications he was under, v. 1, 2. Condemning them for their falsehood, their forwardness to judge, their partiality and deceitfulness, under colour of pleading God's cause, (v. 4..8) and threatening them with the judgments of God for their so doing, (v. 9..12.) desiring them to be silent, (v. 5, 13, 17.) And, turning from them to God, v. 3. II. He is very bold with his God. I. In some expressions, his faith is very bold, yet that is not more bold than welcome, v. 15, 16, 18. But, 2. In other expressions, his passion is rather too bold in expostulations with God concerning the deplorable condition he was in, (v. 14, 19, &c.) complaining of the confusion he was in, (v. 20..22.) and the loss he was at to find out the sin that provoked God thus to afflict him; and, in short, of the rigour of God's proceedings against him, v. 23..28.

O, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2. What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5. Oh that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7. Will you speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8. Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9. Is it good that he should search you out? or, as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10. He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Job here warmly expresses his resentments of the unkindness of his friends.

I. He comes up with them as one that understood the matter in dispute as well as they, and did not need to be taught by them, v. 1, 2. They compelled him, as the Corinthians did Paul, to commend himself and his own knowledge, yet not in a way of self-applause, but of self-justification. All he had said before, his eye had seen confirmed by many instances, and his ear had heard seconded by many authorities, and he well understood it, and what use to make of it. Happy they, who do not only see and hear, but understand, the greatness, glory, and sovereignty, of God. This, he thought, would justify what he had said before, (ch. xii. 3.) which he repeats here; (v. 2.) "What ye know, the same do I know also, so that I need not come to you to be taught; I am not inferior unto you in wisdom." Note, Those who enter into disputation, enter into temptation to magnify themselves, and vilify their brethren, more than is fit, and therefore ought to watch and pray against the workings of pride.

II. He turns from them to God; (v. 3.) Surely I would speak to the Almighty; as if he had said, "I can promise myself no satisfaction in talking to you: O that I might have liberty to reason with God! He would not be so hard upon me as you are." The prince himself will perhaps give