Exposition of Job 32-24, Commentary on Job · Chapter 33 · Verse 16
Verſ. 16. Then he openeth the ears of men, and ſealeth there inſtruction.
In this verſe Elihu gives us the firſt of thoſe gracious deſignes or purpoſes of God in ſending dreams or viſions of the night; then he openeth the ears of men. There is a twofold eare of man, firſt, externall, that organ of hearing placed in the head. Secondly, internall, that power of hearing ſeated in the heart. God can uncover or open both. There are but few who have their outward eare ſtopt, we rarely meet with a deaf man. But we every where meete with and ſpeak to thoſe who are internally deafe. The Lord openeth this inward eare, and he only is able to doe it. God opened the heart (or internall eare) of Lydia to attend to the things which were ſpoken of Paul (Acts 16.14.foreign. Sep.) The Septuagint render this place of Job expreſſely ſo. Then he openeth the mind of men. Their tranſlation comes cloſe to the ſence, though not to the letter of the Originall.Quidam hanc loquendi formulam natam eſſo putant ex hebraeorum conſuetudine, qui cum antiquis ſeculis prolixam alerent comam, ea que aures operirent, ſi quis arcanum
Further, the Hebrew is (as we put in the Margin) He revealeth or uncovereth the eares of men. This revealing or uncovering of the eare, ſay ſome, noteth only private ſpeaking, and is a ſimilitude taken from a common cuſtome among men; who when they would convey their mind ſecretly to a friend that ſtands by, put their head near to his eare, and take up the brim of his hat, or put by his haire (if long) that they may whiſper in his eare. Thus in a dreame God whiſpers and ſpeaks ſilently unto men. This ſeems to have a ſutableneſſe with that (Chap. 4.12, 13.) where Eliphaz ſpake of a thing brought ſecretly to him, or that was whiſpered or ſtoln into him. But I conceive there is more in this place then the intendment of a ſecret and private conveyance of the mind of God unto man in a viſion or dreame.
And therefore this opening of the eare imports the removing or taking away of that (whatſoever it is) which hinders the effectuall hearing or obeying of thoſe meſſages which God ſends to men. When God ſpake in a dream, he did more then ſpeak,aliquid in illorum aures in ſuſuſſirare vellet deducebat defluentes copillos et in apertes aures tacito …mure aliquid inſtillabat. Sanct: Cinthius aurem vellit et admonuit, &c. Horat. Loquitur et audire facit. Aurem revelare vel aperire eſt inſinuare aliquid auribus animiſ que quod intimis ſenſibus reponendum ſit. Clariorem et penetrantiorem inſinuationem voluntatis divinae denotat. Coc: he open'd the ear, yea, he gave an eare to hear: This powerfull work of God upon the heart is elegantly expreſſed by opening the eare, becauſe when the ears are ſtopt, we cannot hear, till that which ſtops them is pluckt out or taken away; ſo that here we have ſpeaking with effect, or the cleare and penetrating power of the Spirit of God ſweetly and prevailingly inſinuating his mind to man. God ſpeaks ſo as he will be heard.
Hence Obſerve.
Firſt, The eare of man is naturally ſtopt againſt the teachings of God.
There are many things which ſtop the eares of man, or man hath many eare ſtoppers. I will name ſeven, all which God removes and takes away when he effectually reveals his mind to man. Firſt, the eare of man is ſtopt with ignorance, that's a thick vaile or covering upon the eare, and keeps out the mind of God till it be removed. And, Secondly, Unbelief is another ear-ſtopper; till the Lord removeth that we cannot hear. Thirdly, Impenitency or hardneſſe of heart ſtops the eare, there are a number of Scriptures I might give for each of theſe. Fourthly, the love of any particular ſin is an eare-ſhutter or an eare-ſtopper, and the Lord removes that, when he opens the eare. Fifthly, Prejudices ſtop the eare, prejudices ſomtimes againſt the perſon ſpeaking, ſomtime againſt the word ſpoken. That man will never hear a word to purpoſe, who hath a prejudice againſt the perſon, or a prejudice againſt the word, either a prejudice againſt the man, or againſt the matter. Sixthly, Pride ſtops the eare too, the proud man will not hearken, therefore God humhles and brings down the ſpirit that the word may be heard. Seventhly, and laſtly, the World is a great ear-ſtopper, that locks up the eare againſt the word; the world in the profits of it, and the world in the pleaſures of it, and the world in the cares of it, and the world in the fears of it, the world by or in every one of theſe ſtops the eare, and by theſe the ears of all men naturally are ſtopped, ſo that they are as it is ſaid (Pſal. 58.4.) like the deafe adder, that ſtops her eare, and will not hear the voyce of the charmer, charme he never ſo wiſely. Till all theſe ſtoppers are removed, and the eare opened, there is no receiving of the word.
Secondly Obſerve.
God is able to open and unlock the eare of man.
Though it hath never ſo many ſtopples in it, he can pull them out, never ſo many locks upon it, though all the ſeven ſpoken of, and ſeven more obſtruct the ear, yet he can open them all, and make a free and uncontroulable paſſage for his word into the remoteſt and cloſeſt chambers of the ſoul. God can ſpeak loud enough, not only to make the deafe, but the dead hear his voyce. Verily; verily I ſay unto you (ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 5.25.) the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voyce of the Son of God: and they that hear ſhall live. By the dead he means not thoſe who are corporally, but ſpiritually dead, that is, dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, and in danger of eternall death for their ſins and treſpaſſes, even theſe heard the voyce of the Son of God then ſpeaking perſonally, and heard it afterwards miniſterially, in the diſpenſation of the Goſpell, and that voyce revived them, not only by giving them the comfort of that naturall life which they had before, but by bringing in a new ſpirituall life which before they had not. Then the internall eare is opened to purpoſe when thoſe internall or myſtically darke graves of ſin are opened, and the ſoul comes forth into the light of life.
Yet more diſtinctly. God may be ſaid to uncover or open the eares of men, when he doth theſe four things.
Firſt, When he makes us not only to heare but to attend, not only to heare but to hearken; or not only to heare but to give eare. Many give the word of God the hearing, but they doe not give eare to the word of God.
Secondly, God opens the ear when he makes us not only attend, but underſtand, or when he takes the vaile off from our minds. The Apoſtle ſaith of the Jewes (2 Cor: 3.14.) The vaile remaineth upon them untaken away to this day in the reading of the old Teſtament (and it doth ſo ſtill) ſo that as they could not, ſo yet they cannot, Looke to the end of that which is aboliſhed; that is, to Chriſt, who was the end or ſcope at which the whole Ceremoniall Law (now aboliſhed) did then ayme. When once the e…re is divinely opened, then the vaile of ignorance and ſpirituall blindneſſe is taken off from the mind, both as to that greateſt truth, and all other neceſſary truths. The opened eare is an underſtanding eare.
Thirdly, God openeth the eare when he cauſeth us to believe what we perceive and underſtand. As faith ſets the whole ſoule aworke for God, ſo faith is the great worke of God upon the ſoule. When the eare is opened, truth is not only knowne, but ſavingly believed.
Fourthly, This opening of the eare maketh the ſoule obedient; Jeſus Chriſt in that great prophecy of him (Pſal: 40.6.) to ſhew his ready obedience to his fathers command, ſaith, Mine eare haſt thou opened (or digged) The eare of Chriſt was never ſhut in the leaſt, either through ignorance or unbeliefe; but he is ſayd to have his eare opened, only to ſhew his conſtant preparedneſs and readineſs for obedience. He came into the world with an open eare to all the will of God; and therefore it followeth in the 7th and 8th verſes of that Pſalme, Then ſaid I, loe I come, in the volume of thy booke it is written of me, I delight to doe thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart. Chriſt is brought in by another Prophet ſpeaking to the ſame poynt with ſome little variety, but with very great ſignificancy of expreſſion (Iſa: 50.4, 5.) He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine eare to heare as the learned; we uſually ſay, Sleep is in the eye, yet this prophecy intimates a ſleep in the eare, thou haſt wakened mine eare. What we are to underſtand by this wakened eare, is cleare in the next words of the ſame prophecy, The Lord hath opened mine eare, that's the word of Eliphaz, and the conſequence of opening the eare, ſet downe in the Prophet, is the ſame now given in this poynt, The Lord hath opened mine eare, and I was not rebellious. He doth not ſay, The Lord opened mine eare, and I heard, but, I was not rebellious; that is, I gave up my ſelfe to obey the word or command, which I heard. The ſame Prophet (Iſa: 48.8.) deſcribing the rebellion of the Jewes, puts this as the reaſon of it, Yea thou heardeſt not, (that is, thou didſt not attend) yea thou kneweſt not, that is, thou didſt not underſtand, yea thine eare was not opened; as if he had ſayd, thine unopened eare was the cauſe why thou diddeſt neither attend, nor underſtand, nor obey the word ſpoken to thee. So much of the firſt gracious deſigne of God in ſpeaking to men by dreams and viſions of the night; Then he openeth the ears of men. The ſecond is given in the latter part of the verſe.
And ſealeth their Inſtruction.
foreign ſignavit obſignavit; confirmavit perfecit.The word ſignifies not only to ſeale, but to perfect or conclude. He ſealeth Inſtruction.
There is a threefold uſe of ſeales and ſealing; Firſt, to diſtinguiſh one thing from another; Secondly, to keep things ſafe and ſecret; Thirdly, ſealing is to confirme and ratifie; A Bond, Deed, or Evidence in writing, till it hath a Seale, is but a ſcrip of paper of no force, but when once the Seale is put to it, then it is confirmed, then there is ſtrength and force in it. A ſeale fortifies the writing, or maketh it authentick. He ſealeth their Inſtruction.
foreign a radico foreign vincivit ligavit per metaphoram caſtigavit erudivit, corripuit verbis aut verberibus.The word here uſed ſignifies both correction and Inſtruction, and ſo it is rendred by ſome here, He openeth their eares, or ſealeth their chaſtiſement. Mr Broughton takes that ſenſe, And imprinteth why they are chaſtiſed; that is, (as himſelfe expounds it) when he hath chaſtiſed them, he ſealeth up the decree of their judgement; or as another, He propoſeth it unto them as firme and concluded, if they doe not repent and imprinteth in their mind the certainty of it, as alſo the true cauſe of it. We render fully to the ſenſe of the word and ſcope of the text,Diſciplinameorum velut impreſſo ſigillo conſignat. Tygur: He ſealeth their inſtruction; that is, upon the opening of the eare there is a ſealing or a ſetting home the word which is received. When the eare is opened to receive, God will make men hold what they have received. The ſealing of inſtruction, ſignifies the efficacy, energy,Phraſis obſignandi eruditionem, denotat efficaciter crudire ſc: ut non concedatur ei qui cruditur non attendere et vim eruditionis non ſentire. Coc: or effectuall working of God with the word, he ratifies and confirmes it to the ſoule, he maketh his word as ſure to them as a ſealed Bond, both with reſpect to the duty commanded, and the mercy promiſed. And, indeed, we have as much need to have Inſtruction ſealed, as to have the eare opened; for 'tis poſſible the eare may be opened, we may heare and underſtand, and in ſome ſenſe believe, yea obey, and yet not have the inſtruction ſealed. The inſtruction is then ſealed, when we keepe what is received, as the eare is opened when we receive what is offered. Unleſſe the inſtruction be ſealed, we heare and obey only for the preſent, not for the time to come, that is, we doe not retaine and hide the word received for uſe and practiſe.
Now, whether we take this ſealing in reference either to correction or inſtruction, it yeelds us matter of profitable meditation. Firſt, As it referrs to correction.
Note.
God aſſureth ſinfull man that he ſhall ſmart for it, unleſſe he hearken and obey.
It is as ſure that he ſhall, as if he ſaw it under hand and ſeale;Caſtigationem eorum obſignat. i, e. ſignificat eis ſe certo eos caſtigaturum niſi a peccato deſtiterint, non ſecus ac ſi ſententiam hanc literis mandaſſet, eaſ que literas obſignaſſet. Piſc: Vellicans ipſorū aures et imminentes ipſis caſtigationes an …is ipſorum inſculpens. Bez: or as if the ſentence were engraven upon his conſcience, and fixt before his eyes. If the eare be not obedient to inſtruction, the back muſt ſubmit to correction; If the word will not doe it, the rod muſt; if teaching will not ſerve the turne, chaſtning ſhall; He ſealeth their correction. Every correction threatned is not certainly inflicted; for Elihu ſaith afterward (v. 26.) He ſhall pray unto God, and he will be favourable to him; but the meaning is, mans correction is ſealed in caſe he proceeds on in his ſin; if he does not give proof that his eare is opened by his obedience to inſtruction, there is no eſcaping correction. The correction of the deareſt children of God is ſealed, if they heare and doe not. God will not cocker his ſtubborne children, nor ſpoyle them by ſparing the rod; He will certainly meet with them one time or other, either by ſickneſſe, or poverty, or reproach; the order the warrant is ſealed for their correction.
We may much more apply this to the wicked, to the ungodly and rebellious, who though they have their outward ears open, yet their hearts remain ſhut; If the correction of the godly be ſealed in that caſe, to be ſure, the deſtruction of the wicked is; they are ſealed for death, yea they are ſealed for hell; the writ of their eternall Judgement is ſealed. If Judgement muſt begin at the houſe of God, where ſhall the ungodly and the ſinner appeare? what ſhall the end of them be that obey not the Goſpel of God?
Further, Take it as we render it, referring to inſtruction, He ſealeth their inſtruction.
Whence note.
God is able to ſet home his inſtructions effectually upon the ſoule.
He can leave ſuch an impreſſion upon the heart, as as ſhall never be forgotten nor worne out. He can make every word ſtick; And ſo this is but a further illuſtration of what was ſaid before; he openeth their ears to receive the word, and then ſealeth inſtruction upon them. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of ſome perſons converted, who were the fruit of his miniſtry, ſaith, Ye are the ſeale of mine Apoſtleſhip (1 Cor: 9.2, 3.) that is, ye confirme and ratifie my miniſtry, that it is of God, and that God is in it. Now as the converſion of ſinners, and the building up of Saints, is the ſeale of our miniſtry; ſo the ſealing of inſtruction upon the ſoule, is the converſion of ſinners, and the edification of Saints. When a ſinner is converted, his inſtruction is ſealed upon him, and when a Saint is built up and edified, and increaſeth in the things of God, then inſtruction is ſealed upon him alſo. And untill we thus profit by the word, we have the word, as I may ſay, without a ſeale, nothing faſtens upon us.
Thus much of the firſt deſigne of God in ſending dreams and viſions in thoſe times, it was to open the ears of men, and to ſeale their Inſtruction; This being only a generall benefit aymed at by thoſe meanes, we have thoſe which are more ſpeciall ſet downe in the words which follow.