Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 19 · Verse 26 – Verse 27
Verſ. 26. And though after my skin, worms deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God.
In this verſe Job proſecutes that encouragement of his Redeemers living and ſtanding upon the Earth; profeſſing his faith of a bleſſed Reſurrection, in that day, to enjoy the preſence of God; And that, notwithſtanding that after his skin (now broken with ſores) is pierced, the worms alſo deſtroy his body.
Doct. 1. As the bodies of the deareſt Children of God may be deformed in their lives; ſo they have no exemption from death, notwithſtanding their integrity; but they muſt did, as well as others, that they may enter into their reſt: For Job looks to be deſtroyed, or cut off by death.
2. Believers being dead, they have no priviledge in their graves, but the worms will feed upon, and deſtroy their bodies, as well as others; For, Job ſuppoſeth that, after my skin, the worms will deſtroy this body: In the Original it is only this, not, this body; but the ſenſe is the ſame. For he thus deſigns his body, as pointing at it with his finger when he ſpake, and intimating that it was not worthy to be called a body, being ſo ſpent. Withal, worms, who are ſaid ſhall deſtroy his body, are not expreſſed in the Original, but only, they ſhall deſtroy, but the ſenſe is ſtill the ſame. For the worms are they who uſe to pierce dead mens skins, and then deſtroy their fleſh. See Pſal. 49.14. Both theſe points ſhould teach the godly, that ſince they are not exempted in thoſe caſes, they ſhould not plead exemption in leſſer things.
3. Though mens bodies be thus confirmed in the grave, yet they will be raiſed up again, and will be animated with their ſouls, to exerce their Functions; For, here he believes that, notwithſtanding this havock to be made of his body, yet in his fleſh he ſhall ſee God. The faith of this Article may aſſure us of the power of God to do what he will. Acts 26.8. Rom. 4 17. and of his unchangeable love to his people, who ſeeks after their duſt, after it hath been ſo long buried in oblivion, Matth. 22.31, 32.
4. It is the great happineſs of Believers that after death they ſee and enjoy God, and that not darkly and in a glaſs, but face to face; For, he comforts himſelf with this, that after death he ſhall ſee God See 1 Cor. 13.12. Pſal. 16.11.
5. It completes the happineſs of Believers, that not only their ſouls, but the whole man, ſhall enjoy this ſight of God; For, this is Job's comfort, in my fleſh I ſhall ſee God, at and after the Reſurrection. Not that the ſoul ſleeps, or is ſuſpended this ſight till then. See 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. Phil. 1.23. Luke 23.43. with 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. but that the happineſs of Believers will be completed, when the whole perſon, which fought the good fight of faith, ſhall get the Crown. See Pſal. 17.15. 1 Theſſ. 4 16, 17.
6. The hope of a bleſſed Reſurrection ſhould ſweeten all bitterneſs by the way, and it is the mark of a godly man to eye it much for that end; As Job doth here comfort himſelf in that, over all his ſorrows.
7. Faith, believing a Reſurrection, muſt look over many impediments and objections, which to carnal ſenſe ſeem inſuperable; as here Job looks over the deſtruction of his body, in believing this. Thus in every other caſe, difficulties ſhould but heighten faiths courage, and quicken its diligence.
8. The belief of Chriſts living, and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the Earth, may aſſure the godly of a bleſſed Reſurrection; For, having aſſerted the one, v. 25. he ſubjoyns the other here, as a neceſſary conſequent following upon the former. For if he live, he will not only care for them when they are dead, but will cauſe them live alſo, Joh. 14.19. and his Reſurrection is a ſure pledge that they alſo ſhall be raiſed again, Eph. 2.5, 6. Rom. 8.11.
Verſ. 27. Whom I ſhall ſee for my ſelf, and mine eyes ſhall behold, and not another, though my reins be conſumed within me.
In this verſe Job yet inſiſts upon this Article of the Reſurrection, and ſheweth his ſtrong faith about it. Aſſerting,
1. That he ſhall ſee God for himſelf, that is, not only he himſelf (and not another) ſhall ſee him, but he ſhall ſee him for his own profit and advantage.
2. That it ſhall not be another body, but the ſame, wherein he ſhall ſee God.
3. That all this ſhall be, though his very reins, and what is moſt inward in him, were conſumed, as they were already conſumed in part. Some read this laſt part of the verſe without, Though, (which is not in the Original) as an Aſſertion, that his reins were conſumed in him, with earneſt deſire and longing after that day: And ſo it is a ſpecial proof of his integrity and honeſty. But I ſhall not inſiſt upon that reading, ſeeing the Original language many times wants ſuch Particles, which are ſufficiently implied in the ſenſe, in that language.
Doct. 1. There is need of many acts of faith about the Reſurrection, that we may make ſure that we believe it, and may draw out the rich comforts of it; Therefore doth Job ſo much inſiſt upon that ſubject.
2. Believers ſhould be frequent in ſtudying their own happineſs, which they ſhall enjoy at the Reſurrection, in the ſight and viſion of God; Therefore alſo doth Job inſiſt on this, in particular, I ſhall ſee and behold him.
3. This ſight of God cannot but be comfortable to the godly, as being for their behoof and advantage, their intereſt in him being then made fully clear, and their joy conſummate in his favour and preſence; whereas the wicked ſhall ſee him, but as the God of others, and to their own eternal confuſion: For, ſaith he, I ſhall ſee him for my ſelf, or for my behoof.
4. Believers ſhall ſee God in the ſame individual bodies they have here; For, mine eyes ſhall behold him, and not another, or, a ſtranger. The qualities of the body will then be different, and glorious above what now they are, 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44. yet the ſubſtance will be the ſame. And as the dayly decays and reparation of our bodies, in this life, do not make them ceaſe to be the ſame bodies which we bring into the world with us; So neither will the changes they undergo by death make them other bodies, when they are raiſed again.
5. Faith muſt look over many impediments, to believe this wonderful reſtauration, and take Gods Word for all; For, ſo doth he look over the conſuming of his reins within him.
6. Under preſent waſting of our bodies, and the future conſumption thereof by death, and in the grave, Saints ſhould comfort themſelves in the hope of a bleſſed Reſurrection, and that Chriſt will gather their duſt again; and raiſe it up in glory; For, ſo Job triumphs, both over his preſent decay, and over death when it ſhall come, and conſume his reins within him. See 2 Cor. 5.1.