Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 19 · Verse 29
Verſ. 29. Be ye afraid of the ſword: for wrath br…ngeth the puniſhments of the ſword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
In this verſe we have Job's laſt Argument preſſing his Challenge; taken from their hazard, if they went on thus to perſecute him. Wherein,
1. He aſſerts they had cauſe to be afraid of the ſword, or, ſome extraordinary judgment, becauſe of their cruelty.
2. He confirms his Aſſertion from this, that wrath bringeth the puniſhments of the ſword, that is, (if we take wrath largely) the wrath and diſpleaſure of God will inflict it, and that becauſe of their rage and wrath againſt him, who was an afflicted godly man.
3. He amplifieth and confirmeth the equity of this proceeding, by pointing at Gods end in it, that ye may know there is a judgment. Whereby we are not to underſtand that, by this their puniſhment, God would have them to correct their former Errour, and know that there is a judgment to come. And that therefore they ſhould not judge of men before the time, nor expect that God, by his diſpenſations within time, ſhould put a viſible difference betwixt the wicked and the godly, as their opinion led them to think. But the meaning is; That God, by theſe puniſhments, would teach them that there is a Providence to execute judgment upon theſe who offended as they did; which they had but ſleightly conſidered.
As for the Aſſertion and Exhortation, that they ſhould be afraid of the ſword, If we conſider it in it ſelf, as is is an Argument diſwading them from their cruelty, It teacheth,
1. The carriage, even of Gods people, particularly, when they are cruel to the godly in affliction, doth deſerve, and may draw on, ſad ſtrokes, even the Sword, or ſome ſuch Rod. So far may they miſcarry (not only a viſible Church, but even particular ſincere Saints, 2 Sam. 12.9, 10.) and ſo ſharply may God purſue them, eſpecially for cruelty.
2. The judgments of God, even againſt his ſinning people, are dreadful, (Lev. 26. Deut. 28. 1 Sam. 3.11, 12.) and ought to be feared, and will be feared by all godly men who are in their right wits; For, Job, out of his own experience, bids them he afraid of the Sword. See Pſal 90.11. Heb. 10.31. This is true of every judgment of God, and of the Sword in particular.
3. It is the duty, and were the great advantage, of men, not to need to be put to learn the dreadfulneſs of Gods judgments by feeling them, but to be afraid, that they may prevent them; For, Job bids them before-hand be afraid of the Sword. It is ſad that we ſeldom fear Gods diſpleaſure, till we feel it; and it is yet ſadder, if we fear not, though we feel it, but do harden our ſelves; as may be gathered from thoſe complaints, Pſal 90.11. Iſa. 1.5.
4. There is no fear of Gods diſpleaſure ſound or acceptable, but that which perſwades men not to provoke him by ſin, or to quit ſin, if they fall in it; For, he perſwades them ſo to be afraid, as to give over their perſecuting of him. They do not fear God aright as a Judge, who do not fear him as a Lawgiver.
If we look upon this Exhortation, not only in it ſelf, but as it is made uſe of by Job, and is his counſel to his Friends who had injured him, it teacheth further,
1. Whatever be the dreams of ſecure ſouls; yet ſuch as know the ſharpneſs of Gods diſpleaſure againſt his ſinning people, and of the corrections that flow from it, will even pity their very Enemies, if they undergo them; For, therefore Job warns them, who had injured him of their hazard.
2. No injury can warrant us to neglect our duty toward thoſe who have injured us, or to wiſh, or not ſtudy to prevent, their hurt who wrong us, eſpecially when they are running the hazard of making God their party: For, therefore alſo doth Job warn them of their danger, who were ſo cruel to him. Mens wronging of God and us alſo, doth not warrant us to ſin againſt God and our own ſouls, by the omiſſion of any duty he hath enjoyned us.
3. When men are tender, and do duty to others, it is not only their advantage to whom they do it, but their own much more; Therefore Job preſſeth this, not only as their intereſt and advantage, but as affording himſelf eaſe and comfort, in that he is kept ſo tender toward them. When we reckon right, we will find that in doing duty to God or our Neighbours, the advantage is chiefly our own; and our ſelves have the greateſt diſadvantage, if we neglect it.
From the Confirmation of this Aſſertion, For wrath bringeth the puniſhments of the Sword. Learn,
1. Even the Children of God may lie under wrath and fatherly diſpleaſure, for their faults; as here is ſuppoſed of theſe three godly men. See 2 Chron. 19.2. Iſa. 64 7.
2. Rage and wrath againſt godly men; is a ſpecial quarrel and cauſe of Gods diſpleaſure; For, ſo this wrath doth alſo (if not chiefly) here ſignifie.
3. Though men think little of Gods diſpleaſure (particularly againſt their rage at the godly) when it is only intimated in the Word, or may be read from their ſin; yet it will prove ſad in the iſſue, and portends ſad corrections, and thoſe many of them, purſuing ſinners till they repent; For, if there be wrath, then there are the puniſhments (even many of them) of the Sword. If God be angry, his wrath brings them, as is here ſupplied in the Tranſlation. And as for mens wrath and rage, it may be thus tendered, wrath is the iniquities of the Sword, or, one of theſe ſins which are puniſhed with the Sword.
From Gods end in theſe Corrections, That ye may know there is a judgment, Learn,
1. There is a Providence executing juſt judgments in the world; For, there is a judgment, See Pſal. 58.11. But as Atheiſts deny this, Ezek 9 9. Mal. 2.17. So the godly do not enough draw out the comforts of it.
2. This Providence and Judgment of God will be exerciſed againſt them who raſhly judge others; For, this is directed to them who raſhly judged him; him; which is an heinous fault, when the creature ſet is himſelf on Gods Throne, to pronounce ſentence againſt others, Rom. 14.4. James 4.11, 12. See Matth. 7.1.
3. In many caſes men may be ſaid to be ignorant of a Providence and Judgment, who do not only acknowledge it in General Profeſſions, but are really godly; For, they were godly men, and did not deny this truth, and yet muſt be taught to know there is a judgment. Men know not their Principles as they ought, when they act not according to them, as they did not. And men may know much in General, and by Contemplation, who yet in their Paſſions can but little conſider and improve it in particular caſes. For they conſidered not their way, and whether it tended, till God tell them in the cloſe of this debate.
4. Afflictions are ſent to teach men Leſſons; and particularly, to cauſe them know, and make right uſe of, a juſt Providence of God; For, here they are threatned with puniſhments, that they may know there is a judgment. Here, Conſider,
1. Men muſt not only look what they feel, but what they are made to know under affliction; and muſt be careful that Rods be not dumb, Pſal. 94.11.
2. Though, oft times, carnal men turn Atheiſts, under, and becauſe of, great troubles; Ezek. 9.9. yet afflictions ſhould lead men to be better acquainted with a Providence in the World, which ordinarily is but little minded or ſtudied; For, that is the leſſon here inculcated.
3. Such as ſtudy the Providence of God in the world, will be afraid of doing wrong, as knowing that there is a righteous judgement to follow.
4. In Particular, This ſtudy ſhould make men afraid to injure the afflicted, eſpecially if they be godly; ſeeing ſuch are left upon Gods hand, that he may redreſs all their wrongs and grievances; For, that is the particular leſſon he would have them taking from this ſtudy.
5. This ſtudy ſhould yet further perſwade men to take heed of being incorrigible by the Word, ſeeing there is a Providence and Judgment, to inculcate that, which men will not learn… from the Word; Therefore he counſels them to be afraid in time, leſt to their own coſt they be made to know there is a judgment, and ſo have that ſad reflection upon their own courſe, that their being untractable made them need the Rod to teach this leſſon. See Pſal. 32.9, 10.