Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 30 · Verses 9-10 – Verse 11
Verſe 9. And now am I their ſong, yea, I am their by-word.
10. They abhorr me, they flee farr from me, and ſpare not to ſpit in my face.
Followeth, in theſe Verſes, the third Aggravation of this tryal of contempt and deriſion which Job ſuffered. And as hitherto he had aggravated it from the conſideration of their youth, and baſe deſcent, who thus abuſed him; So this Aggravation is taken from the inſolency and height of their ſcorn and contempt, and their very baſe carriage toward him. This is pointed out in theſe two.
1. They were ſo glad of his miſery, that they made ſongs of it, and he became matter of table-talk to them. When they would be merry, they compoſed and ſung ſongs of his calamity, and they made him their by-word, (of which ſee Chap. 17 6) or, their diſcourſe and ſpeech, which the word properly ſignifieth; they delighted in no diſcourſe ſo much, as to repeat his miſeries by way of reproach, v. 9.
2. Not being ſatisfied with abuſing him thus behind his back, when ever they came in his preſence (with the reſt of the people, who, no doubt, flocked to gaze upon him in his calamitous condition) they expreſſed their abhorrence of him as an unlucky and ugly ſight, ſo that when once they had ſeen him, they turned away from him again; yea, and ſpared not to witneſs their contempt of him, by ſpitting on his face, v. 10. This laſt may either be taken literally, that they had the impudence to affront him, by ſpitting on his very face, as the Jews did to Chriſt, Mat. 26.67. Or figuratively, that though they, or ſuch as they, had reverenced him before, Chap. 29.7, 8 yet now they ſpared not to put ſome publick affronts upon him, and ſo the phraſe of ſpitting on the face, ſeems to be taken, Num. 12.14.
Doct. 1. The taking away, or diſabling of faithfull Magiſtrates, will ſoon make a ſtrange change to the worſe among a people; For, now when Job is in affl…ction, and una…le to manage his Government, the Children of theſe Vagabonds, who were before in exile with their Parents, come abroad out of their holes, and appear among men. People, ordinarily, prove ſuch as their Magiſtrates are, as is frequently to be ſeen in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.
2. It may be the lot of the Lords deareſt Children, yea even of theſe who have been moſt eminent for faithfulneſs in Church or State, to b…come a table-talk to the world, and matter of mirth even to them who wiſh them worſt; For, Job, a fai…hful Magiſtrate, was the …ong and diſcourſe of theſe baſe m…n. See Pſ. 35.15. and 69 12 Lam. 3.14. But godly men muſt learn to imitate Chriſt, who d…ſpiſed the ſhame, as well as endured the Croſs, Heb. 12.2. And they ſhould look upon popular applauſe as empty and uncertain.
3. It is an evidence of great impiety and inhumanity to rejoyce at the calamities of godly men, and eſpecially of faithful Magiſtrates, who will be reſpected by ſuch as are truly godly, even when they are in affliction; For, it was an evidence of their perverſe diſpoſition, that they made him their ſong, &c. as judging, no doubt, that he had been an Oppreſſour, and therefore was juſtly plagued.
4. It is an addition to the godlies tryals (and a lot they ſhould alſo prepare for) not only to be reproached behind their backs, but affronted to their face; As here they put affronts upon Job in his preſence, v. 10.
5. Albeit men be apt to have ſtrange thoughts of them who are under affliction, Act. 28.4. And albeit affliction will ſhake off time-ſerving friends and flatterers, Prov. 19 4. Yet men are in a great miſtake, when they look upon the g…dly in their afflictions as abominable and unworthy to be looked upon, and they are nothing the leſs precious in Gods ſight, that they are under croſs: For, Job was ſtill honoured and owned of God, and they did him an injury, when they abhorred him, and ſled from him, as a plagued man, and unworthy of any company. But godly men muſt learn to bear what others would be affrighted to behold.
6. Godly men ought not to ſet limits to their own tryals of any kind, but ſhould reckon that there is no tryal ſo ſharp, nor ignominy ſo great, but they may meet with it, As Job here was not only abhorred and fled from, but they ſpared not to ſpit in his face.
Verſe 11. Becauſe he hath looſed my cord and afflicted me, they have alſo let looſe the bridle before me.
In the fourth and laſt place, He aggravates this tryal, of contempt and deriſion, from the oocaſion thereof, and that the hand of God gave a riſe to it. For God (who only conciliates reſpect to Magiſtrates (having looſed the cord of his Authority, (whereby he held them in awe) by afflicting and laying him low, they took occaſion to break and looſe all the reins of reverence and ſubjection, and that even to his face. Whence, Learn,
1. It is God who conciliates reſpect and credit to men, and maketh men in Authority to be reverenced and ſubmitted unto by inferiours; For, ſo doth Job acknowledge, that the cord of his Authority (for ſo the phraſe is taken, Pſ. 2.3. Job 12.18. Iſ. 45.1.) is in Gods hand, to looſe or bind it, as he pleaſeth. See Pſ. 18.47. and 144.2. This warns them who are in any place of Authority, to keep near God, and mind his honour, leſt he pour contempt upon them, 1 Sam. 2.30. Mal. 2.8, 9.
2. It is the character of wicked men, that they are kept in ſubjection, not from a principle of conſcience, Rom. 13.5. but by outward reſtraints, of fear and puniſhments, which when they are removed, they break looſe; For, when Jobs Authority was in vigour, theſe baſe men were held in as with a bridle, like beaſts See Pſ. 32.9. And now they let lo…ſe the bridle before him.
3. When God withdraws from his people, and afflicts them, they lye open to many flood gates of trouble, which are ready to break in upon them; For, ſo Job found in experience, that becauſe God looſed his cord and afflicted him, they let looſe the bridle before him. Godly men are not to expect, that one tryal will come it's alone, but that deep will call unto deep. And bereby they are alſo taught to hold faſt by God, who, if he have mercy, can make very enemies to have mercy, Jer. 42.12. 1 King. 8.50 2 Chr. 30.9. Pſ. 106.44, 45, 46. And if he forſake them, they will get none to own them, Jer. 15.5.
4. It is the duty of afflicted perſons to ſee Gods hand in all their afflictions, and the riſe of all of them to be from him; As here Job looketh up to this, as the riſe of their inſolent carriage, that God had looſed his cord. See 2 Sam. 16.10. This will put an edge upon tryal, and make it affect us, will preſs ſubmiſſion to him who is ſupreme Lord, and will open a door of hope to godly men, that there is mercy in their lot.