Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 31 · Verses 21-23
Verſe 21. If I have lift up my hand againſt the fatherleſs, when I ſaw my help in the gate:
22. Then let mine arme fall from my ſhoulderblade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23. For deſtruction from God was a terrour to me, and by reaſon of his highneſs I could not endure.
The laſt branch of this profeſſion of his Humanity is, That he was no oppreſſor of the poor and fatherleſs, nor took any advantage of them, to wrong them, becauſe he ſaw the Judges in the gate were ready to favour him, v. 21. This branch of his profeſſion (eſpecially, though not ſecluding theſe that have preceded) he confirmes,
1. By an imprecation, or, by his conſenting that his arm were broken, or rotted from him, if he had lift up h…s hand againſt the poor, to ſtrike, vex, or threaten them, v. 22.
2. By giving an account of the impulſive cauſe of his tenderneſs; which was, that he ſtood in awe of God, who is a party againſt them who inhumanly neglect, much more, who proudly oppreſs, the poor and fatherleſs, whoſe ſupereminent excellency cannot be prevailed againſt, no… can men endure to make him a party, who conſider it.
From the Verſes, Learn, 1. As to neglect Orphans is a ſin, ſo it is a much more hainous crime to oppreſs them, or any way to carry inſolently toward them to vex them; For, Job declined to lift up his hand againſt the fatherleſs. The phraſe, when ſpoken of Subjects, imports a rebellion and hoſtile oppoſition againſt their ſoveraign, 2 Sam. 20.21. Here it imports any malicious oppoſition, or act, o… threatning to ſtrike, vex or oppreſs them. All which Job avoided, even the leaſt ſhadow of oppreſſion.
2. Even theſe who ſometime have been compaſſionate and charitable to the poor and fatherleſs, have need to be upon their guard that, in an hour of tentation, they do not cruſh and oppreſs them; For Job, who had been a very charitable man, v. 16, 17, &c. doth here purge himſelf, that he did not lift up his hand against the fatherleſs, not onelyonly to refute his Friends miſtakes, but to intimate that ſometimes he had tentations to that evil, if the fear of God had not reſtrained him, as his argument, v. 23. doth ſhew. Thus Aſa, a godly man, is ſometime overtaken with an oppreſſing humour, 2 Chr. 16.10.
3. It is not unuſual to ſee Judges ſwayed with partial reſpects to great men, whoſe cauſes come before them; ſo that they are apt to pronounce ſentence in their favours, againſt poor men or orphans, even albeit their cauſe be not juſt: For, Job intimates that he ſaw his help in the gate, or, the Judges were ready to favour him, who was a great man, if he would have engaged againſt the poor, or had already wronged them. Judges ought to look upon this as a very great tentation, when ſuch cauſes come before them.
4. Albeit power and opportunity to do evil be a a great tentation, to drive men to act it, Mic. 2.1. Yet grace will teach men not to make uſe of their power and credit to do wrong to any, and it is an evidence of piety to walk ſo tenderly: For, Job would not lift up his hand againſt the fatherleſs, even when he ſaw his help in the gate, or, in …he courts of judgement, which were kept in the gates of …ties. He was a faithfull man, who would not ſatisfi… him ſelf with the countenance and concurr…nce …f men in any courſe which he knew the Lord did not approve.
5. Whoſoever employ their power to oppreſs others, are juſtly cruſhed themſelves, and bear the marks of it; For if Job had done ſo, he conſents to it as juſt, that his arme fall from his ſho…lderblade, and his arme be broken from the bone. Th…s may be underſtood, figuratively, of his Power, (which was already gone) that if he had been an oppreſſour, it behooved to have been taken from in juſtice, and as a puniſhment, which he would never grant; But rather litterally, that if he had lift up his hand againſt the fatherleſs, it were juſt he loſt his whole arme, and that the fleſh rotted from the bone, or one bone of it were broken from another, See Iſ. 33.1. Jer. 50.23.
6. God is a party to ſee oppreſſours cruſhed, and the poor righted, though all men elſe ſhould neglect them; Therefore doth Job ſubjoyn, v. 23. That God was ready to appear in this Cauſe. See Pſ. 12.5▪ Eccl. 5.8.
7. As God is able to deſtroy whomſoever he is pleaſed to oppoſe, J…m 4.12. So oppreſſours of the poor and fatherleſs delerve not onelyonly to be cruſhed in their power, but utterly to be deſtroyed; For, unto what he ſubmits to, as juſt. v. …2. he addes, that he apprehended acſtruction from God, as the due deſert of this ſin. And God may ſuſpend to bridle the power of ſome oppreſſours, till he pay them home with this deſtruction once for all.
8. Such as ponder the dreadfulneſs of Gods vengeance againſt oppreſſours, may be terrified from it; And it is not unbeſeeming the piety of Saints, nor inconſiſtent with their love to God, that they ſtudy his dreadfull power, to deterre them from ſin: For, Job found deſtruction from God a terrour to him.
9. God is ſuper-eminently glorious and high, having an univerſal and abſolute juriſdiction over all; For, highneſs doth belong to him, See Iſ. 57.15. Which calls for humility before him, a low eſteem of all other things in compariſon of him, and an endeavour to perform ſervices in ſuch a way as it becometh creatures to ſerve ſuch a Majeſty.
10. Gods ſuper-eminent excellency is no impediment to his noticing of the poor who are oppreſſed; But becauſe he is the high and ſoveraign Lord, therefore he will ſee to the wrongs they ſuſtain: Therefore doth he mention Gods highneſs as concerned in in this matter. See Eccleſ. 5.8. Pſal. 107.41. & 138.6.
11. Such as do ſtudy the highneſs of God, will finde that they are not able to withſtand his power and vengeance (as the preſumptuous do dream) and ſo will tremble to engage againſt him, were they never ſo high; For, ſaith Job, by reaſon of his highneſs I could not endure, that is, neither durſt he ſin, nor could he think to ſubſiſt, if God plagued him for it. See, Exod. 18.11. Pſal. 75.4, 5. Iſaiah 2.11, 12.