Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verse 16
Verſe 16. Then he openeth the ears of men, and ſealeth their inſtruction.
Elihu, having propounded this firſt mean of Gods ſpeaking, proceeds (in purſuance of his Argument, v. 14.) to ſhew both that God ſpeaks thereby, v. 16. and what he ſpeaks, or deſignes by his ſpeaking, (whereby alſo he informs Job what that is which men perceive not when God ſpeaks, v. 14.) whether more immediately, as the leſſon he would have men to learn, v. 17. or more mediately and ultimately, as the fruit of their learning and profiting by what he ſpeaks, v. 18. So that here we may conſider a threefold fruit, or conſequent, of thoſe dreams and viſions, when they are given to men, ſo propounded as the latter doth depend upon the former.
1. More generally, That God by that mean deſignes mans inſtruction, v. 16.
2. More particularly, That this inſtruction tends to humble men, and to cure the evils that are in them, v. 17.
3. That where inſtruction is effectual for that end, it tends to mans advantage, and ſaves him from greater inconveniences, v. 18.
In this Verſe, Elihu aſſerts, more generally, that God ſpeaks and affords men inſtruction by this mean. The word rendred, Instruction, ſignifieth alſo, Correction; and, accordingly, ſome take up the purpoſe thus, That by viſions God reveals to man, and aſſures him, that he will correct and chaſten him, if he repent not. This is a truth in it ſelf, and may be ſome part of that inſtruction which God affords to man. But I incline rather to follow the Tranſlation; and ſo the words do more generally point out, That God, by theſe means, affords ſome inſtructions to mens ears, for promoving theſe ends mentioned, v. 17, 18. As for the two expreſſions, of opening, (or, revealing, or, uncovering) the ear, and ſealing of inſtruction, the latter ſeems to explain the former, and doth import, that God by viſions and dreams reveals inſtructions to mens ears in ſo authentique, ſerious and authoritative a way (as if it were ſealed with the Great Seal of Heaven) as may leave an impreſſion upon them, as the Seal leaves a print upon the Wax.
And here the Queſtion is, Whether Elihu ſpeak here of ſuch an opening of the ear, and ſealing, as is eventually efficacious upon the Spirits of men, and doth prevail with them?
Anſw. As by theſe means light was communicated to thoſe who had them; ſo it is not to be doubted but theſe extraordinary viſions and dreams had ſome more than ordinary impreſſion upon th…ſe who had them. But as to the efficacy of this mean, to draw men to repentance, for their own good, as it is, v. 17, 18. it is more agreeable to Elihu's ſcope (who complains, v. 14. that men perceive not when God ſpeaks, and intimates, v. 19. that afflictions follow upon this mean, when it avails not) to underſtand the matter thus, That thoſe viſions and dreams tend (if we look to the nature of the things themſelves) to open mens ears, and ſeal their inſtruction; as they uſe actually to rouze up men, and put (at leaſt) ſome temporary impreſſion upon their Spirits, above what is commonly produced by more ordinary means of revealing the will of God: And that they are ſufficient means to produce theſe effects of inſtruction and repentance, and are bleſſed to produce them in ſome, though many may have thoſe means, who yet are never ſo effectually inſtructed, as to be withdrawn from their purpoſe. For not only do we read that men have had ſtrong impreſſions upon their Spirits, by reaſon of their dreams and viſions, who yet knew not ſo much as what God ſpake by them, till ſome other did interpret them, as hath been marked before: But it is expreſly ſaid, That God openeth mens ears in affliction, when yet thoſe ſaving effects do not alwayes follow, Chap. 36.10, 12.
From this Verſe, Learn, 1. It is the will of God that men profit by the Word, and that, for this end, they do not ſatisfie themſelves with this, that God condeſcends to ſpeak to them, and is in ſpeaking tearms with them, nor reſt upon this, that Gods way of ſpeaking doth ſomewhat affect them (as men were of old affected with theſe extraordinary dreams and viſions:) But that they be careful to produce ſolid fruits of his pains taken upon them; For, therefore is an account here ſubjoyned of Gods ends in ſpeaking to men, that they may ſtudy to attain them. And where this is not ſtudied, it will not avail men that they ſeem to be ſomewhat affected, as Ezek. 33.31, 32. or as Chriſts hearers were ſometime affected, Mark 1.22, 27. and elſe-where. See alſo Matth. 13.20, 21.
2. It is a ſweet fruit of Gods ſpeaking to men, when they are thereby inſtructed (whether by corrections, or ſharp reprehenſions, as the word will import, or otherwiſe) and made to learn their leſſon; For, this is the ſcope and end of Gods ſpeaking, to communicate inſtruction, or correction and reprehenſion. It is moſt neceſſary that mens judgements be well informed by the Word, otherwiſe it will be to ſmall purpoſe that their affections are ſometime warmed and tickled thereby: And directions, yea, even reprehenſions, are no leſs neceſſary in their kind, than comforts are in their own time and order. As ſome are enraged at reproofs, ſo it is but the ſame corruption in others that makes them be diſcouraged, and without comfort, becauſe of them. However, if men were more buſie at improving of directions and reprehenſions, they would be more fit for other meſſages, and profit better by them, Matth. 11.29. 2 Cor. 7.8, 9, 10, 11.
3. A ſpecial mean to make the Word ſpeak home to men, is, to conſider well their own frailty to whom God ſpeaks; Therefore here, in the matter of inſtruction, man is called, Enoſh, frail man. Albeit man in the ruffe of his pride be, in his own eyes, Geber, a ſtrong mighty man, as he is called, v. 17. yet, he is ſtill but Adam, (as he is there alſo deſigned) a bit of red earth. And as all our near converſes with God ſhould make us ſee our frailty, and be low in our own eyes, Gen. 18.27. Job 42.5, 6. So, eſpecially, this ſhould be minded, when he condeſcends to ſpeak to us, that his condeſcendence may affect and raviſh our hearts (as Iſ. 66.1, 2.) and that, remembring we are but duſt, we may be afraid to dally with the moſt high God, or to diſpute his commands.
4. Albeit God, who ſpeaks, be the moſt High, and man, to whom he ſpeaks, be but duſt; Yet, he hath naturally a deaf and ſhut ear to the inſtructions of God, For, here the ears muſt be opened, or, revealed and uncovered, before men receive inſtruction. All men by nature are ignorant of the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. and have uncircumciſed ears, as well as hearts, Act. 7.51. And, beſide what is natural and habitual, mens ears are ſtopped, with pride, Jer. 42. with 43.1, 2. with proſperity, Jer. 22.21 with trouble, Exod. 6 9. with itching and curioſity, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. with wilfull averſion and ſtubbornneſs, Deut. 29.18, 19. Pſal. 58.4, 5. and other the like impediments. All thoſe men ſhould mourn for, and ſtudy to have thoſe impediments removed; For the day is coming wherein all men, even the moſt ſtubborn, will be made to hear, whether they will or not. And that wofull comfort, of hardening ourſelves againſt what the Word can ſay, will fail the moſt ſtubborn and ſtout-hearted at laſt. Nor need men entertain prejudices at the Word, becauſe it ſpeaks alwayes ſad things to them; For if they would hear and improve what is unpleaſant, it would ſpeak comfortably to them at laſt.
5. As God can remedy this evil of a ſtopped ear in man, and muſt be the Phyſician to cure it, Act. 16.14. Iſ. 50.4, 5. And doth ſometime employ ſharp means to cure it in his Children, Job 36.10, 15. and therefore is to be looked unto, for what we want, and acknowledged in what we have, of this mercy; (For, ſo much doth this phraſe, of opening the ear, import, when it is made uſe of to expreſs Gods effectual operation upon his people) So, God hath given to his people ſufficiency of external means to cure this evil, and the more ſingular the means are, they ſhould hear the better; For, ſo much doth this phraſe import, That God afforded this as a ſufficient mean to open the ears of men, and that that extraordinary mean contributed to that end. When God ſpeaks to the Creatures, he ſhould find patent doors; and albeit we want thoſe extraordinary means, yet the Word preached ought to be no leſs effectual, Luk. 16.29, 30, 31. And when God comes to ſpeak by his rods (of which after) to preſs home his Word; or when he makes his Word more lively, than is uſual, in the mouths of his Servants, or continueth his Word with us in ſad times, it ſhould rouze us up ſo much the more.
6. It is not enough that men hear and underſtand, and be affected for the preſent, unleſs what they hear leave a conſtant impreſſion upon them, For as God ſeals his doctrine, by his authoritative publiſhing thereof, ſo this inſtruction, ſhould be ſealed, and leave an impreſſion upon us. See Heb. 2.1. Jam. 1.23, 24.
7. When God reveals his mind, eſpecially in a more ſingular and eminent way, men have ſufficiency of means to cauſe what God ſaith take impreſſion upon them; For, thoſe means are here held out as ſufficient to ſeal mens inſtruction. Thus did Daniel's Viſions affect him. And albeit men have not now extraordinary Revelations; yet, (as hath been marked from Luk. 16.) the conſideration of Gods Authority ſpeaking in his Word is ſufficient (in its own kind, as a mean) to cauſe men tremble, Ezra 10.3. Iſ. 66.5. For men will not readily ſlight what a Prince ſaith unto them; farr more ſhould the Word of the great God have impreſſion upon us. And where the Word prevails not, he is provoked to write his mind in deep and ſad characters of affliction, Chap. 36.8, 9, 10.