Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verses 19-22
Verſe 19. He is chaſtened alſo with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pain.
20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his ſoul dainty meat.
21. His fleſh is conſumed away that it cannot be ſeen, and his bones that were not ſeen, ſtick out.
22. His ſoul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
Followeth, to v. 29. the ſecond and third means whereby God ſpeakth his mind to men, though they perceive it not; Namely, by Sickneſs, and by the Miniſtry of the Word. I joyn theſe together, becauſe they muſt goe together, that Gods mind may be known in them. For however Sickneſs, bleſſed of God, fit men to hear what God will ſpeak, yet it is by the Miniſtry here, that Gods mind, concerning the ſick perſon, is revealed. And withall, theſe two, as they are here put together, do very well agree to Jobs caſe, who was now afflicted in his body, much like to what is here recorded (only we read not of his keeping his bed conſtantly) and had Elihu, a Meſſenger from God, with him, to expound Gods mind, in that diſpenſation, to him. And albeit Jobs Friends urged his ſickneſs alſo, as an Argument againſt him, Chap. 5.17, 18. and elſe-where; Yet they urged it as an Argument to perſwade him to repent of his ſuppoſed wickedneſs. But Elihu drives another deſign, as we ſhall hear. We may take up the whole purpoſe, to v. 29. in this order.
1. He propounds the means whereby God ſpeaks to man, Sickneſs, v. 29, — 22. and a Miniſtry, v. 23.
2. He declares what it is that God ſpeaks by theſe means, v. 23.
3. He gives an account of the bleſſed effects of the tryal, when this leſſon is well learned, v. 24, — 28.
In theſe Verſes, we have a deſcription of a ſore Sickneſs, whereby God ſpeaks to man; which is propounded,
Firſt, In general, v. 19. Where it is held forth, in its conjunction with the former mean, of Viſions and Dreams, whereby God ſpeaks (intimated in the copulative, Alſo) in its ſcope and tendency, which is to chaſten, or, argue, and reprove; and, in its vehemency and extremity, aſſaulting the Patient with pain, till he muſt take his bed. From which it appears, that Job was much upon a Bed, or, Couch, as Chap. 7.13. though at other times he ſate up and went abroad.
Secondly, The greatneſs of this affliction is pointed out by ſeveral effects.
1. That it reacheth not only the ſick mans fleſh, but his bones, and affects all of them with great pain, v. 19. Thus we find that Job complained often of his bones and ſinews. See Chap. 30.17, 30.
2. That (as is uſual in ſickneſs, Pſal. 107.18.) his ſickneſs makes him loath all meat, even ſuch dainty meats as uſe to be prepared for ſick men, v. 20. And of this Job had alſo ſome experience, Chap. 3.24.
3. That it waſtes and conſumes his body, v. 21. So that his plump fleſh diſappeareth, and his bones ſtick out. Of which alſo Job complaineth, Chap. 16.8.
4. It brings his life to the gates of death, or near to the grave, and to the deſtroyers, v. 22. that is, His diſeaſes are deadly, and threaten him with deſtruction; or, they bring him near to the worms which deſtroy men in the grave. And Job had this frequently in his mouth, that he was near to death. See Chap. 17.13, 14.
From v. 19. Learn, 1. It pleaſeth God, beſide the meſſages of his Word, to viſit his people with the rod; For, here pain alſo, (beſide thoſe dreams and viſions, v. 15.) is ſent, that God may ſpeak thereby. Even when men profit by the Word (as Job did in his proſperity) God may yet ſend a rod for their further exerciſe, and to take tryal how they will keep their feet under ſuch a diſpenſation; as the queſtion is ſtated betwixt God and Satan about Job, Chap. 1, and 2. And godly men ſhould ſtoop and ſubmit to this. And further (which comes nearer to Elihu's ſcope) The Word its alone hath not, ordinarily, that operation which were to be deſired; but even where it works moſt effectually, it may leave the rod ſomewhat to do further. And much more, when the Word is ill improved, the rod will follow; for God loves his people better than to let them paſs on with their faults, uncorrected and unreclaimed.
2. Among other tryals which befall the people of God, they will find perſonal tryals, pains and ſickneſſes, among the moſt ſearching; For, Elihu inſtanceth thoſe as very ſpeaking meſſengers, and ſearching tryals; and ſo did Satan truly argue, though upon a wicked deſign, Chap. 2.4, 5. So that they who are free of that tryal, may bear other difficulties the better; and thoſe who are exerciſed therewith, ſhould prepare for much humbling tryal by it. They ſhould alſo remember, that God calls them thereby to be humble and ſenſible of ſin, from which the crazineſs of mens bodies doth flow; and, in particular, that God calls them to be ſenſible of their little prizing or improving of bodily health, when they enjoyed it; which they ought to mourn for, and amend, if ever God reſtore them to health again. And who ſo do thus improve their ſickneſs, may find that God hath viſited them, that he may give them a proof of his power and love, in their recovery.
3. As God doth not intend the deſtruction of his people by their afflictions and ſickneſſes (even though they be taken out of the World by them) but their chaſtiſement and inſtruction; So, they may need to be ſharply reproved, and argued out of their ſubterfuges and defences, before they receive correction and inſtruction as becometh: For, the word rendred, to chaſten, ſignifieth properly, to reprove, or, argue with one. Which imports,
1. That even Gods dear Saints may have much folly, which needs correction and reproof.
2. That afflictions may ſpeak chaſtiſements and reproofs to godly men, for this their folly, when yet their perſons are accepted and approved of God.
3. Even godly men are, ſometimes, not eaſily convinced of their folly, and of the evil thereof, but they muſt be argued with, to bring them to a ſenſe thereof.
4. That ſharp tryals are ſent upon this errand, to waken them out of their dreams, and ſubdue their ſtubbornneſſes; which effects, thoſe rude meſſengers are very apt means to produce.
Doct. 4. Under tryal, men ought to obſerve and prize even common mercies; As here it is ſuppoſed to be a mercy, that this pained perſon hath a bed to lye upon. Albeit the phraſe may import no more but this, That they are not able to ſtirr, whether they get a bed or not; Yea, Saints may ſometime come to want a bed, when they are ſick and ſore: Yet, humility will teach men not to undervalue that common mercy, if it be afforded them.
5. Whatever outward accommodations God provide for afflicted, and, particularly, for ſick perſons, which they are bound to prize and acknowledge; Yet, none of theſe will afford relief, ſo long as God hath the tryal to continue: For, even upon his bed, where men uſe to get reſt, he is chaſtened with pain. See Chap. 7.4.13, 14.
6. When God afflicts his people, they may expect that it will be an affliction and tryal indeed; leſt, otherwiſe, if their trouble were more eaſie, their exerciſe under it ſhould languiſh: For, this pain reacheth the very bones, as well as the fleſh, which is a meaſure of tryal whereof David frequently complains, Pſ. 6.2. and 32.3. and 38.3.
7. The love of God to his Children muſt not be meaſured by the degree of their affliction; For albeit in the iſſue there will be a difference betwixt them and others, as they have alſo ſecret ſupporting ſtrength in the mean time, which others want; Yet they may be no leſs ſharply afflicted than others: As here, he hath ſtrong pain in his bones. The Original hath only, ſtrength, or, strong, inſtead of ſtrong pain; which ſome make an Epithete of his bones, thus, He is chaſtened, — even the multitude of his strong bones. But the Grammatical conſtruction of the words will not ſo well bear that reading. And therefore the word, pain, muſt be repeated from the former part of the Verſe. For, ſuch ſtrength, or, ſtrong thing, muſt be underſtood here, as affects the bones of a ſick man, which can be nothing elſe but pain.
8. When God is about to try men, nothing in them will be of force to reſiſt him, or ſupport them, but their only recourſe muſt be to himſelf; For, his bones, which are ſtrong, are aſſaulted with ſtrong pain.
9. The people of God may expect that all, as well as any one, of their ſupports, will be reached, and ſuccumb, in a tryal; whereby God drives them to himſelf, whither men of themſelves are loth to come, but would gladly ſhift from one ſhelter to another, ſo long as they can find any thing to give them eaſe: For, even the multitude of his bones are reached, and he gets a skin-full of ſore bones.
From v. 20. Learn, 1. As it is a mercy to have food in ſickneſs, and choice of food, ſuitable to mens weak condition, (as here is implyed, that he hath bread, and dainty meat, or meat of deſire; So it is a duty to tender thoſe who are ſick, in providing what may be moſt comfortable to them: For, here, there is ſuppoſed to be provided, dainty meat, meat deſirable for ſick perſons, and which they uſe to deſire, if they have any appetite. God may have tender reſpects for ſuch afflicted perſons, and therefore we ſhould tender them.
2. It is an evidence of the vanity of creature-comforts and contentments, that they fail men moſt when they are in greateſt need, whereas the ſufficiency of God doth moſt appear in diſtreſs; For, here meat will do the ſick man no good, when he is in a decay, and ſo hath moſt need of it.
3. Among other mercies to be obſerved in our food (as, that God provides it, puts a bleſſing in it, &c.) this is one, that God gives us ability, and an appetite, to make uſe of it; For, this is ſeen to be a mercy, when it is taken away from ſick men, ſo that their life and ſoul (that is, their living body and appetite) abhorr bread, and dainty meat.
From v. 21. Learn, 1. It is a truth to be much ſtudied, that nothing in man is able to bear out againſt Gods afflicting hand; For, here mens bodies ſuccumb, and fall under a conſumption, in ſickneſs.
2. Though men doat much upon their bodies, and are careful to make proviſion for their fleſh, Rom. 13.14. Yet ſickneſs and other troubles can ſoon make a change upon them, and leave them nothing but a Skeleton of skin and bones; For, His fleſh is conſumed away that it cannot be ſeen, and his bones, that were not ſeen, ſtick out. See Lam. 4.8. Men ſhould not be indulgent to their own bodies, to ſpare them in the duties of Gods ſervice, leſt he ſpare them not in the matter of afflictions.
3. When men will not ſee their own frailty by contemplation, or what they ſee takes not a ſolid impreſſion upon them, God can make it conſpicuous in humbling effects; For, here this leſſon is inculcated by ſickneſs. And it is for the godly's behoof that God doth experimentally inſtruct them in thoſe leſſons, which, otherwiſe, are not enough laid to heart.
From v. 22. Learn, 1. As men carry mortality alwayes about with them, ſo the Lord ſends ſickneſs to put them in mind thereof; and albeit they may now and then eſcape the hazard, yet they ſhould remember, that death will come at laſt; For, for this end doth the ſick mans ſoul (or, life, as it is after added) draw near unto the grave.
2. When God gives a commiſſion, there are many deſtroyers, or ſickneſſes, to take away a mans life; any one of which will ſerve the turn; For, there are, destroyers, to aſſault his life.
3. As death and the grave do lay mens bodies low, and under the power of deſtroying worms; So they are not in themſelves comfortable, as being a deſtruction of mens perſons, Pſal. 90.3. and leaving poor duſt to be triumphed over by ſickneſſes, which have deprived it of life, and by worms, which deſtroy it: For, thus alſo is his life brought near to deſtroyers. So that they have reaſon to bleſs God who get a more comfortable ſight of this lot.
4. Gods people may be alarum'd with threatned deſtruction, when yet God minds only their chaſtiſement and inſtruction; And it is no ſtrange thing to ſee them brought to a low and deadly poſture, before they get the right uſe of their tryal, and before what they learn be ſolidly ſtamped upon their hearts: For, here, His ſoul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the deſtroyers, that he may hear what God ſpeaks to him thereby, and may be in a capacity to entertain that Meſſenger and his meſſage, of which in the following Verſes.