Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verses 27-28
Verſe 27. He looketh upon men, and if any ſay, I have ſinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not:
28. He will deliver his ſoul from going into the pit, and his life ſhall ſee the light.
Theſe two Verſes, as they are tranſlated, contain a ſummary account of mans duty in this matter, and of Gods kindneſs following thereupon; Who obſerveth men, and if he find any man penitent, and confeſſing his ſin, v. 27. he doth deliver him from the pit; which imports not only, or ſo much, his deliverance from eternal death (though that alſo be ſecured to the penitent) as from bodily death, as the whole context, and the following words (which are added by way of explication) do clear. But the Original, v. 27. hath only (as in the Margin of our Bibles) He ſhall look upon men, and ſay, I have ſinned, &c. And v. 28. may alſo be read (as our Margin hath it) He hath delivered my ſoul — and my life, &c. So theſe Verſes will contain the laſt effect of all this proceeding betwixt God and the afflicted man; Namely, The recovered mans confeſſion and acknowledgement (to the honour of God, and edification of others) both of his ſin, v. 27. and of Gods goodneſs toward him, notwithſtanding his miſcarriage, v. 28, I take this to be the right reading of v. 27. That the afflicted man ſhall confeſs his miſcarriage, before others. And for the next Verſe, all cometh to one purpoſe, whether we read it as the mans acknowledgement of what God hath done for him, or, as Elihu's intimation, in Gods name, that this ſhall be done to him, upon his confeſſion and repentance for his ſin.
From v. 27. Learn, 1. The tranſactions that are betwixt God and his poople, the changes that are in their condition, and the variety of his diſpenſations toward them, are worthy to be marked by all; For, ſo is here ſuppoſed, in that it is fit to tell all this to men.
2. It is the character of perſons whoſe afflictions are ſanctified, and who are penitent, that they are publick minded, and mind the good and edification of others; For, He ſhall look ſeriouſly (as the word imports) upon men, and ſeek to edifie them. See Pſal. 51.12, 13. Luk. 22.31, 32. He ſeeth the evil of mens ſecurity, and inſenſibleneſs of Gods kindneſs, as having ſmarted himſelf for that folly; and he ſeeth men to be but frail creatures, (as their name here imports) and ready to fall into ſuch evils, and therefore he would have them remedied and prevented.
3. Albeit cloſing with Chriſts righteouſneſs be the great work of godly men, yet renewing of repentance muſt goe along with it; For, here this man is a penitent.
4. Repentance (eſpecially for publick ſins) muſt not be huddled up in corners, but publickly avowed, as we have opportunity in our ſtations, and as the nature of the offence requireth, that ſo it may be exemplary; As here his repentance is publickly profeſſed.
5. As even the regenerate have ſin, and muſt be ſenſible of it under trouble (that ſo they may juſtifie God who hath afflicted them, and may make it their greateſt task to remove ſin under the croſs, Iſ. 27 9.) So a bleſſed deliverance continueth the ſight and ſenſe of ſin, and repentance fo… it; For, both when he is afflicted and delivered (as the words may relate to both) he is at this, I have ſinned.
6. A true penitent will not care to ſhame himſelf, that he may glorifie God by the confeſſion of his ſin; For, looking upon men, he will ſay, I have ſinned. See Joſh. 7 19. Dan. 9.7, 8, 9.
7. It is not enough to ſee or confeſs ſin, unleſs it be ſeen in the aggravations thereof; As here, it is ſubjoyned, I have ſinned, and perverted, &c. See Rom. 7.13.
8. Repentance will make a ſtrange change in mens judgements, in approving what is excellent; For, what he before neglected and ſlighted, is now found to be right, and the Law, which enjoynes it, to be juſt and good, Rom. 7.12.
9. It is a ſad aggravation of ſin, in a penitents eſteem, when he hath not only done wrong, but perverted that which was right, as it is here expreſſed, either by being ſtubborn in an evil courſe, or by wreſting his light, and the rule of right and wrong, to make what is wrong ſeem right; much more (if that can be incident to a renewed Child of God) by oppoſing and reſiſting what is right in others, as Act. 13.8, 10.
10. Whatever ſinful courſes do promiſe, or, ſinners do fancy, yet penitents will find ſin an unprofitable courſe; For, ſaith he, It profited me not; Which imports alſo (for it is a diminutive expreſſion) that it is deſtructive, and had proved ſo to him, if grace had not prevented. See Rom. 6.21.
11. Albeit the offence committed againſt God ſhould moſt ſadly affect a penitent; yet his own folly, in taking ſuch an unprofitable courſe, may aggravate his crime, and contribute to the heightening of his ſorrow; As here it is taken notice of, upon that account.
From v. 18. Learn, 1. True penitents will find a ſweet account of the change of Gods dealing toward them; As here is intimated (whether we read it as a promiſe, or as the mans acknowledgement) that, in ſtead of chaſtiſement, there cometh a great deliverance.
2. A penitent will not only get deliverance from eternal wrath, but even from temporal judgements, in ſo farr as is for his good; For, his ſoul, or, life, is delivered from the pit, or, grave, and his life ſhall ſee the light, and ſhall not goe through that dark trance of death, in a cloud. And albeit our temporal life be not much worth; Yet it is a mercy not to be deſpiſed, eſpecially in ſuch a caſe: And even common mercies will look ſweetly upon a penitent.
3. As mercy doth good, even to them who have been evil, and grace will pardon and cure, even the perverſeneſs of Gods people; (as this Verſe compared with the former doth teach) So this ſhould ſet forth the praiſe of God, and encourage them to repent yet more; For, ſo much doth this import, as it is the delivered mans ſpeech, that he bleſſeth God, who had delivered him, notwithſtanding he had ſinned.
4. The greater the difficulties of Gods penitent people are, they will contribute to make the praiſes of God ſound the louder, for his delivering from them; For, this heightens the ſong, that he delivers even from the pit, or grave.