Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verse 12
Verſe 12. Behold, In this thou art not juſt: I will anſwer thee, that God is greater than man.
Followeth, to v. 31. the ſecond part of Elihu's Speech, or, his refutation of theſe aſſertions of Job; concluding this in ſumm, That there is no cauſe why a godly man ſhould complain, or querulouſly ſeek a reaſon of ſuch diſpenſations; Seeng God is not only Soveraign and abſolute, v. 12, 13. but doth clearly ſpeak more to men, by thoſe lots, than they do well perceive or mark, v. 14, — 30.
In this Verſe, we have, 1. Elihu's general cenſure of Jobs ſpeeches, intimating, That, whatever he was as to the ſtate of his perſon, or in other things; Yet, in this he cannot but account him unjuſt, that (as was marked, Chap. 32.2.) he ſhould ſo juſtifie himſelf, as to complain of Gods dealing toward him a righteous man; and that he ſhould not only deſire to argue with God (as is inſinuated, v. 13.) upon that matter, but becauſe he ſaw not a reaſon of Gods dealing, therefore he will preſumptuouſly conclude that there was no reaſon, nor could God give any reaſon for it; all which may be gathered from the following diſpute.
2. We have the firſt Argument (whereby he refutes Job (propounded in general; Namely, That God is greater than man. Which is to be underſtood, not only in reſpect of his beeing, power, authority, &c. but alſo in reſpect of his holineſs, wiſdome, and every other Attribute. And albeit Jobs Friends made ill uſe of this Argument, to prove Job wicked; Yet, it proves Elihu's concluſion ſtrongly; Namely, That the beſt of men ſhould be more humble than Job was, before, and under the hand of, ſo great a God, and in their pleading with him; and ſhould deferr more to his wiſdome and holineſs, than to their own. For whereas Job talked ſo much of his righteouſneſs, and complained that he was afflicted, being ſuch a man; Elihu anſwers, That God, who had afflicted him, was infinitely above him in the matter of righteouſneſs, and every way greater than he; and therefore he ſhould have been more ſober in his diſcourſes
From this Verſe, Learn, 1. In clearing of marches betwixt right and wrong, or truth and errour, men ſhould not only make uſe of clear light and Arguments, but they ſhould ſet affection on work alſo, and ſtrive to put conſcience to it, which would help much in debates; Therefore, before Elihu produce his Arguments, he begins with a ſharp cenſure of Jobs injuſtice in this matter; Partly, that he may teſtifie his own deteſtation of, and that he is not dallying with, ſuch a fault; and partly, that he may rouze up Jobs conſcience to goe along with him in hearing his reaſons, without which they would not readily take deep enough impreſſion; For if mens eminent parts and abilities only be yoaked together in diſpute, they may debate a Controverſie endleſly.
2. Great meekneſs, prudence and warineſs, ought to be obſerved, in judging of men and their carriage; that as their goodneſs ſhould not ſhelter their faults, ſo their faults may not unjuſtly bring their real goodneſs in queſtion: Therefore doth Elihu here qualifie his cenſure, In this (whatever thou art in other things) thou art not juſt; Intimating, that, as his being righteous could not juſtifie or aſſoyl him in this his unrighteous carriage; So, he would not urge this accuſation to invalidate the righteouſneſs of his perſon. Of this, and other Rules to be obſerved in reproofs, ſee more on the preceding Verſes.
3. As the people of God may have foul faults, and act very unjuſtly; ſo theſe faults ought to be looked upon by them in their uglineſs; For, here he tells him, he was no leſs than not juſt in this, however he was a juſt, and not a wicked, man, In ſome caſes, the faults of the people of God are leſs than the faults of others, as when grace keeps them from groſs miſcarriages, and from the dominion of any ſin; But when they looſe the reins to groſs faults, their being godly will rather heighten, than extenuate, them. Yea, ſome faults (ſuch as quarrelling of God, of which after, and divers others) are more unſeemly in them, than any other.
4. As trouble may cauſe unjuſt things break forth, even in juſt men; So, in particular, however we think we have reaſon for our paſſions, and will take a diſpenſation for them to our ſelves, when we pleaſe, Jon. 4.9. Yet, to quarrel and complain of Gods diſpenſations is an act of extreme injuſtice, and ſhould be reſented as ſuch: For, this is it, in particular, wherein he cenſures him as not just. See, how the Pſalmiſt was grieved for it, Pſal. 73.21, 22. with v. 11, 12, 13.
5. Conſcientious men ought to be ſerious and attentive, both in marking, and in pondering, their own carriage under trouble; For, he prefixeth a Behold, to this cenſure, both to prevent Jobs inadvertency, through the heat of his paſſion, and his inconſtancy, or light paſſing over the ſight of the ſinfulneſs of his way.
6 Albeit men, in managing of reproofs, ſhould work upon their own affections, and labour to rouze up the affections and conſciences of thoſe with whom they deal; Yet, means ſhould alſo be uſed to convince their judgements, that they may ſolidly take with, and reform, what is amiſs: Therefore doth Elihu ſubjoyn an anſwer (or, ſolid Arguments) to what he hath already ſpoken for putting of Jobs conſcience and affections to it. Though it be good to have our affections tender, yet they who are led and acted only by their affections, may readily fall in ſnares, and do ſeldome prove ſolid in any good courſe.
7. A ſpecial mean of curing many evils in men, is, the knowledge of God, and to take him up aright; For, ſo much doth Elihu's practice teach, who, to refute and convince Job of his miſcarriages, doth direct him to take notice of God, what he is. That we ſerve an unknown God is the cauſe of much diſtemper, and of many failings in our way. For hence flow diſtruſt, eſpecially in great d…fficulties, Pſal. 9.10. 2 Tim. 1.12. Slaviſh fears, Iſa. 51.12, 13. Slight ſervices, Mal. 1.14. and many the like evils. Yea, our ignorance of God ſhould be looked upon as the root of our follies and miſcarriages. For when we are taken up with delight in other things, vexed with our temporal lots, &c. we proclaim that we do not know him, who is an All-ſufficient portion, a Rock of refuge, and infinitely more than we miſs in the Creatures.
8. It is a ſpecial point of the right ſtudy and knowledge of God, to take up his greatneſs; Which is ſo tranſcendent, that we can follow it no further than to ſpeak of it by way of negation, declaring him to be free of thoſe infirmities and baſeneſſes that are in the Creatures; or by way of compariſon and eminency, declaring that he is above all; For, this is the point here inculcated upon Job, God is greater than man. See Chap. 36.26. The ſtudy of this,
1. Would lay man low before God, and make him appear to be Enoſh, or frail man, as here he is called, See Chap. 41.5, 6.
2. It would baniſh the fear of man, or apprehenſions of hazards from man, Matth. 10.28. or any fear of his attempts againſt God, Exod. 18.11.
3. It would call for eminent ſervice, Pſal. 48.1. Mal. 1.14.
4. Yea, it would encourage men in their ſincere ſervice, though it be weak, ſeeing he is great, and ſo needs not us, or our ſervice.
Doct. 9. A ſpecial uſe to be made of the greatneſs of God, above men, is, to preſs men to ſtoop under Gods afflicting hand, and to beware of murmuring againſt his dealing; For, here this Doctrine is brought in to refute and condemn all his complaints, …ven albeit he ſhould not be able to ſee through all the particulars of Gods dealing about him. If we take Gods greatneſs in its full latitude (as it comprehends his infinite greatneſs in every Attribute, as well as in power and authority) we will find that it may ſilence all our quarellings. And albeit this be a principle commonly known and acknowledged (and Job hath often acknowledged it in this Book) yet it is not ſtrange to ſee men, in their practices, contradict what they acknowledge, and even, upon the matter, raze the very foundations; As Job did here by his ill improvement of this principle in his practice. Thus men will acknowledge, That God is great, yet what worm is there (for the moſt part) that will ſubmit willingly to him, any farther than themſelves pleaſe? They will acknowledge, that he is infinitely wiſe; yet, who do lay their hand upon their mouth, and adore, when they cannot ſee a reaſon of his dealing? Or who truſts his wiſdome in guiding of them, and in carving out their lots, better than their own underſtanding? They will acknowledge, that he is infinitely holy above men; yet, who are not ready to grudge (as if he acted unjuſtly) when they ſee him afflict the godly, and ſuffer the wicked to proſper? And who are not more ready to quarrel his diſpenſations, than to ſee their own faults, which need exerciſe to purge them out? In a word, how few do ſubmit to his precepts, as the ſure and compendious way to happineſs? Or ſubmit to his will in lots, accounting them good and neceſſary, even becauſe he diſpenſeth them? How few do commend his goodneſs, wiſdome and righteouſneſs, in all things; and do not rather carp when they are not ſatisfied? Who aſcribes to him Soveraignty in wiſdome, to guide all affairs? And Soveraignty in grace, to be free in his Communications, and to work for his Names ſake in behalf of his people, &c? Hence,
1. We ſhould mourn for our ſhort coming in thoſe and the like practices, and that we ſhould thereby, upon the matter, deny our very common principles.
2. When we cannot ſee into the particular reaſons of his diſpenſations, it becomes us to give him glory, by our ſubmiſſion and acquieſcence in his will, were it but upon this general account, that God is greater than man.
3. If our weakneſs do over-drive us into paſſions and complaints, we ſhould mourn for them as our ſin, and endeavour to retard the current of them, by aſcribing unto God the glory of his Attributes, even when we cannot reconcile his Diſpenſations with thoſe Attributes; As the Prophet proclaims God to be righteous, even when his weakneſs would quarrel his diſpenſations, Jer. 12.1.