Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 34 · Verses 36-37
Verſe 36. My deſire is that Job may be tryed unto the end, becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men.
37. For he addeth rebellion unto his ſin, he clappeth his hands amongſt us, and multiplyeth his words againſt God.
The laſt branch of the Concluſion ſhuts up the diſcourſe with a deſire that Job may be further tryed, till he be humbled for his miſcarriages. In it we have,
Firſt, The Deſire it ſelf, My deſire is that Job may be tryed to the end. Some read it, by way of prayer unto God, My Father, let Job be tryed unto the end; and ſo this tryal, which he deſires, muſt be underſtood of his affliction, and the continuance thereof, till he be humbled. Nor is it ſimply evil in Elihu to wiſh that the rod be not taken off, till he be humbled. Neither yet would it have flowed from any vindictive Spirit, though he had deſired and prayed for this; For he deſires nothing but what is only a tryal, and that from a Father. But it ſeems clearer to underſtand this tryal of the ſearching and ſifting out of Jobs folly in his diſcourſes and carriage, in a further free debate; And that Elihu (perceiving that Job was not fully ſatisfied, or, it may be, not taking well what he ſpake laſt) deſires the matter may be yet more fully debated, as he doth in the following Chapters, and God alſo after him. However, it ſufficeth us, in general, that Elihu is content the matter be tryed to the bottom, that ſo Job may be throughly convinced; and he propounds this, either by way of ſimple deſire, evidencing his inclinations and his reſolutions to follow them forth; or by way of prayer to God, that he would aſſiſt him in this undertaking, and would himſelf interpoſe to decide the difference, as afterward he doth.
Secondly, We have the Reaſons of this Deſire, or the matter wherein he would have Job tryed and ſifted. This is propounded in general, as to the matter thereof, that he ſpake anſwers for wicked men; that is, when wicked men heard him ſpeak ſo much againſt Gods dealing toward himſelf, a godly man, they might be hardened thereby in their wicked courſes, and take occaſion to ſlight piety. It is alſo inſtanced more particularly, and as to the manner of his acting in thoſe miſcarriages.
1. He was ſtiffe and ſtubborn, in his perſiſting in his complaints, whereby he added rebellion to his ſin.
2. He inſulted over his Friends, and clapped his hands among them.
3. He ſpake many high words againſt God. Our Tranſlation of v. 37. reads theſe as things already done by Job; Some read it, That if he be not tryed, v. 36. he will do them yet, and will adde rebellion to his ſin, &c. But both thoſe may be joyned together, That as he had already ſo miſcarried, ſo he will perſiſt yet more in that courſe, if he be let alone; and not convinced and humbled.
From theſe Verſes, Learn, 1. Men do not alwayes appear as they really are, but do need to be tryed, what they and their principles are, whether by rods, or debates, or both; For, Job needs to be tryed here.
2. Men are not ſoon tryed or diſcovered, whether by afflictions, or debates; But there is more in them, than they will eaſily ſee or lay to heart: Therefore he muſt be tryed to the end, or, fully, till the victory (as the word will alſo import) be obtained over him.
3. Mens skinning of their own ſores, or a ſuperficial view of what they are, will never do them good; For, it is their advantage to be fully tryed to the end.
4. It is a friendly act to wiſh that men do not get away with their faults, but that they may be ripped up, yea, that uſe may be made of the rod, if need be, to ſqueeze out their folly; For therefore doth Elihu deſire that Job may be tryed, whether by God exerciſing him, or by himſelf in a free debate.
5. They who would have the godly well tryed and diſcovered to themſelves, and the means bleſſed for that end, ſhould depend much upon God; So much will this deſire, as it may import Elihu's prayer to God, teach us.
6. Even the eſcapes of godly men, eſpecially under trouble, may be found to be very groſs, when they are well ſifted and looked upon by a tender conſcience; Therefore are Jobs miſcarriages repreſented in ſo black characters.
7. It is a fault intollerable in any, eſpecially in a godly man, to ſay or do any thing to the advantage of wicked men in their evil courſes, or to the prejudice of piety; For, it was Jobs great fault, that he had anſwers for wicked men. See Pſal. 73.11, 12, 13.
8. When godly men do not bear afflictions patiently, or do reflect upon God becauſe of them, they harden wicked men in their way; For, thus did Job anſwer for wicked men.
9. As any ſin is odious in any, eſpecially in godly men; So much more when they are ſtubborn and rebellious in it; For, here was his crime, to adde rebellion to his ſin, or, by perſiſting in his ſin, to turn it into rebellion. Which men ought to advert unto, that there be not much of will in their ſin, whereof Paul was free, Rom. 7.19. That they ſin not againſt light, that when they ſin, it may be their burden, and they may endeavour to amend it, Rom. 7.24, 25. And that they perſiſt not in any ſin, notwithſtanding any reproofs, or warnings, or corrections, ſent to reclaim them; which was Jobs fault.
10. When godly men are ſore afflicted, and ill guided under it, they may have foul fits of ſtubbornneſs and rebellion, before they become tame, and their trouble may break and cruſh them, before they come to bow and ſtoop under it; For, ſo Job added rebellion to his ſin, and grew worſe and worſe in his fits; As Aſa alſo did in another caſe, 2 Chron. 16.10. And when men under trouble are not throughly convinced, but, it may be, miſtaken, as Job was, they will readily grow worſe and worſe.
11. When men carry inſolently, even in a good cauſe, it is an evidence they do manage it ill; For, albeit Job had the better of his Friends, yet his clapping of his hands among them, was not right, and argued that there was more droſs in his defences. By ſuch miſcarriages men loſe the advantage of their good cauſe. See 1 Pet. 3.15.
12. It is the cap-ſtone of mens miſcarriage under trouble, when they reflect upon God becauſe of his diſpenſations; For, this is the laſt challenge, that he had words againſt God.
13. The more there be of thoſe reflections upon God, it is the worſe; For, his multiplying of his words againſt God, is an aggravation of the fault.