Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 36 · Verses 29-33
Verſe 29. Alſo can any underſtand the ſpreadings of the clouds, or the noiſe of his tabernacle.
30. Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the Sea.
31. For by them judgeth he the people, he giveth me at in abundance.
32. With clouds he covereth the light: and commandeth it not to ſhine, by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33. The noiſe thereof ſheweth concerning it, the cattel alſo concerning the vapour.
In theſe Verſes, he proſecutes more fully this Inſtance, of the rain, eſpecially more tempeſtuous rain…, pointing out the cauſes, effects, and ſignes thereof. Which may teach us, in general, That many things may concurr in one work of God, to demonſtrate his glory ſhining in it. In the Verſes, Conſider,
First, The Cauſes and Antecedents of this rain, v. 29, 30. Which are,
1. The Clouds, a proper material cauſe of rain.
2 The noiſe of his Tabernacle, (or, of the Clouds, which are called, his Tabernacle, Pſ. 18.11. and his Chariot, Pſ. 104.3.) whereby we are to underſtand, either the high winds which ſometime goe before rain; or, rather (becauſe of that which followeth, of Lightning, v. 30.) the Thunder, which is an antecedent going before rain at ſome-times, and a cauſe thereof, in ſo farr as by burſting through the watery cloud, it breaketh it, and cauſeth it diſſolve in rain.
3. Light, or Lightnings, which accompany the Thunder, and are antecedents to the rain. Of theſe he ſaith, That none can understand the spreading of the clouds, (how they cover the Sky, ſometime very ſpeedily, and are hurried here and there) or, the noiſe of thunder which is made in the clouds: Or, how the lightnings, having broken through the clouds, do not only ſpread themſelves upon them, as if they were all covered therewith, but do even cover the Sea, and that with ſuch impetuouſneſs, as if they would dive into the very roots and bottom thereof.
Doct. 1. The v…ry dark clouds are bright documents of Gods incomprehenſible majeſty, and his glory ſhines in ſpreading them out, and driving them here and there, and yet keeping them from breaking; For, here, the spreading of the clouds, is a document of his greatneſs, which none can understand fully, and as it points him out. So that even a dark cloudy day may be a ſpeaking Preaching to thoſe who have diſcerning, and a ſpiritual mind.
2. Thunder and lightnings, coming before rain, are another document of the greatneſs of God, which none can fully comprehend; For, this is another proof of his aſſertion, Can any underſtand the noiſe of his Tabernacle? Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, or, upon his Tabernacle, &c. The noiſe of thunder, before rain, doth not only point out the glorious majeſty of God, whoſe voice it is, as is at length proſecuted, Pſ. 29. But doth further ſhew, that every thing that is terrible is not hurtful to all who are ready to be affrighted therewith; As thunder doth but rarely deſtroy any, and but few of thoſe who hear its dreadful noiſe. The lightnings comming from the place where rain is, and upon which the rain followeth, may teach us, How little we need to look to probabilities, in what we want; ſince men may expect rain, even whence fire cometh. And the lightnings being ſpread upon the clouds, and darting down to the very bottom of the Sea, may let us ſee, How God can enlighten our darkneſs, Pſal. 18.28. even by a light brought out of our dark cloud, Pſal. 112.4. How immenſe and omnipreſent he is, who can not only spread his light upon the cloudy Sky, but cover the Sea with it, and that very ſuddenly; How infinite and effectual his knowledge is, who can make his light ſpread ſo farr, as even to lighten the World, Pſ. 77.18. even the Sky and Sea, and can make it cover the very bottom, or, roots of the Sea, and penetrate thither; And, How much of Gods glory is manifeſted in the World, which man cannot overtake to comprehend, ſeeing he not only fills the Earth and Sky with his glory, but doth manifeſt it in the Sea, where men do not ſo frequently converſe, to ſee his wonders in the deep, Pſ. 107.24. and that to the bottom thereof, where man cannot dive to ſee it.
3. Then are the works of God rightly ſtudied, and God rightly ſeen in them, when men do not drown themſelves in nature, and in the ſtudy of the ſecond cauſes, but do ſee God in them, whoſe works they are; As here it is called, his light; And when they look upon Gods revealing of himſelf by them, as but an obſcuring of himſelf, that he may reveal himſelf to their capacity; As the clouds are called, his Tabernacle, where, in manifeſting himſelf to men, he involves and hides himſelf, that he cannot be ſeen as he is in himſelf. Thus alſo the very brightneſs (as well as the dark clouds) is but the hiding of his power, Hab. 3.4.
Secondly, The Effects of rain, which cometh out of theſe clouds, after the thunder and lightning, or the Ends for which it cometh upon the Earth, v. 31. Namely, to plague ſome, and give plenty to others. It is ſaid, he doth theſe things by them, in the plural number, that is, not only by rain, but by thunder and lightning, which may have influence upon the Earth, either for hurt, as when they deſtroy and blaſt the Creatures; or for good, as when they ſcour and purifie the Air, that the influences thereof may be more benign. And they have alſo a more mediate influence upon the effects of the rain, they way whereof they prepare by burſting through the cloud. This teacheth,
1: Means and ſecond cauſes will prove unto men, even according as God employes them, for judgement or mercy; as here we ſee. See Deut. 8.3.
2. Even that which is a judgement to ſome, may prove a mercy to others; For, by rain and thunder, &c. he judgeth the people, and giveth meat.
3. Tempeſtuous and terrible-like things may do good to whomſoever God pleaſeth; As by thunder, lightning and rain, he gives meat. So that men need not be afraid of improbable-like things, if God interpoſe.
4. As meat is a great mercy, being ſo neceſſary daily, and a mercy wherewith (if we have raiment alſo) we ſhould be content, 1 Tim. 6.8. So God is to be acknowledged as the giver of it, who employeth ſecond cauſes to produce it, and bleſſeth them for that effect, and puts his bleſſing in it, when it is produced, without which it would do us no more good than the Earth from which it cometh, Deut 8 3. Therefore it is marked, as his great mercy to ſome, that he giveth meat. See Pſal. 104.27, 28.
5. God, when he pleaſeth, can give proof that he is not cloſe handed in his diſpenſations, b…t can give meat in abundance; as here we are taught. See Act. 14.17. So that when we are ſtraitened in theſe th…ngs, we are not to quarrel, or queſtion his fulneſs, but ſhould look to another cauſe.
Thirdly, The Time and Way of this preparation for the rain, v. 32. Namely, That God, when he pleaſeth, covereth the light of the Sun and Sky with theſe clouds, and hindereth the bright ſhining thereof upon the Earth, by the interpoſition of the clouds. The Original Text in the latter part of the Verſe, is very conciſe; but the Supplements, which make it clear, are neceſſarily underſtood in it: For, his command upon it, (that is, upon the light) or, againſt it, (which is the reading of the Original) imports an interd…ction that it ſhould not ſhine; and that which cometh betwixt, or, occurreth, (which is the laſt word in the Text) is the clouds, which is ſupplyed and repeated from the former part of the Verſe. This teacheth,
1. Our mercies are in Gods hand, to take them away when he pleaſeth; As here, he covereth the light, or, Sun, and the fair day, with clouds,
2. Mercies may not only be, but be doing good, when yet we ſee them not; As here the Sun is in the Firmament, and hath influences, when yet we ſee it not, but it is commanded not to ſhine, or, interdicted, by that which cometh betwixt, or, interpoſeth.
3. It is at no time impoſſible for God to do good, when we need it; or to reach us with a ſtroak, when we provoke him; and when our mercies are at the prime, he can alter our condition: As when it is light, or a bright day, he can cover it with clouds, and make the day dark; and when rain can be little expected in a fair day, he can ſuddenly over-cloud it, and ſend rain, either for mercy, or for judgement.
Fourthly, The Evidences and Signes of enſuing rain, v. 33. That the noiſe of winds, or, rather, of thunder, doth ſhew that it is coming, and that the very cattel are ſenſible of its approach, when the vapours are but gathering to be poured out in rain. Thus Naturalliſts write, and experience teacheth, that not only cattel, but other beaſts and birds, are ſenſible of the approach of rain, by the alteration of their bodies, or otherwiſe; and do evidence it by their cryes, breathings, flockings together, fleeing to ſhelters, and other practices. This may teach,
1. God is ſo tender, as that he frequently gives men warning of approaching diſpenſations; which they ſhould improve, to prepare for them; As here, the noiſe thereof ſheweth concerning it.
2. That inſtinct and quality which God hath given to very irrational creatures, whereby they take notice of Gods works, may convince them of the evil of their ſtupidity; For, for that end is that which is to be obſerved among cattel, marked here.