Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verse 24
Verſ. 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the Judges thereof: if not where, and who is he?
The ſecond Argument, confirming his Aſſertion, is taken from the power which wicked men get over the world, to rule in it madly at their pleaſure. And ſo the Argument doth prove, partly, that the wicked may proſper; partly, that the godly may be put to ſuffering by the oppreſſion of Tyrants, beſide what ſome of them may ſuffer by common calamities; of which he hath ſpoken, v. 23. This power of wicked men is held forth in two expreſſions.
1. That the Earth, or Grandeur in it, and power over thoſe who dwell upon it, is ſometime put by God into the hands of the wicked; which they manage as if all were put in their hands, and themſelves ſubject to the controulment of none.
2. That God covereth the faces of the Judges thereof. Where, if we take covering of the face, as a ſign of condemnation, (as Eſth. 7.8.) we muſt by, Judges, underſtand, not theſe wicked men who bear rule in the world; but ſuch as, for wiſdom, courage, integrity, &c. are worthy to bear rule in it; as ſome underſtand that paſſage alſo, Eccl. 10.7. of Princes walking as ſervants. And ſo the meaning will be, that God permits thoſe wicked men to oppreſs and condemn righteous and juſt men. But this ſenſe of the word, Judges, being unuſual and not ſo clear; we may more ſafely underſtand this whole ſentence of Gods giving up wicked Judges to be hood winked (with fury and paſſion, or with bribes, as Exod. 23.8. Deut. 16.19.) and, as blinded men, to do unjuſtly and oppreſs: And all this is conſumed to be Gods holy act, who permitteth the wicked thus to be exalted, and governeth their ſucceſs, and the oppreſſion of the godly. For if any will not aſcribe it to God, he bids them find another Author, and make it appear who, and where he is: Hereby intimating that to deny this, is to deny Gods Providence in the world, and to aſcribe the Government thereof to ſome other, which were abſurd and blaſphemous.
Hence Learn,
1. The Earth, and riches and power in it, are no ſuch dainties in Gods account, but he will let them fall in wicked mens hands; to teach his people not to place their happineſs in that which he caſts abroad as common: For, The Earth is given into the hand of the wicked. See Pſal. 17.14.
2. Wicked men, when they get power, are ready to think all is put in their hand, to diſpoſe of as they pleaſe, and that they need not acknowledge any Lord over them, Pſal. 12.4. but may imploy all their power to be ſubſervient to their own ends and deſigns, little remembering that they ought to judge for the Lord, 2 Chron. 19.6. For, thus alſo is the Earth given into the hand of the wicked; when God puts them in power, they act as if all were devolved into their hands, to do as they lift, and this is the root of oppreſſion.
3. Oppreſſion and injuſtice do prove men to be mad and blind, not knowing what they do, or whether they go, nor looking about them, to ponder their way and the iſſue thereof; For, here they are ſaid to be as men, walking with their faces covered; He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof. And, indeed, if they conſidered God, who is Supreme above them, and to whom they muſt give an account, and if they did meditate ſeriouſly upon the vanity of humane power and grandeur, they would not act as they do. But, in effect, Oppreſſours are no leſs mad than thoſe that are bound with chains and fetters.
4. It is the duty and great advantage, of the people of God, to ſee and adore the Providence of God in the moſt confuſed adminiſtrations of the ſons of men, and in oppreſſours ſucceſs; For, He covereth their face, ſaith Job. This will let us ſee that God can make uſe of their ſervice for holy and wiſe ends, whatever their deſign or work be.
5. As oppreſſours themſelves do little mind or acknowledge Gods Providence or Dominion over them; ſo it may be little ſeen by others, in their oppreſſions. Even the godly may queſtion Providence, becauſe ſuch do proſper, Pſal. 73.11, 12. much more may others queſtion it, Mal. 2.17. and generally all men are apt to be ſo taken up with the cruelty of oppreſſours, that they forget to look up to Providence, and what God may intend by their oppreſſions; For, Job is not only put to aſſert that God doth this, but to diſpute it. And that ſuppoſition, if not, or, if it be not ſo that God doth this, implieth it may be queſtioned, and is queſtioned by many.
6. Not to ſee God and his Providence, in the oppreſſions of men, is injurious to him, as denying his Providence, and puts the denyer to find out another Authour, and Supreme Governour, of thoſe affairs; For, ſaith he, If not, where and who is he? See Amos 3 6
7. Albeit odious conſequences ought not to be faſtened upon Truth, to render it ſuſpected to ſuch as cannot well diſcern; Yet maintainers of Errour ought to conſider how much, even a plauſible-like Errour, may encroach upon the Prerogatives of God: For, whereas they pretended to plead in behalf of Gods Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, in denying the proſperity of the wicked; Job lets them ſee, that, as they contradicted common experience, if they denyed the matter of fact, that they did proſper; ſo, it were a denyal of Providence, not to aſcribe this to God.