Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 32-35
Verſ. 32. For he is not a man as I am, that I ſhould anſwer him, and we ſhould come together in judgment.
33. Neither is there any days-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrifie me;
35. Then would I ſpeak, and not fear him, but it is not ſo with me.
Job's ſecond proof that he is righteous, is, his humble offering (if he might) to juſtifie himſelf before God, that he was ſincere, and free of that hypocriſie wherewith his Friends charged him. In this diſcourſe, he both gives a further reaſon of his declining to pretend to ſinleſneſs (and therefore it is connected with what precedes, by the particles, For,) by ſhewing that as the matter ſtood, he could not, no… durſt debate the matter with God, conſidering the inequality of the parties in themſelves, v. 32. and that there was no ſuperior Judge, to whom recourſe might be had, v. 33. And yet he proves his ſincerity, by offering to plead his cauſe on more equal terms, v. 34, 35 —. In ſum, the purpoſe, and his offer, may be thus conceived; That albeit there can be no pleading againſt God as unrighteous, nor any contending with him according to the ſtrict rule of juſtice. For God is Supreme Lord, and he, being but a poor creature, could not anſwer nor defend himſelf againſt his challenges, who knew him better then himſelf did; nor were they equal parties, to engage in a debate, v 32. Nor yet is there any Superiour Judge (or a…guer, or reprover, that is, to reprove him who did wrong his party …n pleading, and by his ſentence reprove him that had the wrong cauſe) who might lay his hand upon them both or, uſe his power, to bring both parties together to judgment, to ordain a Law, and enforce the parties to ſtand to the ſentence: But God is Supreme, having dominion over him at his pleaſure, and by the rigour of the Law might condemn him, v. 33. Yet if God would take away the preſent rod that was upon him, and remove his terrour which confounded him; he would plead his cauſe without fear, and maintain that he was ſincere, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace, and no hypocrite, v. 34, 35—. This reaſoning (whatever ſound truths be in it) is not handſomely expreſſed. For it ſpeaks an indirect challenge, that he was put to a diſadvantage in maintaining of his integrity. Nor can it be denyed but this way of offering to maintain his integrity ſavours of too much height of ſpirit, though he ha… a good cauſe. And as this began his ill humour of complaining, which breaks out, Chap. 10. So it is at this, and the like ſpeech, Job 13.20, 21, 22. which Elihu hin…s in his off…r, Job 33.6, 7 And God himſelf gives him the check for theſe and the like ſpeeches, when he calls him to d…bate with him, Job 38.3. & 40 7 Hence we may be warned, how hard it is to keep a right frame of ſpirit toward God under trouble, and to bear and manage a good Conſcience, when we are afflicted, ſo as it may be a ſupport to us, and not an occaſion of challenge againſt God, that ſuch as we are afflicted.
But laying aſide this weakneſs in his diſcourſe, we may Obſerve theſe Truths in it.
1. However vain man ſwell high in his own eyes, and do carry ſo as if he had no equal, or Superiour and Lord over him; yet there is an infinite diſtance betwixt God and Man: For, ſaith he, He is not a man as I am, but the great Lord. See Eccl. 6.10. Jer. 49.19. This diſtance, both in reſpect of his dreadful Majeſty, and bleſſed perfections, we ſhould mind in all our ways, when we are preſumptuous in ſinning, Pſal. 50.21. when we approach to God, Eccl. 5.1.2. when we expect good things from him, according to his promiſe, Hoſ. 11.8, 9. Num. 23.19 &c.
2. When God is rightly taken up, in his Majeſty and Holineſs, man will ſee that he cannot anſwer God, nor defend himſelf before him, or abide his ſtrict enquiry and judgment; who ſeeth more of man then he can ſee of himſelf, and who judgeth not only on words and actions, but on a mans nature and inclinations; For, He is not a man as I am, that I ſhould anſwer him. See 1 Cor. 4.4 Pſal. 143.2.
3. As the man who knoweth God, will ſee that he cannot abide his ſtrict judgment; So, far leſs, will he dare to quarrel ſo Supreme, ſo Holy and All-ſeeing a Party, or deal with him as if he were his equal; For, He is not a man as I am, that we ſhould come together in judgment, as equal Parties, who have liberty of mutual accuſations. Every quarreller would make God but his equal, but they dare not attempt that, who know that all they have is of him.
4. God ought alſo to be acknowledged to have ſupreme and abſolute dominion, and to be accountable to none; For, neither is there any days m… betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. And the ſtudy of his Soveraignty is enough to ſilence all our reaſonings againſt him.
5. Afflictions may give a ſore da…h to m…ns c…urage, in maintaining their integrity, even according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace; For, ſaith he, let him take his rod away from me, before I diſpute my honeſty. Saints ought not to ſt…mble, albeit ſor… afflictions ſhake their confidence and courage not a little.
6. That which makes trouble ſo apt to ſhake Saints, is, their apprehending God as terrible and dreadful, through that Perſpective of …; Therefore he addeth, being under the rod, and let not his fear terrifie me. God may ſeem to be terrible to them whom he loveth dearly; And albei… it be the Saints weakneſs …ot to ſ…e love under that; yet it i… an evidence of their tenderneſs, that they are apprehenſive of i…, when afflicted, and can bear it wo…t of any other ingredient in their cup.
7. Integrity, as it hath ſ…ll to do with God, as its Judge and Witneſs; So, it will not decline his Judgment on a Mercy-ſeat, and looks f… beſt quarters at his hand: As knowing that he ſ…eth infirmities in his ſincere ſervants, to cover and …mend them, Pſal. 139.23, 24. For, on theſe terms formerly mentioned, Then would I ſpeak, ſaith he, and … fea… him. Where, though the height of his ſpirit in this offer cannot be juſtified, yet, he ſeems …o mean no other thing by this, not fearing, but that he would ſpeak without fear of perturbation, not without fear of reverence.
8. Whatever diſadvantage integrity meet with, yet it will never quit its claim; For, then would I ſpeak, ſaith he. He is ready to diſpute, though▪ as m…ers ſtand, he dare not. So that they who have a good Conſcience, and want theſe diſadvantages, may be bold.
As for that which is ſubjoyned, in the end of v 35. by way of regret, But it is not ſo with me. Some read it as a reaſon of his offer, Becauſe, I am not ſo with my ſelf; as if he had ſaid; I would debate my cauſe with God upon the terms propounded, becauſe I am nothing ſuch in my own Conſcience as your miſapprehenſions and a…erſions would repreſent me, which yet do not move me, ſ…ce I have a witneſs in my ſelf to the contrary. But the beſt reading according to the Original, is, But (or, becauſe) not ſo I; with my ſelf. And ſo it contains both a regret and a reſolution; As if he had ſaid; ſeeing I am not ſo as I deſire to be, that I might plead my cauſe; I have not that advantage, to be delivered from Gods rod and terrour, that I might get ſuch an hea…ing of my cauſe; Therefore I will give over to propound or make the offer, and will do the beſt I can to digeſt all my grievances with my ſelf in my own boſom. A further account of which reſolution is ſubjoyned in the next Chapter.
Whence Learn,
1. Saints may be under diſadvantages, which God will not remove when they pleaſe; and yet may remove them, when they look upon them as paſt remedy: For, ſaith he, But not ſo I. He obtained not now his deſired liberty to plead his cauſe, though afterward he did, (both with Elihu, and God himſelf) albeit the iſſue was not altogether ſuch as he expected.
2. Silent ſubmiſſion under hard diſpenſations is better then any diſputation and quarrelling; For, ſo doth he reſolve, Becauſe, not ſo I; with my ſelf.