Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verse 7 – Verse 12
Verſ. 7. Which commandeth the Sun, and it riſeth not: and ſealeth up the ſtars:
The next inſtance of the power of God, is, in commanding the Sun that it riſe not, and in ſealing up the Stars. This may be underſtood (as it relates to the Sun) that God, when he pleaſeth, by his Word of command cauſeth the Sun to ſtand ſtill (Joſh. 10.) and to go back, (Iſa. 39.8.) ſo that it keeps not its ordinary courſe of riſing and ſetting. Or, it may be underſtood of his common Providence, that he keepeth the Sun from riſing and ſhining upon us in the night; and with-holdeth the ſtars from our ſight in the day time; as if they were ſhut up under ſeals. But it ſeems rather to point at this; That though the Sun keep its courſe; yet at Gods command it riſeth not to us as to our ſeeing of it, or the light thereof, when it is wrapped up in clouds of darkneſs; as when darkneſs came for a plague on Egypt, Exod. 10.21, 22. So alſo in Paul's voyage, Act. 27.20. and in Eclipſes: and that the ſtars are ſealed up in the day time with the light of the Sun, and ſometime in the night, with clouds.
Hence Learn,
1. It is our duty to obſerve the comly order which God hath placed in the world, of a viciſſitude of day and night; and of the Sun, Moon and Stars to rule and ſhine in thoſe, in their courſes; As here Job inſtanceth in the Sun and Stars, and their ſhining, or being ſealed up. This viciſſitude is not only needful for ordering the time of our labour and reſt, Pſal. 104.19.—23. and for renewing our diſpoſitions, by the renewed ſight of the creatures, repreſented to us every morning, Job 38.12, 13, 14. But it ſerves to be a document of the viciſſitudes of all lots within time; ſo that neither in proſperity ought we to be ſecure, conſidering that time is ſtill in motion and changing, Pſal. 30.6, 7. Nor in adverſity ought we to be diſcouraged, as if it would be perpetual. Hence the Pſalmiſt, pleading for a relief to the Church in trouble; argueth from thoſe changes and viciſſitudes, that the Churches ſad condition muſt not be ſtill the ſame, Pſal. 74.10, 11, 16, 17. And as for the lights that ſhine by night and by day, mercy is obſerved to ſhine in them. Pſal. 136. Yea, the very mercy of the ſight of the Sun and Stars, in their time, ought to be obſerved as a proof of Gods kindneſs to all men, which ſhould be imitated by his Children, Mat. 5.44, 45.
2. All the excellency that is in the creature comes from God, and all the comfort we receive thereby, cometh from him; For, as he made the Light before he made the Sun; So, the Sun, for all its brightneſs, or the Stars will not ſhine, if he command them not, or, if he caſt a vail upon them. God hath a negative voyce in all the motions and influences of the creatures, whether Enemies, Pſal. 76.10. Iſa. 8.9, 10. Lam. 3.37, 38. or means of comfort. Bread will not feed us, if he take away the bleſſing, Deut. 8.3. nor hurtful things annoy us, if he prohibit, Act. 28.3, 4, 5, 6. Iſa. 43.2. Dan. 3.27. & 6.20, 22.
3. The Lord needs no more, to order or overturn any of his creatures, their motions and influences; or to bring about his purpoſes by them, but a word of command; For, he commandeth the Sun, and it riſeth not, and ſealeth up the Stars. See Pſal. 147.15, 16. & 148.4. & 44.4. Matth. 8.8. 2 Cor. 4.6. So that his naked Word is not lightly to be regarded, whether it be for a man, or againſt him.
4. The obediential ſubjection of inſenſible creatures, to the command of God, will be a witneſs againſt proud contentious men, who, being endued with reaſon, ought to be more plyable to his will; For, ſo may this inſtance be referred to Job's principal ſcope, which is to reprove contenders and qu… rellers with God, ver. 3, 4. And indeed, if thoſe creatures be obedientially ſubject, to be ordered ſo as may be for the honour and ſervice of their Maker; and if it be the Suns ſplendour not to ſhine, at Gods command, and the brightneſs of the Stars, to be ſealed up, when he pleaſeth; how guilty muſt men be, who ſeek only to pleaſe themſelves, and to have their intereſts and humours ſerved in every thing, without ſubmiſſion to what may glorifie God?
Verſ. 8. Which alone ſpreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea:
The power of God is here further inſtanced,
1. In the Heavens, which as God, when at firſt he created them, ſpread out as a ſtately curtain, Pſal. 104.2. So, when he pleaſeth, he again (as it were) ſpreads them out in their ſerenity, by drawing off the vail of clouds that were upon them.
2. In the Sea; which he hath under his power (as this phraſe of treading, imports, Pſal. 91.13.) and can ſettle the waves thereof, and pave it as a flour upon which one walketh.
Hence Learn,
1. The Heaven, or Firmament, in its extenſion, and ſerenity and brightneſs, is a ſtately document of the Power, Majeſty, and wiſdom of God; as here we are taught, and, Pſal. 8.3. & 19.1. This gloriouſly imbroidered Canopy doth demonſtrate what ſtately works God can produce of nothing, and ſhould put us in mind of the glory of our inviſible Countrey, which is above.
2. The Lord (as he made the Heavens his alone, and needs not the help of Angels to rule the motions; So) can do greateſt works his alone, without the help of our ſtrength or counſel; as in this inſtance we are taught. Which is the more to be heeded, that hereby the Lord hath given a ſtanding pledge and document of his mercy, which endures for ever toward his people, Pſal. 136.4, 5. See Job 37.18. Iſa. 59.16. 2 Tim. 4.16, 17.
3. The Sea alſo is a Theatre, upon which many of Gods wonders are to be ſeen. Pſal. 107.23, 24. both for variety of creatures fed there, Pſal. 104.25, 27. His bounding of its fury againſt the Land, Job 38.8.— 11, and compeſcing of the tempeſts that ariſe there, Pſal. 107.29, 30. & 89.9. This is it, whereby his power is commended here, He treadeth upon the waves, or heights, and riſings, of the Sea. And hereby doth he demonſtrate his power to compeſce the tumults of men; whether, when they aſſault his people, Pſal. 65.7. & 93.3, 4. or let looſe their corruptions like a troubled Sea, Iſa. 57.20. or are mad upon Errours, Jude ver. 13. or do riſe and ſwell againſt Gods diſpenſations, to contend with him becauſe of them, which is the particular Job is upon. In all which caſes, God can either calm, or, if they will not be calm, cruſh them.
Verſ. 9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South:
A further inſtance of Gods power, and of his wiſedom alſo, is, That not only he made the glorious Conſtellations: but hath ordered ſome of them, by their riſing and appearing, to diſtinguiſh, and, by their influences, to moderate the ſeaſons of the year. As Arcturus for the Harveſt (at which time of old they began the year; and therefore it is firſt mentioned here,) Orion, the Winter; Pleiades, the Spring, and the Chambers of the South, the Summer; whereby (it is moſt like) the Stars of the Conſtellation called Canis Major, (in which the Dog-Star is moſt conſpicuous) are deſigned. For they ariſe with the Sun in Summer, and may be called, the inward parts, (as ſome read it) or, Chambers of the South, becauſe they are ſo far inward to the South, beyond the Aequinoctial line, much further then Orion is (and ſo more remote from thoſe who live on this ſide the Line, and near the North-pole) and becauſe they ariſe in the time of great heat, as if they came out of ſome warm chambers. I ſhall not enter to ſpeak of theſe Conſtellations, nor dip on their names in the Hebrew, and the ſignification thereof.
Only we may hence Learn,
1. The wiſdom and power of God is to be ſeen and adored, in ordering the ſeaſons of the year; wherein there are ſuch changes, as are uſeful for man, for the Earth and Creatures living on it; and in the fixing whereof, the fidelity of God is to be remarked, Gen. 8.22. and he is to be eyed in any variations we find in thoſe, as rendering himſelf conſpicuous therein, when we will not notice him in his ordinary way.
2. As Gods glorious power and wiſdom ſhine in making and ordering the Stars, and their influences, Job 38.31, 32. (whereby he invites men to ſeek him, Amos 5.8 and to believe his Univerſal Providence, and particular care of all his people, Pſal. 147.3, 4, 5. So it is very commendable to be verſed in that ſtudy; as Job here hath been. No… ſo, as to ſeek to draw the fore-knowledge of particular contingent events (were it but even the temper of the weather on ſuch and ſuch particular days) from them, Jer. 10.2. Iſa. 47.13. But that we may be led to ſee and acknowledge God in them.
Verſ. 10. Which doth great things paſt finding out, yea, and wonders without number.
All theſe Particular inſtances are, here, ſhut up in a General; That God doth great and incomprehenſible, things which can neither be ſearched out nor reckoned. Of this, See further, Chap. 5.9.
Here Learn,
1. The documents of Gods power and glory are ſo many, that who ſo would eſſay to recount them, he will weary before he be well begun; For, Job is forced to give over here, Gods works being paſt finding out, and without number. And no wonder, for the whole Earth is full of his glory, Iſa. 6.3.
2. Every one of thoſe works of God are great and marvellous; even the leaſt of Gods creatures will over-charge the beſt wits, to conſider the power and wiſdom of God in making of it; For, they are all great things, and wonders.
3. The number and gloriouſneſs of Gods works ſhould contribute to humble man before him, and put him from quarrelling Gods work about himſelf, whoſe works ſpeaks his praiſe in Heaven and in Earth, in ſo great frequency and variety: For, this tends alſo to his ſcope of ſilencing mans contending with God, that He doth great things paſt finding out, and wonders without number.
Verſ. 11. Loe, he goeth by me, and I ſee him not: he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not.
In this verſe that Argument, ver. 4. is confirmed, as to the point of wiſdom, eſpecially. In that God (as Job had obſerved in his experience) dayly preſenteth himſelf to view, in his works of Providence; and that not only by a ſudden glance, but ſo as he may be viewed at leiſure, (as a man going by, and paſſing on before another:) and yet he could not take him up, even in thoſe: And how much leſs could he comprehend the depth of Gods Wiſdom and Juſtice (which his eyes ſaw not) ſo as to contend about it?
Hence Learn,
1. The Lord doth preſent himſelf before man, from day to day, in his works; ſo as himſelf may be ſeen in them; For, He goeth by me, and paſſeth on alſo. See Acts 14.17. & 17.27, 28.
2. God, manifeſting himſelf thus in his works, is but little ſeen or perceived by the beſt of men; For, He paſſeth by me, and I ſee him not; he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not. Not only are men not aware, but ſurprized, in extraordinary manifeſtations; Gen. 28.16. But even in common things, either we ſee not his hand in them, or but in few of them; and wherein we ſee moſt, we ſee but little of what of him ſhines in them. So it appeareth by theſe Queſtions, Chap. 38. & 39. that we are but ignorant of what is to be ſeen in the very courſe of Nature, and revolutions of ſeaſons, and humane affairs. Providences are a dark Book, which men will not eaſily learn to read aright.
3. It is not enough that men have notional contemplations of mans ignorance, but they muſt experimentally know it in themſelves; as Job here inſtanceth in his own perſon, I ſee him not, I perceive him not.
4. Such as come experimentally to know their ignorance of God in common things, will be affected therewith, and excited thereby to admire him, who is ſo incomprehenſible, even in ſuch things: Therefore he premits a note of attention and admiration to this, Lo, he goeth by me, &c.
5. Our ignorance and inadvertency in moſt common things, ought not only to humble us; but, eſpecially, ought to guard us againſt quarrelling of the depth of the Wiſdom and Righteouſneſs of God, in more ſingular diſpenſations; For, that is the ſcope here, That if Job ſaw not God, as he ought, in common things, how could he think to pry ſo into his dealing about him, as to contend with him? The ſtudy of this would teach us, that when we look on things unbeſeeming (as we conceive) the wiſdom, righteouſneſs, and holineſs of God, we ſhould complain of our own weakneſs, and not challenge God. And, inſtead of quarrelling, we ought to admire his goodneſs, who will imploy ſuch an unſearchable depth and myſtery of wiſdom about us, and do that good to us, and for us, which we ſo often miſtake and quarrel.
Verſ. 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will ſay unto himn, What doeſt thou?
The third General Argument, confirming this Aſſertion concerning the Righteouſneſs of God, and that he is not to be contended with; is taken from his power attended with Soveraignty. If God come to deprive a man of any enjoyment he hath; there is no reſiſting of him by force, ſeeing he is Omnipotent; not ought there to be any queſtion made of the juſtice of the fact, ſeeing he hath abſolute dominion, and is not accomptable to any. And therefore it may well be concluded, that it is folly to contend with him as unrighteous in his dealing.
Hence Learn,
1. The creatures enjoyments are in Gods hand, to diſpoſe of them as he pleaſeth, and he doth, ſometime, ſee it fitting to take them away, even in a violent manner, and ſo as may moſt affect the creature: For, it is an evidence of his dominion, to be marked and adored; Behold, he taketh away, even as a Lion takes his prey, as the word imports. This may warn men to be fitted for wanting more then ever they wanted, even ſo long as they have any thing to be taken away: and it teacheth them not to fix their hearts upon any enjoyment; For that is the ready way to make the righteous owner claim it, when it becometh an idol, and to make the removal and loſs of it more violent and bitter to them.
2. When God is pleaſed thus to ſtrip a man, there is no ſtanding out againſt him, nor any victory attainable, but by ſubmiſſion, the want whereof augments croſſes; For, Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? or turn him away, from proſecuting his purpoſe…? See Lev. 10.3.
3. It is not ſufficient ſubmiſſion, when men ſimply quit what is taken from them, becauſe they cannot help it; unleſs alſo they give over quarrelling of God in their minds, as being Soveraign Lord, and proprietary of all they enjoy, and he from whom no reaſon of actions ought to be required: Therefore, unto that, Who can hinder him? is added, Who will ſay (or, dare and ought ſay) unto him, What doſt thou? And here our ſubjection unto God muſt begin, till he pleaſe to give ſome further account of his dealing, as ſeemeth good unto him. See Iſa. 45.9. Jer. 18.6. Rom. 9.20.