ob reproves his friends. (1-5) The wicked often
prosper.(6-11) Job speaks of the wisdom and power of God.
(12-25)
Verses 1-5: Job upbraids his friends with the good opinion they had of
their own wisdom compared with his. We are apt to call reproofs
reproaches, and to think ourselves mocked when advised and
admonished; this is our folly; yet here was colour for this
charge. He suspected the true cause of their conduct to be, that
they despised him who was fallen into poverty. It is the way of
the world. Even the just, upright man, if he comes under a
cloud, is looked upon with contempt.
Verses 6-11: Job appeals to facts. The most audacious robbers,
oppressors, and impious wretches, often prosper. Yet this is not
by fortune or chance; the Lord orders these things. Worldly
prosperity is of small value in his sight: he has better things
for his children. Job resolves all into the absolute
proprietorship which God has in all the creatures. He demands
from his friends liberty to judge of what they had said; he
appeals to any fair judgment.
Verses 12-25: This is a noble discourse of Job concerning the wisdom,
power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering all the affairs of
the children of men, according to the counsel of His own will,
which none can resist. It were well if wise and good men, who
differ about lesser things, would see how it is for their honour
and comfort, and the good of others, to dwell most upon the
great things in which they agree. Here are no complaints, or
reflections. He gives many instances of God's powerful
management of the children of men, overruling all their
counsels, and overcoming all their oppositions. Having all
strength and wisdom, God knows how to make use, even of those
who are foolish and bad; otherwise there is so little wisdom and
so little honesty in the world, that all had been in confusion
and ruin long ago. These important truths were suited to
convince the disputants that they were out of their depth in
attempting to assign the Lord's reasons for afflicting Job; his
ways are unsearchable, and his judgments past finding out. Let
us remark what beautiful illustrations there are in the word of
God, confirming his sovereignty, and wisdom in that sovereignty:
but the highest and infinitely the most important is, that the
Lord Jesus was crucified by the malice of the Jews; and who but
the Lord could have known that this one event was the salvation
of the world?
ob reproves his friends. (1-5) The wicked often
prosper.(6-11) Job speaks of the wisdom and power of God.
(12-25)