atan obtains leave to try Job. (1-6) Job's sufferings. (7-10)
His friends come to comfort him. (11-13)
Verses 1-6.: How well is it for us, that neither men nor devils are to
be our judges! but all our judgment comes from the Lord, who
never errs. Job holds fast his integrity still, as his weapon.
God speaks with pleasure of the power of his own grace.
Self-love and self-preservation are powerful in the hearts of
men. But Satan accuses Job, representing him as wholly selfish,
and minding nothing but his own ease and safety. Thus are the
ways and people of God often falsely blamed by the devil and his
agents. Permission is granted to Satan to make trial, but with a
limit. If God did not chain up the roaring lion, how soon would
he devour us! Job, thus slandered by Satan, was a type of
Christ, the first prophecy of whom was, that Satan should bruise
his heel, and be foiled.
Verses 7-10: The devil tempts his own children, and draws them to sin,
and afterwards torments, when he has brought them to ruin; but
this child of God he tormented with affliction, and then tempted
to make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse
God. The disease was very grievous. If at any time we are tried
with sore and grievous distempers, let us not think ourselves
dealt with otherwise than as God sometimes deals with the best
of his saints and servants. Job humbled himself under the mighty
hand of God, and brought his mind to his condition. His wife was
spared to him, to be a troubler and tempter to him. Satan still
endeavours to draw men from God, as he did our first parents, by
suggesting hard thoughts of Him, than which nothing is more
false. But Job resisted and overcame the temptation. Shall we,
guilty, polluted, worthless creatures, receive so many unmerited
blessings from a just and holy God, and shall we refuse to
accept the punishment of our sins, when we suffer so much less
than we deserve? Let murmuring, as well as boasting, be for ever
done away. Thus far Job stood the trial, and appeared brightest
in the furnace of affliction. There might be risings of
corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand.
Verses 11-13: The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as
for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in
friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with
him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort
him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected
his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he
had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it
only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must
look life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to
lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in
Christ.
atan obtains leave to try Job. (1-6) Job's sufferings. (7-10)
His friends come to comfort him. (11-13)