- In these questions the Lord continued to humble Job. In this
chapter several animals are spoken of, whose nature or situation
particularly show the power, wisdom, and manifold works of God.
The wild ass. It is better to labour and be good for something,
than to ramble and be good for nothing. From the untameableness
of this and other creatures, we may see, how unfit we are to
give law to Providence, who cannot give law even to a wild ass's
colt. The unicorn, a strong, stately, proud creature. He is able
to serve, but not willing; and God challenges Job to force him
to it. It is a great mercy if, where God gives strength for
service, he gives a heart; it is what we should pray for, and
reason ourselves into, which the brutes cannot do. Those gifts
are not always the most valuable that make the finest show. Who
would not rather have the voice of the nightingale, than the
tail of the peacock; the eye of the eagle and her soaring wing,
and the natural affection of the stork, than the beautiful
feathers of the ostrich, which can never rise above the earth,
and is without natural affection? The description of the
war-horse helps to explain the character of presumptuous
sinners. Every one turneth to his course, as the horse rushes
into the battle. When a man's heart is fully set in him to do
evil, and he is carried on in a wicked way, by the violence of
his appetites and passions, there is no making him fear the
wrath of God, and the fatal consequences of sin. Secure sinners
think themselves as safe in their sins as the eagle in her nest
on high, in the clefts of the rocks; but I will bring thee down
from thence, saith the Lord, (Jer 49:16). All these beautiful
references to the works of nature, should teach us a right view
of the riches of the wisdom of Him who made and sustains all
things. The want of right views concerning the wisdom of God,
which is ever present in all things, led Job to think and speak
unworthily of Providence.
od inquires of Job concerning several animals.