ob humbles himself to God. (1-5) The Lord reasons with Job to
show his righteousness, power, and wisdom. (6-14) God's power
shown in Behemoth. (15-24)
Verses 1-5: Communion with the Lord effectually convinces and humbles a
saint, and makes him glad to part with his most beloved sins.
There is need to be thoroughly convinced and humbled, to prepare
us for remarkable deliverances. After God had shown Job, by his
manifest ignorance of the works of nature, how unable he was to
judge of the methods and designs of Providence, he puts a
convincing question to him; Shall he that contendeth with the
Almighty instruct him? Now Job began to melt into godly sorrow:
when his friends reasoned with him, he did not yield; but the
voice of the Lord is powerful. When the Spirit of truth is come,
he shall convince. Job yields himself to the grace of God. He
owns himself an offender, and has nothing to say to justify
himself. He is now sensible that he has sinned; and therefore he
calls himself vile. Repentance changes men's opinion of
themselves. Job is now convinced of his error. Those who are
truly sensible of their own sinfulness and vileness, dare not
justify themselves before God. He perceived that he was a poor,
mean, foolish, and sinful creature, who ought not to have
uttered one word against the Divine conduct. One glimpse of
God's holy nature would appal the stoutest rebel. How, then will
the wicked bear the sight of his glory at the day of judgment?
But when we see this glory revealed in Jesus Christ, we shall be
humbled without being terrified; self-abasement agrees with
filial love.
Verses 6-14: Those who profit by what they have heard from God, shall
hear more from him. And those who are truly convinced of sin,
yet need to be more thoroughly convinced and more humbled. No
doubt God, and he only, has power to humble and bring down proud
men; he has wisdom to know when and how to do it, and it is not
for us to teach him how to govern the world. Our own hands
cannot save us by recommending us to God's grace, much less
rescuing us from his justice; and therefore into his hand we
must commit ourselves. The renewal of a believer proceeds in the
same way of conviction, humbling, and watchfulness against
remaining sin, as his first conversion. When convinced of many
evils in our conduct, we still need convincing of many more.
Verses 15-24: God, for the further proving of his own power, describes
two vast animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength.
Behemoth signifies beasts. Most understand it of an animal well
known in Egypt, called the river-horse, or hippopotamus. This
vast animal is noticed as an argument to humble ourselves before
the great God; for he created this vast animal, which is so
fearfully and wonderfully made. Whatever strength this or any
other creature has, it is derived from God. He that made the
soul of man, knows all the ways to it, and can make the sword of
justice, his wrath, to approach and touch it. Every godly man
has spiritual weapons, the whole armour of God, to resist, yea,
to overcome the tempter, that his never-dying soul may be safe,
whatever becomes of his frail flesh and mortal body.
ob humbles himself to God. (1-5) The Lord reasons with Job to
show his righteousness, power, and wisdom. (6-14) God's power
shown in Behemoth. (15-24)