‏ Job 38

* God calls upon Job to answer. (1-3) God questions Job. (4-11)

Concerning the light and darkness. (12-24) Concerning other

mighty works. (25-41)

1-3 Job had silenced, but had not convinced his friends. Elihu

had silenced Job, but had not brought him to admit his guilt

before God. It pleased the Lord to interpose. The Lord, in this

discourse, humbles Job, and brings him to repent of his

passionate expressions concerning God's providential dealings

with him; and this he does, by calling upon Job to compare God's

being from everlasting to everlasting, with his own time; God's

knowledge of all things, with his own ignorance; and God's

almighty power, with his own weakness. Our darkening the

counsels of God's wisdom with our folly, is a great provocation

to God. Humble faith and sincere obedience see farthest and best

into the will of the Lord. 4-11 For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance,

even concerning the earth and the sea. As we cannot find fault

with God's work, so we need not fear concerning it. The works of

his providence, as well as the work of creation, never can be

broken; and the work of redemption is no less firm, of which

Christ himself is both the Foundation and the Corner-stone. The

church stands as firm as the earth. 12-24 The Lord questions Job, to convince him of his ignorance,

and shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we thus

try ourselves, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know

is nothing in comparison with what we know not. By the tender

mercy of our God, the Day-spring from on high has visited us, to

give light to those that sit in darkness, whose hearts are

turned to it as clay to the seal, #2Co 4:6|. God's way in the

government of the world is said to be in the sea; this means,

that it is hid from us. Let us make sure that the gates of

heaven shall be opened to us on the other side of death, and

then we need not fear the opening of the gates of death. It is

presumptuous for us, who perceive not the breadth of the earth,

to dive into the depth of God's counsels. We should neither in

the brightest noon count upon perpetual day, nor in the darkest

midnight despair of the return of the morning; and this applies

to our inward as well as to our outward condition. What folly it

is to strive against God! How much is it our interest to seek

peace with him, and to keep in his love! 25-41 Hitherto God had put questions to Job to show him his

ignorance; now God shows his weakness. As it is but little that

he knows, he ought not to arraign the Divine counsels; it is but

little he can do, therefore he ought not to oppose the ways of

Providence. See the all-sufficiency of the Divine Providence; it

has wherewithal to satisfy the desire of every living thing. And

he that takes care of the young ravens, certainly will not be

wanting to his people. This being but one instance of the Divine

compassion out of many, gives us occasion to think how much good

our God does, every day, beyond what we are aware of. Every view

we take of his infinite perfections, should remind us of his

right to our love, the evil of sinning against him, and our need

of his mercy and salvation.