Job to Eliphaz: 1. The experience of a seeker after God.
I. GREAT SORROW. (Verse 2.) Two wonders.
1. An afflicted man a seeker after God. Designed to recall men to God (Job 36:8, Job 36:9; Isaiah 19:22; Jeremiah 2:27; Hosea 5:15), temporal calamity is not always attended by so blessed a result. Unaccompanied by grace, it tends to harden rather than soften the human heart, to repel rather than attract the soul's confidence and love. Happily, however, in Job's case its natural tendencies were corrected. With greater urgency and vehemence than before, it impelled him to inquire after God (cf. 2 Chronicles 15:4; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Psalms 34:6; Psalms 77:2; Psalms 119:67; Hosea 6:1; Luke 15:18).
2. A seeker after God an afflicted man. Strange that one who sought God so sincerely as Job did should have been subjected to such overwhelming tribulation. Yet the more triumphant waxed Job's faith, the heavier seemed to fall the pressure of his misery. Notwithstanding the lofty declarations of confidence in God which had fallen from his lips (Job 13:15; Job 19:25), his complaint still bade defiance, while Ms hand lay heavy upon his groaning (Delitzsch), refusing to let it go, because, of course, the cause of it was not removed. His physical disease was in no degree abated. The calumniations of his friends were aggravated, not ameliorated. The felt absence of God was become more intolerable than ever. Even the groaning which involuntarily escaped his lips was pronounced rebellion. But saints and seekers after God have no guarantee of exemption from trouble. Rather, trouble is to them as a refining fire. Hence the loftier their piety, the hotter may be made the furnace through which they walk. Nay, their afflictions may so abound, bodily pain, mental distress, spiritual desolation, that they are compelled to "groan, being burdened" (2 Corinthians 5:4); but, like true saints and genuine seekers after God, they will neither complain too bitterly nor groan too heavily, but study to keep their complaint in subjection, and to make their groaning less than their suffering.
II. ARDENT LONGING. (Verse 2.)
1. A seeker after God at a loss to find him. Considering that God desires (Acts 17:27) and commands men to seek him (Isaiah Iv. 6), and promises that they who seek shall find (Matthew 7:7), it would almost seem as if such a thing should be impossible. But Job being witness, and David (Psalms 42:2), even a saint, losing his inward consciousness of God's presence and favour, may be unable to recover either. And if a saint, then. much more a sinner, who has never yet met with God, may find it hard to reach his seat. It is, of course, certain that true seekers will ultimately find. Only the time of finding, for wise and holy purposes, may be delayed; sometimes to try the faith or increase the earnestness of the seeker, sometimes because of sin or wilful defect in the seeker, sometimes to make known to the seeker the unchallengeable sovereignty of God in discovering himself to men.
2. A seeker after God always possessed of certain characteristics; as:
III. HOLY BOLDNESS. (Verses 4, 5.) The courage of the patriarch arose from three things.
1. Well-arranged thoughts. Coming into God's presence, and commencing to plead before God's throne, he would set forth his words in orderly array. This implied that Job had spent much time in communing with his heart. Thoughts seldom arrange themselves spontaneously or unconsciously, rather their arrangement requires deliberate and sometimes protracted mental effort. Intelligent disposition of the soul's ideas and emotions before pressing forward to heaven's throne is not only demanded by the ineffable majesty of him who sits upon the throne (Job 37:19), but is eminently conducive to the spiritual fortitude of him who as a suppliant approaches the throne. Thoroughly prepared and well-arranged words never fail to impart confidence to a speaker, as inward disorder is almost sure to overwhelm him with outward confusion.
2. Well-constructed arguments. Job meant that he was able to adduce convincing proofs of his integrity. What these were is not stated, but that he alluded to the witness of his past life may be reasonably conjectured. The best evidence of piety is the testimony of the outer walk and conversation (Matthew 7:20; John 15:8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 3:10). Nor is any sign so assuring to the heart before God as the consciousness of inward sincerity when supported by the argument of outward propriety. And to this the believer may legitimately appeal in his pleadings before God, like St. Peter when he said to the risen Christ, "Lord, thou knowest that I love thee" (John 21:17).
3. Well-assured hope. So confident is Job of having right upon his side, that he fears not to hear the decision of the Judge. In this Job was perhaps a little guilty of pride. The spirit here evinced is that of self-righteousness, rather than of trust in the mercy of God. Still, a child of God might now evince as great a confidence as Job without being open, like him, to the challenge of self-righteousness; might be able to anticipate the Judge's decision without alarm, not because of his own personal integrity, but because of the all-sufficient merit of Jesus Christ (cf. Job 13:18, homiletics).
IV. SUBLIME CONFIDENCE. Of two things Job declares himself satisfied.
1. God's mercy towards him. (Verse 6.) God would not confound him with the fulness of his strength, or terrify him with his majesty (Job 9:34, q.v.), but would mercifully strengthen him to plead his cause, or, according to a more literal translation, would set his heart upon him, i.e. would regard him with affectionate attention, not only giving him a fair hearing, but dispelling his apprehensions, and enabling him to present his case with lucidity and completeness. What Job anticipated, the believer in God is promised. God will not overawe with his majesty any suppliant who comes to his throne; but will regard him with tender love (Proverbs 15:8; Zechariah 13:9; John 4:23); will listen to his cries (2 Chronicles 7:15; Psalms 34:15; Psalms 145:18); will even strengthen him with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 2:18).
2. His victory through God. (Verse 7.) The sincerely upright man, having an opportunity to plead before God, would be certain of ultimate triumph over all who should seek to condemn him; and so shall the Christian believer come off victorious, when he stands before God's throne, and be made more than a conqueror through him that loved us (Romans 8:33-39).
Learn:
1. The first step towards blessedness is taken by man when he becomes a seeker after God.
2. A man may be getting nearer God, though all outward signs appear to proclaim the reverse.
3. The gospel has for ever rendered Job's prayer unnecessary.
4. If a man fails to find God, he must be seeking for him in the wrong quarter or the wrong way.
5. They who come to God's throne in earnest will find mercy to pardon, and grace to help in every time of need.