Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Job Ch.38 / 42 Ch.s
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.