He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them. Sermons
I. HOW GOD DISCOVERS DEEP THINGS OUT OF DARKNESS. He has means of knowledge which are sealed to us, a key which unlocks the most secret chamber, an eye that can see down to the most hidden depths. He sees the skeleton in the cupboard. The mask of the hypocrite can never deceive him. 1. God sees inwardly. Man looks on the outward countenance, God on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). His indwelling Spirit sees as far as it influences, and it influences the inmost springs of our being. 2. God sees immediately. This results from his inward vision. We have to infer and draw conclusions by means of a chain of reasoning. God can dispense with this process. He sees everything; his knowledge is direct and intuitive. 3. God sees everywhere. Our vision is limited to a certain area. Even when we stand on the top of a mountain and endeavour to take in a great panorama of scenery, we can only look attentively at one part of the prospect at a time. But God's infinite gaze takes in all the facts of the universe at once. II. WHAT DEEP THINGS GOD BRINGS TO LIGHT. 1. He discovers hidden sin. The nefarious design of the unscrupulous statesman concocted within the locked doors of the council-chamber, the dark plot of the little band of desperate conspirators, the ugly scheme of the robber horde, the fell purpose of the betrayer, are all quite known to God from the moment when the first black thoughts entered the minds of their originators. The sin which has once been committed is all known to God, though it may have been hushed up and kept from the observation of men. In the great day of judgment God will bring it to light. 2. He discovers hidden goodness. All that God brings out of its secret hiding-place is not evil. There are hidden treasures. Miners bring up precious minerals from the dark interior of the earth. The voyage of the Challenger was a means of bringing to light many wonderful works of God from the dim depths of the sea. God observes all hidden worth. "The violet born to blush unseen" is perfectly well known to him. He also understands the innocence that is cruelly misjudged and condemned as guilt by men. Some day he will bring that to light, and vindicate the cause of every true martyr. III. THE CONSEQUENCES THAT RESULT FROM GOD'S DISCOVERY OF THE DEEP THINGS OF DARKNESS: He will rectify all wrong. He will give righteous judgments. The dark creatures of sin that are brought to light cannot be left out in the full blaze of the sun to befool the day with their obscenity. As we stamp on the unclean things that creep out of dark places when they are suddenly disturbed and crush them, so God must destroy the wicked when their evil is brought to light. The revelation can only be preliminary to the condemnation. Meanwhile the delusion which leads men to harbour their sin is fatal. Whatever excuse covers it is a lie. "For love of grace, I. THE PECULIAR DISPENSATION WHICH THE TEXT BRINGS BEFORE US. Job is not stating here a general rule of the Divine procedure, but only alluding to an event of occasional occurrence. 1. The nature of the calamity referred to. It deals with the mind. The operations of the mind are deranged and disabled. This is the heaviest calamity to which human nature is subject. We cannot conceive of a more pitiable object than a man bereft of understanding. 2. The subject of the calamity. "The aged." Not exclusively. It often overtakes persons in the meridian of life. 3. The author of the calamity. In some cases the individual himself, by evil propensities. Sometimes the loss of understanding is occasioned by the conduct of others. The Divine interference must be recognised as permitting the calamity, but in the text it is treated as the occasion of it. It may be a part of that plan which God has formed, in unerring wisdom and infinite love, as best calculated to secure the attainment of His benevolent designs. II. SOME PROBABLE REASONS FOR WHICH SUCH DISPENSATIONS MAY OCCUR. The understanding may sometimes be taken away — 1. As a just penalty for a perverted and injurious use of the intellectual faculties. Scripture teaches that we may often calculate on the loss of a privilege as the just penalty of its abuse; nor can human reason question the propriety of this. 2. To exhibit, in the most striking manner, human frailty, and the entire dependence of all upon God Himself. We can scarcely conceive of any case which so forcibly impresses us with these truths. 3. As a means of important instruction and salutary discipline to those more immediately connected with the sufferers. 4. To show the danger of procrastination on the subject of personal religion. How many persons are satisfying themselves in a present neglect of the soul and eternity, under a determination to regard these points more seriously in advancing years! But they cannot be sure of the continued exercise of those mental faculties, the continuance of which would be essential to carrying their salutary resolutions into effect. (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.). People JobPlaces UzTopics Bringeth, Captive, Destroyeth, Destroys, Destruction, Disperses, Enlarges, Enlargeth, Giving, Increases, Increaseth, Increasing, Lands, Leadeth, Leads, Magnifying, Makes, Making, Nations, Peoples, Quieteth, Sending, Spreadeth, Spreading, Straiteneth, WideOutline 1. Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him7. He acknowledges the doctrine of God's omnipotence Dictionary of Bible Themes Job 12:23Library Whether, for Salvation, it is Necessary to Believe Anything which is Beyond Natural ReasonWhether, for Salvation, it is Necessary to Believe Anything which is Beyond Natural Reason We proceed to the third article thus: 1. It seems that for salvation it is not necessary to believe anything which is beyond natural reason. For it seems that what naturally belongs to a thing is sufficient for its salvation and perfection. Now the things of faith are beyond natural reason, since they are unseen, as was said in Q. 1, Art. 4. To believe in them is therefore unnecessary for salvation. 2. Again, … Aquinas—Nature and Grace Whether the Eternal Law is Known to All? Whether it is Necessary for Salvation to Believe Anything Above the Natural Reason? Whether Prudence is in us by Nature? Whether There is Knowledge [*Scientia]? Whether Derision Can be a Mortal Sin? Whether Craftiness is a Special Sin? Whether Prophecy Pertains to Knowledge? On the Interior Man Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men Job Links Job 12:23 NIVJob 12:23 NLT Job 12:23 ESV Job 12:23 NASB Job 12:23 KJV Job 12:23 Bible Apps Job 12:23 Parallel Job 12:23 Biblia Paralela Job 12:23 Chinese Bible Job 12:23 French Bible Job 12:23 German Bible Job 12:23 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |