Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion. Sermons
I. The first feeling presented is that of RELUCTANCE TO DIE UNDER MISCONSTRUCTION. (Vers. 1, 2.) But for this, he is resigned to his fate. He must in the course of a short time renounce life, for disease is fulfilling its course; and he would do so willingly, if only the mockery of his friends did not continually vex him, and his eye were not provoked by their incessant irritation. There is generally something, even in a state of extreme suffering, which makes it hard to die. But to die misunderstood; under the cloud of a false accusation; like one who, mistakenly condemned, has languished in the cell of a prison, and gone to a felon's grave; - this must surely be the sharpest sting of death. II. The agony of this thought impels him to RENEWED RECOURSE TO GOD. (Ver. 8.) As none among men will give the promise and take upon him to vindicate Job's innocence after death, will God be bound as Surety for him, and undertake this duty? Thus once more we see how the extremity of suffering forces Job upon his deepest faith, can never force him from it. And he is bound to exchange his darker thoughts of God for these truer ones, apparently unconscious that they are inconsistent with one another. III. But there comes another RELAPSE INTO DESPONDENCY. (Vers. 4-7.) He looks without, at the irritating spectacle of those complacent, unfriendly friends, and complains of their want of understanding, defying their authority. He accuses them of betraying him (ver. 5 should probably be, "he that maketh a spoil of his friends," etc.), and threatens them with sorrow in consequence. Then again he turns to God as the source of all his sufferings, who has made his name, once so fair in reputation, now a byword and a scoff, and has brought him into his present utter languor and exhaustion (ver. 7). IV. But once again there is a REVIVAL OF HIGH COURAGE AND HOPE. (Vers. 8, 9.) He contemplates himself in this light as a reproach to all who behold him or know of his fate. The upright are thrown into amazed confusion, they are shocked at the spectacle; and the. innocent are stirred up against the profligate in indignation at their prosperity. But the just man will hold on his way, until the light again shines upon it; and he who has clean hands will, despite his present weakness, increase in strength. His words are "like a rocket which shoots above the tragic darkness of the book, lighting it up suddenly, though only for a short time ' (comp. Psalm 73.). V. He then turns again upon his friends with a SHARP REPROOF OF THEIR FOOLISH UNCONSOLATORY WORDS. (Vers. 10-16.) The sharp rebuke of ver. 10 is followed by reasons. His strength is consumed, and his end is drawing near; his days are past, his plans cut off, and the fondest desires of his heart; and the light which they think to bring in consolation, is like to darkness (vers. 11, 12). He goes on to justify himself for seeing nothing but darkness and night before him, and to reject the hope which they hold out of better days. His hope is fixed on Hades, on the dark, lower world alone (ver. 13). He has said to corruption, "Father!" the worm he has designated "mother and sister"! And where, then, is this hope of restored health and prosperity of which you vainly talk? It disappears through the gates of Hades, and yonder in the dust will be alone his rest (vers. 14-16). But how unlike are God's thoughts and ways to those of man! Job thinks his fate is scaled; he will neither live nor recover his former joy. Yet God has strangely and gloriously ordained that both life and joy restored shall be his, as the happy issue of his sufferings shows. Thus does he lead to the gates of hell and bring up again (1 Samuel 2:6), leads through suffering to conquest over the fear of death, and to the germination and unfolding of a hope that is centred in the unseen. - J.
And where is now my hope? The Evangelist. ? —I. OCCASIONS IN LIFE WHICH FORCE UPON US THIS INQUIRY. 1. In those seasons when the troubles of life press heavily. 2. When our human dependencies have failed. 3. When the terrors of a guilty conscience seize us. 4. The question irresistibly presses upon all as death seems to approach. II. THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PROVIDED AGAINST THESE SEASONS OF TRIAL. 1. All earthly hopes are, in their very nature, inadequate to our exigencies. 2. All the hopes which are derived from the world and the creatures are temporal in their duration. 3. If they could endure and go with us into eternity, or the separate state of souls, — yet they would not stand the test of the final day of account. III. SEE THE NECESSITY OF CLOSE SELF-EXALTATION. 1. This examination should refer to the object of our hope. 2. We should examine whether we have a well-grounded and scriptural prospect of attaining to the object of our hope. It is possible that we may practise self-delusion. 3. Your hope may be good as to its object, its foundation may be the work of Jesus Christ, an anchor sure and steadfast, but have you a valid title to appropriate that hope to yourself? 4. Inquire whether your hope has borne any trials. Application —(1) The discovery that our hope is good, and entereth into that within the veil, may well afford exultation. 2. But, if our hope is found vain and weak, or absolutely false, it is high time to abandon it and seek a better. (The Evangelist.) 1. Is your hope in the world? This is the case with multitudes. Then your hope is set on that which is not good. 2. Is your hope in sin? Is that possible? The pleasures of sin are but for a season, the pains of sin are for eternity. 3. Is your hope in your works? This was the case with the ancient Pharisees. They "went about to establish their own righteousness," but failed in the attempt. All who are "of the works of the law" are under it as a covenant; and as such it requires perfect obedience, or there is no justification by it. 4. Is your hope in your knowledge? "Knowledge puffeth up." "The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 5. Is your hope in Christ? Then it is in the right place. The hope of Job was in him — the Redeemer; so was the hope of the primitive Christians. II. THE CASES IN WHICH INQUIRERS ARE WARRANTED TO HOPE. We are not warranted to hold out hope in every case. You must be made to feel your guilt, before you will give up your false hope. You must be made to feel your insufficiency before you will apply to Christ for relief. 1. If you repent you are warranted to hope. 2. If you believe, you are warranted to hope. 3. If you obey, you are warranted to hope. 4. If you love Christ, you are warranted to hope. 5. So you are, if you love the house of prayer. 6. And if you love the brethren. 7. And if you seek the Divine glory. III. THE QUALITIES OF THE HOPE WHICH THE GOSPEL INSPIRES. 1. It is a Divine hope. 2. A lively hope. 3. A joyful hope. 4. A liberal hope. 5. A permanent hope.In conclusion, let us consider the inquiry in the text in reference to ourselves, and thus endeavour to make a suitable improvement of the subject. Where is now my hope? (Thomas Hitchin.). Then answered Bildad the Shuhite. How wonderfully well the three comforters painted the portrait of wickedness! Nothing can be added to their delineation of sin. Every touch is the touch of a master. If you would see what wickedness is, read the speeches which are delivered in the Book of Job. Nothing can be added to their grim truthfulness. But there is a great danger about this; there is a danger that men may make a trade of denouncing wickedness. There is also a danger that men may fall into a mere habit of making prayers. This is the difficulty of all organised and official spiritual life. It is a danger which we cannot set aside; it is, indeed, a peril we can hardly modify; but there is a horrible danger in having to read the Bible at an appointed hour, to offer a prayer at a given stroke of the clock, and to assemble for worship upon a public holiday, But all this seems to be unavoidable; the very spirit of order requires it; there must be some law of consent and fellowship, otherwise public worship would be impossible; but consider the tremendous effect upon the man who has to conduct that worship! It is a terrible thing to have to denounce sin every Sunday twice at least; it is enough to ruin the soul to be called upon to utter holy words at mechanical periods.(Joseph Parker, D. D.) Homilist. We may look at the words of Bildad in this chapter in two aspects: as representing the reprehensible in conduct, and the retributive in destiny.I. THE REPREHENSIBLE IN CONDUCT. There are four things implied in the second, third, and fourth verses, which must be regarded as elements of evil. 1. There is wordiness. "How long will it be ere ye make an end of words?" Job had spoken much. Wordiness implies superficiality. Copiousness of speech is seldom retold in connection with profundity of thought. But it promotes, as well as implies, infertility of thought. The man of fluent utterance gets on so well without thinking, that he loses the habit of reflection. Nor is it less an evil to the hearer. The wordy man wastes their precious time, exhausts their patience, and often irritates his auditors. 2. There is unthoughtfulness. "Mark, and afterwards we will speak." He insinuates that Job had spoken without thought or intelligence, and calls upon him to deliberate before he speaks. Unthoughtfulness is an evil of no small magnitude. 3. There is contemptuousness. "Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?" Job had said in the preceding chapter, "Thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them." Bildad perhaps refers to this, and insinuates that Job had treated him and those who were on his side as the beasts of the field — "senseless and polluted." Contempt for men is an evil: it is a moral wrong. 4. There is rage. "He teareth himself in his anger." Bildad means to indicate that Job was in a paroxysm of fury, that he had thrown aside the reins of reason, and that he was borne on the whirlwind of exasperated passion. Hence he administers reproof: "Shall the earth be forsaken for thee?" As if he had said, Thou speakest as if everything and everybody must give way to thee; as if the interests of all others must yield to thee; and that thou must have the whole world to thyself, and all of us must clear off. "Shall the rock be removed out of his place?" As if he had said, It would seem from thy reckless speech that thou wouldest have the most immutable things in nature to suit thy comfort and convenience. Rage is bad. When man gives way to temper he dishonours his nature, he imperils his well-being, he wars with God and the order of the universe. Now we are far enough from justifying Bildad in charging these evils upon Job; albeit he was right in treating them as evils. II. THE RETRIBUTIVE IS DESTINY. What are the retributive calamities that pursue and overtake the sinner? 1. Desolation. "The light of the wicked shall be put out." Light, by the Orientals, was ever used as the emblem of prosperity. The extinction of the light therefore is an image of utter desolation. Sin evermore makes desolate. 2. Embarrassment. "The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own council shall cast him down," etc. In every step of the sinner's path it may be said "the snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him by the way." Truly the wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. 3. Alarms. "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet," etc. (vers. 11-14). Fear is at once the offspring and avenger of sin. The guilty conscience peoples the whole sphere of life with the grim emissaries of retribution. Fear is one of hell's most tormenting fiends. 4. Destruction. "It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his," etc. (vers. 15-21). His home will be gone; his tabernacle will be "none of his" any longer. His memory will be gone. "His remembrance shall perish from the earth." Once his name was heard in the street, pronounced perhaps often in the day by merchant, manufacturer, clerk, etc., but it has passed away from all tongues. His presence will be gone. "He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world." His progeny will be gone. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people. His nearest relations will soon follow him to the grave, and none will appear to make mention of his name. Suffering must follow sin, as certain as season follows season. Hell is bound by chains stronger than those that bind the planets to the sun. (Homilist.) People JobPlaces UzTopics Abide, Abideth, Bitter, Continue, Dark, Dwell, Dwelleth, Dwells, Eye, Gazes, Hostility, Laughing, Lodgeth, Mockeries, Mockers, Provocation, Provocations, Round, Sport, Surely, Surround, TrulyOutline 1. Job appeals from men to God6. The unmerciful dealing of men with the afflicted may astonish, 9. but not discourage the righteous 11. His hope is not in life, but in death Dictionary of Bible Themes Job 17:2Library 9Th Day. Persevering Grace. "He is Faithful that Promised." "The righteous shall hold on his way."--JOB xvii. 9. Persevering Grace. Reader! how comforting to thee amid the ebbings and flowings of thy changing history, to know that the change is all with thee, and not with thy God! Thy spiritual bark may be tossed on waves of temptation, in many a dark midnight. Thou mayest think thy pilot hath left thee, and be ready continually to say, "Where is my God?" But fear not! The bark which bears thy spiritual destinies is in better … John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser Whether Limbo is the Same as the Hell of the Damned? Whether Christ Went Down into the Hell of the Lost? Another Shorter Evening Prayer. Job Links Job 17:2 NIVJob 17:2 NLT Job 17:2 ESV Job 17:2 NASB Job 17:2 KJV Job 17:2 Bible Apps Job 17:2 Parallel Job 17:2 Biblia Paralela Job 17:2 Chinese Bible Job 17:2 French Bible Job 17:2 German Bible Job 17:2 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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