Job 23:1-6 Then Job answered and said,… Whether there ever was such a being as a speculative atheist, it may not be easy to determine; but there are two classes of atheists which are very easily found. There are some who are atheists by disposition. There are also practical atheists. I. JOB'S CONDITION. "Even today is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning." In some this murmuring and repining is a natural infirmity; they seem to be constitutionally morbid and querulous. In others this is a moral infirmity, arising from pride and unbelief and discontent, against which it becomes us always carefully to guard. II. JOB'S DESIRE. "Oh that I knew where I might find Him! that I might come even to Iris seat!" He does not express the name of God. Here we see an addition to his distress; he was now in a state of desertion. God can never be absent from His people, as to His essential presence, or even as to His spiritual presence. But He may be absent as to what our divines call His sensible presence, or the manifestation of His favour and of the designs of His dealings with us. This greatly enhances any external affliction. For the presence of God, which is always necessary, is never so sweet as it is in the day of trouble. It is a sad thing to be without the presence of God; but it is far worse to be senseless of our need of it. The desire after God arises from three causes. 1. The new nature. Persons will desire according to their conviction and their disposition. 2. Experience. When they first sought after God, they felt their need of film 3. A consciousness of their entire dependence upon Him. They feel that all their sufficiency is of God. Observe, in the case of Job, the earnestness of his desire. III. HIS RESOLUTION. 1. He says, "I would order my cause before Him." Which shows that the Divine presence would not overpower him, so as not to leave sense, reason, and speech. 2. He says, "I would fill my mouth with arguments." Not that these are necessary to excite and move a Being who is love itself; but these are proper to affect and encourage us. 3. He says, "I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me." In general, a Christian wishes to know the Divine pleasure concerning him. You will attach little importance to prayer, if you are regardless of God's answer to it. IV. HIS CONFIDENCE AND EXPECTATION. The power of God is great. Notice the blessedness of having this power employed for us. "He will put strength in me." How dreadful must it be for God to "plead against a man by His great power." (William Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then Job answered and said,WEB: Then Job answered, |
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