Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Job
Book: Job
Chapter: 17
Overview:
Job appeals from
Man to
God.
(1-9) His
Hope is not in
Life,
but in
Death.
(10-16)
1-9 Job reflects upon the harsh censures his friends had passed
upon him, and, looking
On himself as a dying
Man, he appeals to
God. Our time is ending. It concerns us carefully to redeem the
days of time, and to spend them in getting ready for eternity.
We see the good use the righteous should make of
Job's
Afflictions from
God, from enemies, and from friends. Instead of
being discouraged in the service of
God,
By the hard usage this
Faithful servant of
God met with, they should be made bold to
proceed and persevere therein. Those who keep their
Eye upon
Heaven as their
End, will keep their feet in the paths of
religion as their way, whatever difficulties and discouragements
they may meet with.
10-16 Job's friends had pretended to comfort him with the
Hope
of his return to a prosperous estate; he here shows that those
do not go wisely about the work of comforting the afflicted, who
fetch their comforts from the possibility of recovery in this
world. It is our
Wisdom to comfort ourselves, and others, in
distress, with that which will not fail; the promise of
God, his
Love and
Grace, and a
Well-grounded
Hope of eternal
Life. See
how
Job reconciles himself to the
Grave. Let this make believers
willing to die; it is but going to
Bed; they are weary, and it
is time that they were in their beds. Why should not they go
willingly when their
Father calls them? Let us remember our
bodies are allied to corruption, the
Worm and the
Dust; and let
us seek for that lively
Hope which shall be fulfilled, when the
Hope of the wicked shall be
Put out in
Darkness; that when our
bodies are in the
Grave, our souls may enjoy the
Rest reserved
for the people of
God.