Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Job
Book: Job
Chapter: 19
Overview:
Job complains of unkind usage.
(1-7) God was the Author of his
Afflictions.
(8-22) Job's belief in the resurrection.
(23-29)
1-7 Job's friends blamed him as a wicked
Man, because he was
So
afflicted; here he describes their unkindness, showing that what
they condemned was capable of excuse. Harsh language from
friends, greatly adds to the weight of
Afflictions: yet it is
best not to lay it to
Heart, lest we harbour resentment. Rather
let us look to Him who endured the contradiction of sinners
against himself, and was treated with far more cruelty than
Job
was, or we can be.
8-22 How doleful are
Job's complaints! What is the
Fire of
Hell
but the wrath of
God! Seared consciences will feel it hereafter,
but do not fear it now: enlightened consciences fear it now, but
shall not feel it hereafter. It is a very common mistake to
think that those whom
God afflicts he treats as his enemies.
Every
Creature is that to us which
God makes it to be; yet this
does not excuse
Job's relations and friends. How uncertain is
the friendship of men! but if
God be our Friend, he will not
fail us in time of need. What little reason we have to indulge
the body, which, after all our care, is consumed
By diseases it
has in itself.
Job recommends himself to the compassion of his
friends, and justly blames their harshness. It is very
distressing to one who loves
God, to be bereaved at once of
outward comfort and of inward consolation; yet if this, and
more, come upon a believer, it does not weaken the proof of his
being a
Child of
God and
Heir of
Glory.
23-29 The
Spirit of
God, at this time, seems to have powerfully
wrought
On the mind of
Job. Here he witnessed a good
Confession;
declared the soundness of his
Faith, and the
Assurance of his
Hope. Here is much of
Christ and
Heaven; and he that said such
things are these, declared plainly that he sought the better
country, that is, the heavenly.
Job was taught of
God to believe
in a living
Redeemer; to look for the
Resurrection of the dead,
and the
Life of the world to come; he comforted himself with the
expectation of these.
Job was assured, that this
Redeemer of
sinners from the
Yoke of
Satan and the condemnation of
Sin, was
his
Redeemer, and expected
Salvation through him; and that he
was a living
Redeemer, though not yet come in the
Flesh; and
that at the last
Day he would appear as the
Judge of the world,
to raise the dead, and complete the
Redemption of his people.
With what pleasure holy
Job enlarges upon this! May these
Faithful sayings be engraved
By the Holy
Spirit upon our hearts.
We are all concerned to see that the root of the matter be in
us. A living, quickening, commanding principle of
Grace in the
Heart, is the root of the matter; as necessary to our religion
as the root of the tree, to which it owes both its fixedness and
its fruitfulness.
Job and his friends differed concerning the
methods of
Providence, but they agreed in the root of the
matter, the belief of another world.