(Continued from page 99)

3.God's Character Vindicated (chap. 34).

Having paused for Job's reply, Elihu now continues his plea. The main theme of the present chapter is the vindication of God's character from the aspersions of Job. Impliedly, if not in so many words, Job had charged God with injustice. This is the main concern with Elihu. He is not taken up with reasonings as to heinous crimes attributed to Job by the friends; he indulges in no surmisings, insinuations or vituperations. His appeal is to man's reason; he states his facts, draws attention to the necessary recognition of God's character, which he vindicates from several points of view, and concludes this portion with the deliberate, yet gracious exhortation that Job should take the place of the lowly learner, in order that he may profit by his chastening. Having failed thus far to take such a place, there is nothing left but that Job should be further tried until he has learned his lesson. It is a most temperate and admirable treatment of his subject, and resembles the method of the friends only outwardly, if at all. The appeal to reason, coupled with the self-evident truth as to the nature of God, leads to the weighty conclusion that/0£ is the wrongdoer, not God. And this wrong is proven from the lips of the sufferer and from his attitude toward God.

We may divide the address into four main parts, the third of these being again subdivided, as indicated by its subjects.

(1) The appeal to wise men (vers. 1-4).

(2) Job's charge of injustice against God (vers. 5-9).

(3) The charge refuted (vers. 10-30).

(4) Job needs further testing (vers. 31-37).

(1) Elihu is not addressing the three friends as "wise men," nor any special individuals, apparently. It has been thought that he is speaking to the audience that had gathered round to listen to the controversy, which may be true, but the expression seems to be a general appeal to the judgment of the wise everywhere and for all time. Elihu is dealing with principles of universal application, the immediate occasion for their utterance being the examination of Job's attitude.

Quoting Job's own words (chap. 12:n), which seem to be in the form of a proverb, he reminds his hearers that the ear is the avenue for the reception and testing of words as the mouth is for food. Let them therefore accompany him in his search into the truth or falsity of Job's charges. Thus our Lord appealed to His hearers, "Why of your own selves judge ye not that which is right?" and the apostle says, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say."

(2) As already noticed, Elihu deals fairly with Job's statements. He either quotes his words, or gives their substance, or draws manifest conclusions from them. Job had time and again declared he was righteous, or guiltless (so chap. 10:7). This is the whole burden of his complaint against God. He had declared that God had taken away his judgment (chap. 27:2), and that, being innocent, if he confessed sin he would be a liar; that his wound is incurable, in spite of his being without transgression (chs. 23:2; 30:23, etc.).

Elihu likens such statements to the conduct of the wicked, into whose company Job, by his assertions, was putting himself. He was drinking up scorning like water (see ch. 15:16). For surely if we lose faith in God's righteousness, what is left ? This is walking " in the counsel of the ungodly," far more dangerous than outward forms of evil. The effect of such teaching is that there is no profit in seeking to please God, or have fellowship with Him. What a monstrous charge to fall from the lips of one who was a child of God! We can be thankful that Job's faith did not fail in spite of this cloud of unbelief; but Elihu in faithfulness must put the point of the knife upon the festering sore, more serious than his bodily ailments. How differently spoke our blessed Lord in His path of loneliness :"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places" (Ps. 16:6); and who, in His darkest hour, justifies God's ways, saying, "But Thou art holy" (Ps. 22:3).

(3) Elihu now refutes these implied and direct charges against God. He will vindicate His character, and while appealing to wisdom, he gives no uncertain sound, " Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4). He goes into the case with fulness, and we may note the various parts of his refutation. God is righteous:

(a) Because He is God (vers. 10-12).

(b) Because of His beneficent care (vers. 13-15).

(c) Because of His greatness (vers. 16-20).

(d) Because of His omniscience (vers. 21-25).

(e) Because of His judgment (vers. 26-30).

(a) The very fact that God is, denies that He is unrighteous. The absolutely Perfect One could not think or do evil. So James declares, "God cannot be tempted with evil" (ch. i:13). Let us mark well this method of reasoning. It turns from all second causes, from the difficult problems and dark enigmas in the world to Him who is light. It finds its rest in God; blessed rest. " Far be it from God to do evil." " God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (i John i:5). The Almighty- the Omnipotent-can do everything, but "He can not lie." " He cannot deny Himself." This insures perfect, even justice in His dealings with men; He will recompense man's own work to him, and He will cause him to find the results of his own ways. This does not mean that Job's friends are in the right as to their charges, but that God is dealing in absolute justice with Job, causing him to learn his needed lessons. How could God act wickedly or pervert the right ? He would not be God if this were possible. The answer is most convincing.

(b) Let Job look at God's providential care over His creation. It is His own, and not something committed to Him by another. Suppose, instead of remembering the need of His dependent creation, He were to turn His heart only to Himself. He is absolutely self-sufficient. He needs nothing from without. In all the past of eternity, God-Father, Son and Spirit-found sufficient delight in the Divine circle. Suppose, says Elihu, He were to turn back into that Divine Sufficiency, and set His heart-not upon man, as in our version, but upon Himself-what would become of His creation? "All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust" (ver. 15). "Thou takest away their breath, they die " (Ps. 104:29). '' The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." So the apostle Peter tells the saints in the midst of suffering to "commit the keeping of their souls unto Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator" (i Pet. 4 :19). How good it is to remember that the One who "upholdeth all things by the word of His power," is also our Saviour, Lord and Friend.

(c) In this portion Elihu reminds Job of the dignity and greatness of God. If it is wrong to question the uprightness of a king, to call him Belial, who will dare to charge the All-just with evil ? He looks upon princes and paupers alike, and all are the work of His hands. Their life hangs upon His will, in a moment He can cut them off-will we think of such an One as fickle, uncertain or unfair? The heathen indeed represented thus their deities, but for those who know the true God, how impossible it is to have such thoughts.

(d) Similarly, He is Judge-the all-seeing One, from whom no secret can be hid. Of Him the psalmist wrote, "Thou hast searched me and known me" (Ps. 139). His eye is upon every step of man; evil cannot hide itself from Him. He does not need to study a man's ways, but at a glance, as it were, knows him and enters into judgment with him. (Such is the meaning of ver. 23, rather than that of our version.) Similarly, in ver. 24, there is no need for "investigation" to determine the overthrow of evil men. He seeth through their works and brings upon them their crushing doom. How can we think of such an One, whose all-seeing eye pierces to the innermost recesses of the heart, being Himself in need of judgment ?

(e) Lastly, Elihu with few words reminds his hearers of God's actual judgments; He smites evildoers who depart from Him; He remembers the cause of the poor and needy. So too, if He acquit, give quietness, who can condemn ? " It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth ?" (Rom. 8:33, 34). If He hides His face, who can look upon Him, whether He deal thus with a simple individual, or with mankind in general ? He puts down evil men that the people be not ensnared by them.

Thus Elihu rapidly covers the ground. He does not judge according to the sight of his eyes, but drawing all his thoughts from God whom he knows, makes clear to every upright mind the correctness of his conclusions.

(4) This brings us to the conclusion of this part of his address. If Job has thus unfairly charged God, he has a most important lesson to learn. What is fitting for one in his position ?-Bold assertion of
self-righteousness, and accusations of God, or the humble acknowledgment of his wrong in harboring such thoughts?-with the prayer, " That which I see not, teach Thou me:if I have done iniquity, I will do no more" (ver. 32).

Had Job done this? A glance at the controversy and at Job's monologue shows the contrary. Job had found fault with God's judgments because they were not according to his shortsighted expectations. It was Job therefore who was choosing his own affliction, not Elihu, who longs to have him declare it, and clear himself. He appeals to the men of understanding again. Will not all unite with him in saying, "Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom." Can we not fully agree with this conclusion ?

Thus faithfully Elihu expresses the desire that Job may be tested to the end, until his answers like evil men, be judged by him. He has been withstanding God, and boldly defied Him.

Elihu's desire is to be granted, and Job will, ere long, repudiate his false charges of God as completely as Elihu does here. S. R.

(To be continued.)