(Continued from page 126)

4.God's Testing of Man (chap. 35).

In the previous chapter Elihu had devoted himself chiefly to vindicating God's character, as seen in His beneficent government, as well as in the self-evident fact that the Source of all right, justice and government, must Himself be the embodiment of what we partly see even in this fallen creation. The present chapter is so intimately connected with this that it has been taken as a part of the same division. But from the fact that there is evidently a fresh beginning in ver. i, as well as from the contents, it seems more fitting to give it a separate place. As the fourth portion of Elihu's address it is fittingly a test of man, which is the subject, rather than a vindication of God, as in the previous chapter. This test, however, is largely along the same lines as the previous vindication of God. And how true it is that what manifests His character, in its perfection, discloses the nature and ways of man as he is.

The chapter may be divided into three portions:

(1) God's transcendent greatness (vers. 1-8).

(2) Why the cry of the oppressed is not answered (vers. 9-13).

(3) A call to trust Him (vers. 14-16).

We notice again the gracious tone of Elihu. He is appealing to Job's reason and conscience, seeking to win him from his hard and sinful thoughts of God to simple trust in One who may hide Himself in the darkness, but who must be good in all He does. Already we have seen flashes of this in Job, but he must yet be brought to judge everything inconsistent with the noble words he uttered at the beginning:"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

(1) Quoting again Job's thoughts, if not his exact words, and drawing the proper conclusion from them, Elihu points out the monstrous deduction- "My righteousness is more than God's." Forbad not Job brought himself to just such a conclusion ? " I have not sinned to deserve such treatment; my life is blameless before man and God; there is no reason for His afflicting except for glaring transgressions, therefore He is unjust!" Well it is for us to face our conclusions, and learn the folly of our reasonings.

The following verses, 2, 3, seem to be a repetition, with enlargement of what had been previously said in chap. 34 :9. Job had declared that his claim was more righteous than God's, because (ver. 3) God was utterly indifferent to whatever he did. There was no advantage in righteousness any more than in sin! Imagine an upright, God-fearing man bringing himself to such a conclusion! It leads to, " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

Elihu's reply is not what we might have expected. He does not apparently contradict Job's conclusion; indeed he takes his thought, but uses it to vindicate God's character. "You say, O Job -and your companions are but little better in their reasonings-that your conduct cannot be of any value, whether it be good or bad, for God is indifferent to it either way. Yes, God is infinitely above you, and your conduct cannot directly interfere with Him. Why then have you charged Him with unfairness and arbitrary selfishness in afflicting you ? " According to Job's reasoning, God was unaffected by what man did, was not injured by his sin, nor profited by his righteousness. Elihu therefore asks, "How is it that you say He does pay attention to man, and so much so that He most unrighteously afflicts you ? " Here is manifest contradiction on Job's part.

Elihu, as usual with him, dwells upon God's side. He does not for the moment speak of His relations with man, or His intimate care and divine interest in man's walk. He would have Job look up into those very heavens which he thought were against him, and ponder the character of One who is infinitely perfect, unaffected by the puny activities of men on earth, who are as grasshoppers in His sight. How could such an One, infinitely holy, divinely sufficient unto Himself, act unjustly toward one whose conduct may and does affect himself and his fellow-men, but cannot penetrate those serene heights ? This is but one side of the truth- a side already seen in measure by both Job (chap.7:20) and Eliphaz (chap. 22:2, etc.).

(2) Having shown that his own view of God's independence of man was a reply to his accusations, Elihu at once proceeds to show that there is a divine concern in man's ways. God slumbereth not. He sees and hears. It grieves Him at His heart when men sin. His infinite perfections are outraged by evil, and it is for this reason that He does not, cannot in faithfulness, answer the cry of the oppressed for relief. Elihu is not speaking directly of Job, but of all afflicted ones, including him. There is a reason why they do not get relief from the Almighty.

And this reason is that, occupied with their own misery, seeking relief only for their own sake, they have no thought of God's will or of His glory. They do not ask, Where is God my Maker ? What can I learn of Him in these things ? And is not this well-nigh universal ? Where do we find men turning to God in their affliction ? The hungry want bread, but they do not want God. Give them bread, and they are quite content to go on in perfect ignorance of Him. "Ye seek Me . . . because ye did eat of the loaves, and are filled. Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which en-dureth unto eternal life . . . And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee." Are men grateful to God for His blessings; do they seek after Him for what He is ?

And yet are we not immeasurably above the beasts ? God teaches us more than they can know. Yes, He giveth songs in the night of trial. Indifference to all this is the heart-breaking fact that, " When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful." Is it any wonder, then, that God must let poor man feel the weight of his sufferings, if perchance he would seek after the only One who can, not only give relief, but prove a satisfying portion ?

Pride, vanity, self-will, are what turn the heavens into brass. The Lord is nigh to them of a broken heart. This is the burden of the "Lord's prayer"-God's glory comes first. If men ignore that, they need not be surprised that their prayer for daily bread seems to be ignored.

Elihu is here dealing with principles, and it need hardly be added that he is only explaining God's silence when men cry, and not alluding to His kindness and care of His creatures. " The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." Might not Job learn the needed lesson if he would but give heed ? He had been the recipient of abundant mercies from God ; must there not be a reason for His apparent silence now?

(3) There has been some difference as to the meaning of ver. 14-some holding it as a quotation of Job, as though Elihu would say, "If God does not hear pride, much less will He hear thee, when thou sayest thou seest Him not, the cause lieth all before Him, and yet thou art obliged to wait in vain upon Him." This is quite in accord with the previous words of Elihu ; but our version, which turns them into an exhortation, makes an appropriate conclusion:"Although thou sayest thou shalt not see Him, yet judgment is before Him, therefore trust thou in Him." Do not think God has forgotten; be patient; learn the lesson He would teach thee. How admirable and scriptural is this advice-exactly what Job needed. "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord."

Elihu puts the other side also before Job. He is not to imagine that because God does not smite, He does not know. He fully sees all man's presumption. This is the probable meaning of ver. 15, which is so obscure in our version. " Extremity" has been rendered as "wide-spread iniquity," well answering to "presumption," or " sullenness." The conclusion is, " God is not mocked." Let not men despise His patience.

Therefore Job has opened his mouth in vain; he has multiplied his words without knowledge. This is what God will later on bring home to his conscience in that terrible introductory question:"Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge ?" Thus Job is being prepared to listen to that Voice. Truly, Elihu is answering to his desire for a daysman, and Job's silence may well be taken as a token of beginning conviction. S. R.

(To be continued.)