Job 10 | MHCC | e4.org | 1-7 Job, being weary of his life, resolves to complain, but he will not charge God with unrighteousness. Here is a prayer that he might be delivered from the sting of his afflictions, which is sin. When God afflicts us, he contends with us; when he contends with us, there is always a reason; and it is desirable to know the reason, that we may repent of and forsake the sin for which God has a controversy with us. But when, like Job, we speak in the bitterness of our souls, we increase guilt and vexation. Let us harbour no hard thoughts of God; we shall hereafter see there was no cause for them. Job is sure that God does not discover things, nor judge of them, as men do; therefore he thinks it strange that God continues him under affliction, as if he must take time to inquire into his sin.

‏ Job 10

* Job complains of his hardships. (1-7) He pleads with God as

his Maker. (8-13) He complains of God's severity. (14-22)

1-7 Job, being weary of his life, resolves to complain, but he

will not charge God with unrighteousness. Here is a prayer that

he might be delivered from the sting of his afflictions, which

is sin. When God afflicts us, he contends with us; when he

contends with us, there is always a reason; and it is desirable

to know the reason, that we may repent of and forsake the sin

for which God has a controversy with us. But when, like Job, we

speak in the bitterness of our souls, we increase guilt and

vexation. Let us harbour no hard thoughts of God; we shall

hereafter see there was no cause for them. Job is sure that God

does not discover things, nor judge of them, as men do;

therefore he thinks it strange that God continues him under

affliction, as if he must take time to inquire into his sin. 8-13 Job seems to argue with God, as if he only formed and

preserved him for misery. God made us, not we ourselves. How sad

that those bodies should be instruments of unrighteousness,

which are capable of being temples of the Holy Ghost! But the

soul is the life, the soul is the man, and this is the gift of

God. If we plead with ourselves as an inducement to duty, God

made me and maintains me, we may plead as an argument for mercy,

Thou hast made me, do thou new-make me; I am thine, save me. 14-22 Job did not deny that as a sinner he deserved his

sufferings; but he thought that justice was executed upon him

with peculiar rigour. His gloom, unbelief, and hard thoughts of

God, were as much to be ascribed to Satan's inward temptations,

and his anguish of soul, under the sense of God's displeasure,

as to his outward trials, and remaining depravity. Our Creator,

become in Christ our Redeemer also, will not destroy the work of

his hands in any humble believer; but will renew him unto

holiness, that he may enjoy eternal life. If anguish on earth

renders the grave a desirable refuge, what will be their

condition who are condemned to the blackness of darkness for

ever? Let every sinner seek deliverance from that dreadful

state, and every believer be thankful to Jesus, who delivereth

from the wrath to come.