‏ Job 26

* Job reproves Bildad. (1-4) Job acknowledges the power of God.

(5-14)

1-4 Job derided Bildad's answer; his words were a mixture of

peevishness and self-preference. Bildad ought to have laid

before Job the consolations, rather than the terrors of the

Almighty. Christ knows how to speak what is proper for the

weary, #Isa 50:4|; and his ministers should not grieve those

whom God would not have made sad. We are often disappointed in

our expectations from our friends who should comfort us; but the

Comforter, the Holy Ghost, never mistakes, nor fails of his end. 5-14 Many striking instances are here given of the wisdom and

power of God, in the creation and preservation of the world. If

we look about us, to the earth and waters here below, we see his

almighty power. If we consider hell beneath, though out of our

sight, yet we may conceive the discoveries of God's power there.

If we look up to heaven above, we see displays of God's almighty

power. By his Spirit, the eternal Spirit that moved upon the

face of the waters, the breath of his mouth, #Ps 33:6|, he has

not only made the heavens, but beautified them. By redemption,

all the other wonderful works of the Lord are eclipsed; and we

may draw near, and taste his grace, learn to love him, and walk

with delight in his ways. The ground of the controversy between

Job and the other disputants was, that they unjustly thought

from his afflictions that he must have been guilty of heinous

crimes. They appear not to have duly considered the evil and

just desert of original sin; nor did they take into account the

gracious designs of God in purifying his people. Job also

darkened counsel by words without knowledge. But his views were

more distinct. He does not appear to have alleged his personal

righteousness as the ground of his hope towards God. Yet what he

admitted in a general view of his case, he in effect denied,

while he complained of his sufferings as unmerited and severe;

that very complaint proving the necessity for their being sent,

in order to his being further humbled in the sight of God.