‏ Job 40

* Job humbles himself to God. (1-5) The Lord reasons with Job to

show his righteousness, power, and wisdom. (6-14) God's power

shown in Behemoth. (15-24)

1-5 Communion with the Lord effectually convinces and humbles a

saint, and makes him glad to part with his most beloved sins.

There is need to be thoroughly convinced and humbled, to prepare

us for remarkable deliverances. After God had shown Job, by his

manifest ignorance of the works of nature, how unable he was to

judge of the methods and designs of Providence, he puts a

convincing question to him; Shall he that contendeth with the

Almighty instruct him? Now Job began to melt into godly sorrow:

when his friends reasoned with him, he did not yield; but the

voice of the Lord is powerful. When the Spirit of truth is come,

he shall convince. Job yields himself to the grace of God. He

owns himself an offender, and has nothing to say to justify

himself. He is now sensible that he has sinned; and therefore he

calls himself vile. Repentance changes men's opinion of

themselves. Job is now convinced of his error. Those who are

truly sensible of their own sinfulness and vileness, dare not

justify themselves before God. He perceived that he was a poor,

mean, foolish, and sinful creature, who ought not to have

uttered one word against the Divine conduct. One glimpse of

God's holy nature would appal the stoutest rebel. How, then will

the wicked bear the sight of his glory at the day of judgment?

But when we see this glory revealed in Jesus Christ, we shall be

humbled without being terrified; self-abasement agrees with

filial love. 6-14 Those who profit by what they have heard from God, shall

hear more from him. And those who are truly convinced of sin,

yet need to be more thoroughly convinced and more humbled. No

doubt God, and he only, has power to humble and bring down proud

men; he has wisdom to know when and how to do it, and it is not

for us to teach him how to govern the world. Our own hands

cannot save us by recommending us to God's grace, much less

rescuing us from his justice; and therefore into his hand we

must commit ourselves. The renewal of a believer proceeds in the

same way of conviction, humbling, and watchfulness against

remaining sin, as his first conversion. When convinced of many

evils in our conduct, we still need convincing of many more. 15-24 God, for the further proving of his own power, describes

two vast animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength.

Behemoth signifies beasts. Most understand it of an animal well

known in Egypt, called the river-horse, or hippopotamus. This

vast animal is noticed as an argument to humble ourselves before

the great God; for he created this vast animal, which is so

fearfully and wonderfully made. Whatever strength this or any

other creature has, it is derived from God. He that made the

soul of man, knows all the ways to it, and can make the sword of

justice, his wrath, to approach and touch it. Every godly man

has spiritual weapons, the whole armour of God, to resist, yea,

to overcome the tempter, that his never-dying soul may be safe,

whatever becomes of his frail flesh and mortal body.