Expositor's Bible: The Book of JobWatson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Religion
Expositor's Bible: The Book of Job
Watson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Bible. Job -- Commentaries
to the means by which power and distinction are gained in the world. The
spread of His ideas, the manifestation of His Godhead, the coming of His
Kingdom, depend not the least on the countenance of the great and the
impression produced on rude minds by the shows of wealth. The first task
of His gospel everywhere is to correct the barbaric tastes of men; and
the highest and best in a spiritual age will be, as He was, thinkers,
seers of truth, lovers of God and man, lowly in heart and life. These
will express the penetrating criticism that shall move the world.
* * * * *
Zophar discourses of one who is openly unjust and rapacious. He is
candid enough to admit that, for a time, the schemes and daring of the
wicked may succeed, but affirms that, though his head may "reach to
the clouds," it is only that he may be cast down.
"_Knowest thou not this from of old,
Since man was placed upon earth,
That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
Though his excellency ascend to heaven,
And his head reach to the clouds,
Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:
They who saw him shall say, Where is he?
Like a dream he shall flee, no more to be found,
Yea, he shall be chased away like a night-vision._"
As a certainty, based on facts quite evident since the beginning of
human history, Zophar presents anew the overthrow of the evil-doer. He
is sure that the wicked does not keep his prosperity through a long
life. Such a thing has never occurred in the range of human
experience. The godless man is allowed, no doubt, to lift himself up
for a time; but his day is short. Indeed he is great for a moment
only, and that in appearance. He never actually possesses the good
things of earth, but only seems to possess them. Then in the hour of
judgment he passes like a dream and perishes for ever. The affirmation
is precisely that which has been made again and again; and with some
curiosity we scan the words of Zophar to learn what addition he makes
to the scheme so often pressed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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