Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-03-31
sUNDAY.sCHooL LESSON.
SANoTIF1ED AFFLIcTIoN.-Job 50:

OANCTIFlED AFFLlCTlON.-JOD % f.
80. April 6.
fl4. For God speaketh once. yea twice. yet man per-
ceveth it not.
God speaks at various times and in
various ways, but men fail to note the
teachings of his providence. and then
complain that they never hear his voice,
nor have the guidance of his counsel.
Is In dream, in a vision of the night, when deem
sleep faleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed
The dream" is usually to be distin-
guished from the ''vision," the former
occurring during sleep, the latter in a
waking but ecstaic state, the senses per-
ceiving not natural objects, but SUPER
natural appearance sent by God. Here.
however, the "vision" occurs during
sleep, aud is only another name for
divine communication in dreams" At
night, when the stiffness of sleep shuts
out surrounding objects, God directs the
thoughts of men to the contemplation of
their lives and characters, and thus i'm
presses on them religious lessons.
10. Then he openeth the ears of men. and sealeth
their instruction,
The expression is literally, "uncovers
the ear of men," that is, in order to be
heard more distinctly; it is common
Hebrew phrase, equivalent to "tell con-
fidentially or secretly" it perhaps orig
mated among a people who wore cover
ing on the head. God by this commun-
ication sets his seal to, validates, and
confirms the teaching thus given; it thus
has his divine stamp and signature.
II. That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
and hide pride from mani
TO restrain from unholy action, or, as
proud self-seeking is generally at the
bottom of wickedness, put it out of sight,
so that it shall not enter into mans heart
and control his heart. This is Gods
moral purpose in speaking to men in
dreams.
49, He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his
life from perishing by the sword.
The word In the first line rendered
"soul' in the English version means the
principle of animal life, equivalent here
to the life itself. "Pit" means the grave,
or Sheol, the under world, the abode of
the dead. The last clause is literally
''from passing on the SPEAR" that is,
from violent death. AS wickedness
brings on man from God disaster and
death, directly as punishment from the
ruler of the world, and Indirectly by the
divinely ordained relations of society,
God in turning man from sin thus also
saves him from death.
10. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:
The second way in which God speaks
to men: by chastisement Gearing direct
ly on Jobs case.) The first way, in
dreams, &C., V. Is.
90 So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul
| dainty meat.
81. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be
seen /; and his bones that were not seen stick out
60. YEA his soul draweth near unto the grave, and
his life to the destroyers.
These verses describe in detail the
wretchedness of the sick man; it is, in
deed, a description of Jobs own condi-
ton. 1t is purposely highly colered
picture. The translation of the English
version gives the same general sense.
From the connection of the word ode.
stroyers" is probably here to be under.
stood not of the disease and its attend.
ants, nor of any human agencies, but OIL
the angels appointed by God to infict
death on men Compare 2 Chron. 80: 81
Pisa. IS: 49)
%. Ifthere be a messenger with him. an interpre
ter, one among thousand, to shew unto man hi
| uprightness;
The meaning is, God has many angels
supernatural messengers, to whom ht
may commit the instruction of men so al
to make their affliction profitable to them
The object of the angels visit and teach
ing is to show him the proper path fo
him to take; namely, turning from sin.
"a. Then he is gracious unto him. and SAITH Delive
HIM from going down to the pit: have found ransom
The result of the angels instruction
The man is supposed to accept the teach
ing. and turn to the right way, and thel
God will bless him. The connection
seems to indicate that the covering o
ransom is Gods gracious acceptance o
the mans repentance and turning iron
sin.
shall return to the days of his youth:
&C. He shall pray unto God and he will be favour;
BILE unto HIM: and he shall his face with joy fo
he will render unto man his righteousness
The mans physical and spiritual res
toration. His sickness disappears, ant
he RECEIVERS the freshness of youth (com
pare lisa. 49,: 31.) This is the compile
ton of the process of repentance begun
in the teaching of the angel. The mai
had lost his righteousness, but had turn
ed his face to God on being warned. AM
now God helps him, and restores him t
, his original condition. righteousness
is here integrity, uprightness, godliness
81. He looketh upon men, and if any say, hav
sinned, and perverted that which was right and
prohted me not;
g. He will deliver his soul from going into the pi
and his life shall see the light
The mans relation of his experience
In his joy at recovery he breaks out int
song, declaring that he had slnned an
it was not requited him; that is, he ha
not been punished with death, but ha'
been kept from the grave.