The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-04-12
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
APRIL 16.
Lesson Text: "Jobs Appeal" Job
xiii, 1-1O Golden Text
John xiii.-Commentary.

10. "Then Job answered and said, Even
to-day is my complaint bitter; my stroke is
heavier than my groaning.'' This is the be-
ginning of Jobs reply to the third address
Of Eli phaz. Each Of the three-Eliphaz.
Job had replied to each in turn. This is the
beginning Of the third round. In an inter-
esting and instructive little pamphlet en-
titled Job and His Friends" by G. H. NJ,
the author thinks that these three stand fot
experience, tradition and ]egality-all we'll
meaning, but unwise in their dealings with
Job. The difficulties on each side are summed
up in chapter xxi, 1-3. They con-
demned Job instead Of leading him to con.
demn himself, and he justified himself rather
than God. As to the beginning OF this re-
have great cause OF complaint, as did Israel
under their discomforts. but it is written,
when the people complained, it displeased
the Lord" (Num. 1i., j..
8. "Oh, that knew where l might find
Him; that might come even to His seatr'
Eliphaz had said, "Acquaint now thyself
with Him and be at peace" txxii.. 2l). Job
replies that his longing is to do so. Accord
ing to the testimony of God himself, Job
was perfect and upright man, fearing God
and eschewing evil d, 8; H., 81, the word
perfect meaning in this case simple or sin.
cere. Before his friends came. even under
overwhelming affection, he was patient and
did not sin nor charge God foolishly d., 90;
H., 10, because he felt himself face to face
with God and that God was dealing with
him. But these men seem to have come be-
tween him and God, and he, in replying to
them and dealing with them, loses sight Of
God and gropes in the darkness Of his own
wisdom.
4. II would order my cause before Him
and I'LL my mouth with arguments" So it
seemed to Job in his blindness, but it is
evident that he lacks the broken and con.
In the story Of the two men who went up to
the temple to pray Luke xviii, 10-14j it
was the man who would not lift up so much
as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, "God he merciful to me, a
sinner" who went down to his house justi-
fed rather than the other who thanked God
that he was better than other men. 1t is
only when our mouths are stopped as to our
own Righteousness that we can enjoy the free
justification Of the grace of God through His
righteousness (Rom. ill.,, 1g.
5. II would know the words which He
would answer me and understand what He
would say unto me-" He cannot understand
these friends. and IL is very clear they do not
understand him. but he thinks he could un-
derstand God, and he would like to know
what God would say to him. No doubt there
are many who think they can sympathize
with Job in his being SO misunderstood.
Well, there is great comfort in looking unto
Him. who knows US thoroughly from the be-
ginning and can never find out anything
new about US. He never can or will mis-
understand us. 20, Lord, Thou hast
searched me and known me" (Ps. cxxxix., u.
6. will He plead against me, with His
great power? No, hut He would put strength
in me-" A very little thing will often bring
the soul into such q place that everything
will look distorted, as when one sees things
in fog or with blurred vision Our eyes
need constant amounting with heavenly eye
salve Rev: ill.,, 1S that we may see clearly.
The holy Spirit can do this, and inasm,ich
as we have Him in sense that Job had Him
not we are more guilty than Job IL we allow
our vision to become so dim. God pleads
not against the sinner, but against sin,
which He hates. He who sought Adam and
Eve and redeemed them and restored them
to q measure Of fellowship with promise OF
future glory Is ever the same and Is pleading
with the sinner to come to Him, however
sinful he may be. and with the erring to re-
turn to Him, however far of he may have
wandered. See lisa: i, Is; w., g. 7: Jer. iii,
l2-14: Hos. xiv, Ia.
2. There the righteous might dispute
with Him: 90 should be delivered from my
judge" Perhaps we cannot tell just what
was In the mind Of Job when he uttered
these words, but this we do know-that
there Is only one righteous person
whose Righteousness can stand before Col,
and He also has been ordained to be the
judge Of quick and dead III Cor. ", 81; Acts
xviii, 3l). However sinful we may be, il
only we come with true penitence to Him
ubo =, mn in RI tba 1yorld 70 ooya o;pp.ro ua
will not only not cast US out John vi, 81,
but He will become our Righteousness, wis
dom. sanctifation and redemption, and we
shall have great cause to glory in Him Il
Cor. j., 30, 81. The Judge being our friend,
our Redeemer, our Substitute, who died in
our stead, what boldness we may have in
the day of Judgment Il John w., 10.
8. behold, l 60 forward, but He Is not
there, and backward, but cannot perceive
Him." He reminds US OF the bride in the
Song Of Songs who, because she had been
self occupied and had not promptly needed
the voice OF her beloved, is compelled to
seek Him very earnestly before she found
Him again. She says Il sought Him, but
could not find Him; called Him, but He
gave me no answer Song ", O.. Many a
Christian is walking in darkness, out OF fell
lowship with God, because Of something or
person which has been allowed to come
nearer to them than the Lord Himself. He
is not far off, nor hard to find, when we
seek Him with the whole heart tRom. Z, 8,
g.; Jer. XXX, 49,, and if we would walk con-
tlnually with Him, esteeming His fellowship
more tnan all else, we would never walk In
darkness ....
9. "On theleft hand, where He doth work
but cannot behold Him. He hideth Him.
self on the right hand that I cannot see
Him." The remarks on the last verse are
also applicable here, and yet there Is another
side Of the truth. We may walk with Him
in peace and quietness and yet not know why
He doeth this or that. He may say to US as
to Peter, "Wnat do thou knowest not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter.n Aud it will
always be true until 1.-The morning" that we
know only in part, but then shall we know
even as also we are known II Cor. xiii, 8,
~.
10. "But He knowth the way that take.n
Here Is our comfort, HE knoweth." Jere-
miah's comfort was, Thou, o Lord, knowes.
me" Uer. xii. 81. The Lord Jesus taught US
to find comfort in these words Your Heav.
enly Father knoweth'' CMath. vi, 32). There
fore we sing:
SO go on not knowing, I would not If
might;
I'd rather walk in the dark with God than
walk alone in the light.
"When He hath tried me, I shall come
forth as gold." Therefore he could also say,
Though He slay me, yet will l trust in
Him" Job xiii, 13, 15,) or with Isaiah, "Be.
hold, God is my salvation" (DelivererI; "I
will trust and net be afraid" xii, N.-Lesson
Holpor