Job 42:5-6

“I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!”

The deepest lessons of religion are usually taught to us in the school of adversity.

Affliction draws forth and reveals to us our latent corruptions.

These drive us with more abundant earnestness to God.

God takes these occasions to manifest his power and grace.

Thus we attain to a more enlarged and experimental knowledge of God.

This advances and improves us in every part of the divine life.

The history of Job remarkably exemplifies this observation; he was a godly man before his affliction, Job 1:8, but too confident of his own integrity. But in his trouble God revealed himself to him more fully, and thus brought him to a better spirit, “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!”

I. The discoveries of Himself which God sometimes makes to His more favored people.

There is a hearing of God, which, for lack of faith in the hearers, profits them nothing. But there is also a hearing which is really profitable. Such had Job’s been; and such is that which multitudes experience under the Gospel. But there is a seeing of God which is very distinct from hearing. So Job experienced on this occasion.

There was not any visible appearance of God given to him; but surely he had views of the majesty, and power, and holiness of God, which he had never beheld before.

Such experience too have all his saints.

God does “manifest himself to them as he does not unto the world, John 14:22-23,” and reveals himself more fully at some times than at others.

What else can be meant by that “anointing of the Holy One” which he grants to us, 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27.

What else can be meant by the “Spirit of adoption, Romans 8:15.”

What else can be meant by the “witness of the Spirit, Romans 8:16.”

What else can be meant by the “the sealing of the Spirit,” which is a pledge “of our heavenly inheritance, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22. Ephesians 1:13-14.”

What can be meant by “the light of God’s countenance lifted up upon us, Psalm 4:6”

What else can be meant his “love shed abroad in our hearts, Romans 5:5.”

These are blessings experienced by the saints in different degrees; and when given, are like the sun bursting forth from behind a cloud, or a veil being taken from before our own eyes! 2 Corinthians 3:18. Then are we, like Moses, put in the cleft of a rock, and both hear his name proclaimed before us, and behold his goodness and his glory pass before our eyes! Exodus 33:22-23; Exodus 34:5-7.

In Job’s instance before us we see,

II. The effects which those discoveries of Himself which God sometimes makes to His more favored people, will invariably produce upon them.

They will reveal to us our utter sinfulness.

Job was high in his own esteem before he saw God, Job 27:5-6; Job 31:6; but after he had seen God, his opinions were wholly changed! Job 40:4-5. Job expressly declares that his repentance was the result of the discovery afforded him, “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!”

Thus was Peter’s mind affected with a discovery of Christ’s power, Luke 5:8. We have a yet more remarkable instance of this effect in the prophet, Isaiah 6:5.

The experience of every Christian accords with this. Nothing shows us the aggravations of our sins so much, as a view of Him against whom they have been committed. Our contrition will ever be proportioned to our views of Christ! Zechariah 12:10.

They will cause us to abhor ourselves in dust and ashes.

While we know but little of God, we see but little of our own corruptions; but as we become more enlightened in our views of God—we learn to loath and abhor ourselves. Even Job, as holy as he was, found this effect from his views of God. Paul also, notwithstanding all his integrity, was brought to this by a sight of Christ, 1 Timothy 1:15. The same cause will produce the same effect in all! Ezekiel 36:26; Ezekiel 36:31.

INFERENCES.

1. How do they err, who decry all manifestations of God to the soul!

Many think that divine manifestations are only the offspring of enthusiasm, and the parent of pride; but God does surely manifest himself to some as he does not to others, John 14:22-23. Nor will such manifestations be allowed to puff us up with pride. The more holy a Christian is, the lower thoughts will he have of himself! Ephesians 3:8. Let the saints then be careful to cut off occasion for such calumnies, 1 Peter 3:16. Let them seek clearer views of Christ, as the means of abasing themselves more and more.

2. In what a wretched state are those who hear only in a customary manner!

Many there are of this description, Matthew 13:14-15. They see themselves with self-righteousness and self-delight. But every living soul must be brought low before God, Isaiah 2:11. God has established an invariable rule of procedure towards them, James 4:6. We cannot address them better than in the pathetic language of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 13:15-17.

3. How unspeakable a mercy do many find it, to have been afflicted!

The generality even of real Christians are prone to rest in small spiritual attainments; but God quickens them by means of temporal or spiritual afflictions. Through their troubles, they are brought to much humility and heavenly-mindedness; hence the most eminent saints have esteemed their troubles a ground of thankfulness. Let all therefore justify God in their troubles, and glorify him by submission. Let the afflicted be solicitous to have their trials sanctified, rather than removed.

4. What views shall we have of God in the eternal world!

The views with which the godly are sometimes favored in this world are inexpressibly bright and glorious. But what a sight of God will that be, when we shall behold him face to face! Surely all that we have heard or seen of God in this earthly state will be, in comparison with that, no more than a candle compared with the meridian sun. Let us willingly then endure the tribulations that are preparing us for Heaven.

Charles Simeon