Job 31:25

_IF I HAVE MADE GOLD MY HOPE, OR HAVE SAID TO THE FINE GOLD, THOU ART MY CONFIDENCE;_ Job asserts his freedom from trust in money (1 Timothy 6:17). Here he turns to his duty toward God, as before be had spoken of his duty toward himself and his neighbour. Covetousness in covert idolatry, as it transfers the heart from the Creator to the creature (Colossians 3:5). In Job 31:26 he passes to overt idolatry....

24-32 Job protests, 1. That he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world. How few prosperous professors can appeal to the Lord, that they have not rejoiced because their gains were great! Through the determination to be rich, numbers ruin their souls, or pierce themselves with many sorrows. 2. He never was guilty of idolatry. The source of idolatry is in the heart, and it corrupts men, and provokes God to send judgments upon a nation. 3. He neither desired nor delighted in the hurt of the worst enemy he had. If others bear malice to us, that will not justify us in bearing malice to them. 4. He had never been unkind to strangers. Hospitality is a Christian duty, 1 Peter 4:9....

IF I HAVE REJOICED BECAUSE MY WEALTH WAS GREAT - That is, if I have rejoiced as if I might now confide in it, or put my trust in it. He had not found his principal joy in his property, nor had he attempted to find in that the happiness which he ought to seek in God. AND BECAUSE MINE HAND HAD GOTTEN MUCH - Margin, found. Prof. Lee translates this, “When as a mighty man my hand prevailed.” But the usual interpretation is given in our translation, and this accords better with the connection. The word found better expresses the sense of the Hebrew than gotten, but the sense is not materially varied....

EXPOSITION The conclusion of Job's long speech (ch. 26-31.) is now reached. He winds it up by a solemn vindication of himself from all the charges of wicked conduct which have been alleged or insinuated against him. perhaps it may be said that he goes further, maintaining generally his moral rectitude in respect of all the principal duties which a man owes either to God (verses 4-6, 24-28, 35-37) or to his fellows (verses 1-3, 7-23, 29-34, 38-40). He protests that he is innocent of impure thoughts (verses 1-4); of false seeming (verses 5-8); of adultery (verses 9-12); of injustice towards dependants (verses 13-15); of hardness towards the poor and needy (verses 16-23); of covetousness (verses 24, 25); of idolatry (verses 26-28); of malevolence (verses 29, 30); of want of hospitality (verses 31, 32); of hiding his transgressions (verses 33, 34); and of injustice as a landlord (verses 38-4...

IF I REJOICED BECAUSE MY WEALTH [WAS] GREAT,.... As it was, see Job 1:2; yet he did not set his heart upon it, please himself with it, indulge to a carnal joy on account of it, nor suffer it to engross his affections, or alienate them from God his chief joy; not but that a man may lawfully rejoice in the goodness of God unto him, in increasing his wealth, and praise him for it, who has placed him in such easy circumstances, and so comfortably provided for him and his family, and put him into a capacity to do good to others; and he may rejoice in what God has given him, and cheerfully partake of it, 1 Chronicles 29:13; AND BECAUSE MY HAND HAD GOTTEN MUCH; though he had much wealth, he did not ascribe it to his own industry, and applaud his own wisdom and diligence, as men are

CHAPTER 31 _ 1. My chastity and righteousness (Job 31:1)_ 2. My philanthropy (Job 31:13) 3. My integrity and hospitality (Job 31:24) 4. Let God and man disprove me (Job 31:35) Job 31:1. His final word is the final word in his self-righteous vindication. He gives Eliphaz the lie. He gives a review of his life to prove that he is clean in the sight of God and of man. Even if after this outburst his friends would have an inclination to answer him they could not have done so. He silenced them for good. But what are his declarations after all

JOB 31. THE OATH OF CLEARING. Job's final protestation of his innocence, and appeal to God to judge him. This chapter, says Duhm, is the high-water mark of the OT ethic, higher than the Decalogue or even than the prophets, since they deal with social not private morality. Duhm notes especially the humanity towards the slave based on the fact of a common creation, also that we are not to hate our enemies. (Job does not go so far as to say, Love your enemies; that is Christ's.) JOB 31:1. Job clears himself of secret sensual desires. He remembered that the all-seeing God punishes the evildoer. Job speaks from the standpoint he had occupied before his trials made him doubt the Divine justice. JOB 31:5. He clears himself of falsehood and covetousness....

DISCOURSE: 483 SPIRITUAL IDOLATRY Job 31:24; Job 31:28. _If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; …. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge: for I should have denied the God that is above_. HATEFUL as boasting is, and justly condemned both by God and man, there are occasions when it is proper, and indeed necessary. For instance; when a character has been grossly calumniated, and can be vindicated only by an appeal to facts, those facts may be adduced, however much the recital of them may tend to proclaim our own praise. Samuel was constrained to assert the equity of his own administration, when the people cast reflections on him, by desiring to change the fo

d. He did not trust in wealth nor in heavenly bodies. (Job 31:24-28) TEXT 31:24-28 24 IF I HAVE MADE GOLD MY HOPE, And have said to the fine gold, _Thou art_ my confidence; 25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much; 26 If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness, 27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand: 28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above. COMMENT 31:24-28 JOB 31:24He denies that he has ever made material wealth his GodJob 22:24 ff and...

JOB PROTESTS THE INNOCENCE OF HIS PAST LIFE Job's virtues are those of a great Arab prince, such as are admired still: namely, blameless family life, consideration for the poor and weak, charity, modesty, and generosity concerning wealth, pure religion (according to his creed), the absence of vindictive feelings, hospitality to strangers, fearless honesty and just dealings. 1-12. Sensual sins....