Job 23:12

DISCOURSE: 475
JOB’S LOVE TO THE WORD OF GOD

Job 23:12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

WHENCE arose this remarkable assertion? Was it a spontaneous and uncalled-for effusion of self-applause? or was it drawn forth by the circumstances in which this holy man was placed? If we look back to the preceding chapter, we find that Eliphaz had given him this counsel: “Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart [Note: Job 22:21.].” In answer to this, Job replies, “O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! …. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.…My foot hath held his steps; his way have I kept, and not declined: neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food [Note: ver. 3, 8–12.].”

I will call your attention to these latter words,

I. As an honour to Job—

What sacred records Job possessed, I know not: but certainly he had some, either written or traditionary: and to these he had respect, “esteeming them more than his necessary food.”
His desire after them was more ardent—
[A man may feel no great appetite for dainties; but for his necessary food he cannot but feel a most intense desire. Hunger and thirst will in time so oppress a man, that he will gladly part with all that he possesses in the world to satisfy their pressing demands. In the famine that was in Egypt, the whole people of the country sold their lands, yea, their very bodies, to Pharaoh, for a supply of necessary food [Note: Genesis 47:19.]. Yea, on some occasions, women have eaten their own children, to satisfy the calls of nature. Yet was Job’s desire after the words of God more urgent than any pressure of the natural appetite for bodily food.]

His delight in them was more exquisite—
[The sacred records are represented to us as “a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined [Note: Isaiah 25:6.].” Yet this, methinks, conveys but a very inadequate idea of the delight which the promises of God afford to a weary heavy-laden soul. Doubtless to one nearly famished with hunger and thirst, the necessary food, how common soever it may be, is exceeding sweet: but not so sweet as were God’s words to Job; so much more exquisite was the satisfaction which they afforded to his soul than any of which his bodily frame was capable.]

His refreshment from them was more abiding—
[Elijah, after a hearty meal, “went in the strength of his meat forty days and forty nights [Note: 1 Kings 19:5.].” And Jonathan, after a day’s extreme fatigue, did but taste a little honey, and his strength was renovated in a very extraordinary degree [Note: 1 Samuel 14:29.]. But the strength which God’s blessed word imparted to Job was visible in every part of his life. Truly “it enlightened his eyes,” insomuch that his discernment of God’s truth was incomparably clearer than that of any of his friends who came to instruct and comfort him: for God himself says of them, that “they had not spoken of him the thing that was right, as his servant Job had [Note: Job 42:7.].” And, as it informed his understanding, so it strengthened him to bear his trials with a degree of confidence and composure never surpassed by mortal man. In immediate connexion with my text, he says, “God knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold [Note: Job 23:10.].” And St. James represents him, in this respect, as the most perfect pattern to the Church in all ages: “Ye have heard of the patience of Job [Note: James 5:11.].” I may add further, his love to the word of God was that to which we must trace the whole of that obedience which he so feelingly describes: “My foot hath held his steps; his ways have I kept, and not declined; neither have I gone back from the commandments of his lips: I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food [Note: Job 23:11.].”]

Let me yet further pursue this subject,

II.

As a reproach to us—

How much fuller a revelation of God’s mind do we possess!
[Doubtless Job’s views, both of himself as a sinner, and of Christ as a Saviour, were, in many respects, clear and just [Note: Job 9:20; Job 19:25.]. But how incomparably richer is that discovery of God’s revealed will, which is transmitted to us in the writings of the Old and New Testament! There is nothing concealed from us, which it would be for our advantage to know. All the eternal counsels of God, as displayed in the covenant of grace, are exhibited to our view, together with all the wonders of redeeming love. How highly, then, should these be estimated by us! If Job felt such regard for the partial revelations vouchsafed to him, what should not we feel towards this complete system of divine truth, which we are privileged to enjoy?]

But how low is the esteem in which it is held by us!

[Not only is “our necessary food” preferred before it, but every base indulgence: the gratifications of sense which are most sinful, and the acquisition of objects which are most worthless, have a greater preponderance in our minds than either the Law of Moses or “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God.” Let us only look back, and see how faint have been our desires after divine knowledge, and how feeble our endeavours to obtain it. In truth, every book has been preferred before the sacred volume: and, with almost every one amongst us, the perusal of a novel or a newspaper would be resorted to, at any time, to occupy a leisure hour, rather than God’s blessed word.
To what is our ignorance of heavenly subjects to be ascribed, but to this? And to what else must our disobedience to God’s commandments be traced? We love not God’s word, and therefore we do not study it: we explore not its contents, and therefore we neither know it nor obey it. Though it ought to be our meditation and delight all the day [Note: Psalms 1:2. See Jeremiah 15:16.], with many the sacred volume is scarcely ever read at all: and with those who do occasionally take it into their hands, it is read only in a superficial manner, and without that veneration and love which it deserves. I say, then, that Job may well rise up in judgment against us, to condemn us for our grievous neglect of that sacred volume, which even “the angels in heaven desire to look into [Note: 1 Peter 1:12.].”]

Application—

Redeem, then, the time which you have lost, for the attainment of divine knowledge—
[Were the salvation of your soul out of the question, God’s blessed word deserves more attention than any other book: for there is no other book whose contents are so curious, so instructive, so edifying in every view. But, when the salvation of your soul depends on your obedience to it, what shall I say? Methinks, you should be studying it day and night, in order to obtain all its proffered benefits, and to comply with all its most reasonable demands. In public, when it is opened to you in the ministration of the Gospel, “receive it, not as the word of man, but as the word of the living God.” And in your secret chamber study it, as it were, upon your knees; and implore of God the teaching of his Holy Spirit, in order that you may be able to comprehend its mysterious contents. In a word, esteem the revelation of your God as Job esteemed it: and then, like Job, shall you have a record on high, that you pleased God, and that you were accepted of him.]