1. He complains of the conduct of his friends, and especially their want of sympathy.
(1) They exasperated him with their words.
(2) With their persistent hostility.
(3) With their callousness.
(4) With their assumed superiority.
Nothing tends more to aggravate a man’s suffering than the heartless and wordy talk of those who controvert his opinions in the hour of his distress.
2. He complains of the conduct of his God. God had “overthrown and confounded him”: had “refused him a hearing and hedged up his way.” He complains that he was utterly “deprived of his honours and his hope.” God had even treated him as “an enemy, and sent troops of calamities to overwhelm him.” God had put “all society against him.” These complainings reveal--
(1) a most lamentable condition of existence;
(2) considerable imperfections in moral character.
II. Job firmly confiding. He still held on to his faith in God as the vindicator of his character.
1. His confidence arose from faith in a Divine vindicator.
2. A vindicator who would one day appear on the earth.
3. Whom he would personally see for himself,
4. Who would so thoroughly clear him that his accusers would be filled with self-accusation. “But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?” (Homilist.)
