Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
The riches of grace
Job shows that wicked men may prosper in life and health (verse 7); in their multitude of children (verse 8); in tranquillity and safety (verse 9); in success and increase of their substance (verse 10); in wealth, security, and pleasure (verses 11, 12, 13). Job sets down two things--their sin, in the text; their punishment, in verse 13. The text contains three things--Wicked men’s contempt of grace. Their contempt of the means of grace. The profaneness of their lives. From the first of these,--a wicked man’s contempt of grace, observe this doctrine:--That a wicked man doth not so much as desire saving grace. A true desire of grace is a supernatural appetite to grace not had for the goodness of it. Four things in this appetite--
1. It is an appetite of the soul to grace, when the heart doth even go out of itself for the attaining of grace. A hungry appetite signifies a hunger unfeigned, which is unsupportable without meat, so that he who truly desires grace cannot be without grace: nothing can satisfy him but meat, though he had all the wealth of the world. Hunger is irrepulsable, so he who truly desires grace will not let God alone, but begs and cries for it. And hunger is humble, it is not choice in its meat, it will be content with anything.
2. It is a supernatural appetite, distinguished from that which natural men have, and yet hate grace.
3. It is an appetite or desire after grace not had. No desire is desire indeed, but true desire; because grace is above the reach of nature; because grace is contrary to nature; because grace is a hell unto the natural man. The first step to grace is to see that we have no grace. Grace which wicked men desire, is not true grace. Thy hands and thy heart are full of corruption, so that though grace lie even at thy feet, yet thou canst not receive it up, unless thou empty thy hands and thy heart. Wherefore if there be any lust, though never so dear, any bosom sin, which thou wilt not part with; it is an evident sign that thou hast not a true desire of grace. It is a vehement desire, if true; a lukewarm desire is no true desire. Though delight be an effect of true desire, yet it is also a sign of grace, because grace in potentia is in the ordinance of God. Therefore the man that desires grace, he will delight in the ordinances of grace. The more delays the greater becomes the desire; delays are as oil cost into the fire, which makes the flame the greater. If thy desires be true, thou hast gotten some grace: examine therefore thyself. They that truly desire grace, desire the means of grace. Men that desire a crop of corn, they will be at the cost, charges, and pains, for ploughing, harrowing, and sowing of their ground. How shall we get our hearts truly to desire grace?
1. Learn to know it. Grace is such an admirable thing, that if men knew it, they could not bet desire it. The taste of grace is sweet and dainty, that if we could but once taste it, our hearts would ever water after it, and we should have little lust to the contrary evil. If you would desire grace, then purge out the ill-humours of sin out of thy soul. Fear to offend God, for the fear of evil is the desire of good. The desire of the righteous is only good; he desires God, and Christ, and the eternal love of God in Christ to be manifested to him, and therein he rests himself; but the hope of the wicked is indignation, he only desires the base self of the world; but the wrath of heaven is with that, and he shall bewail his own soul, that for such base things he should refuse the eternal good, and neglect it. In God there is all good. God is such a good, that without Him nothing is good. (William Penner, B. D.)
The sinner’s prayer
I. This prayer reveals to us the awful condition of the human heart. Lower than this neither man nor demon can sink, for what is it but saying, “Evil be thou my good, darkness be thou my light”? Here we have the climax of criminal audacity. The climax of self-deception. And the climax of ingratitude.
II. This prayer shows us the nearness of God to man. The difficulty is not for man to find God, but to avoid finding Him. There is underlying this prayer a profound consciousness of the Divine presence. The sinner fools that God is near, but he would be altogether without Him, if he could.
III. This prayer expresses the conviction of men, that the Lord’s claims upon them are founded on reason and truth. God invites them to reason with Him, to consider their ways, to ascertain the character of His commandments. They desire not the knowledge of God’s ways. It is this reluctance to give the Gospel any attention, this indisposition to think about eternal things, which hardens men in their sin and folly, and ensures their destruction.
IV. This prayer sets before us the great contrast which exists between the converted and the unconverted. Those who are not converted, pray in their hearts and lives that the Lord will depart from them. The converted thirst after God as the hart pants for the water brooks.
V. This prayer illustrates the long suffering of God. The very fact that men offer this prayer and still live, exhibits the Lord’s forbearance and compassion in the most striking manner.
VI. The answer to this prayer involves the most serious consequences to those who offer it. If persevered in, the answer will come. There is a bound beyond which men cannot pass with impunity. It is a fearful thing to be left alone of God, to be suffered to sin unrestrained, and to drink in iniquity like water. This is the result of the prayer being answered. (H. B. Ingrain.)
The language of impiety
The more God does for wicked men, the more ill affected they are towards Him.
I. Observe the language of impenitent prosperity.
1. “They say.” They not only conceive it in their thoughts, but utter it in words. Persons are lost to all fear and shame, when instead of suppressing, or so much as concealing their sinful thoughts, they can publish them abroad, and let the world know their strong propensity to evil.
2. “They say unto God.” To speak to the Lord is a great privilege, and to do it with humility, reverence, and delight, is an important duty. How opposite is the language we are contemplating. How full of irreverence and daring impiety!
3. “Depart from us.” The Divine presence is exceedingly desirable to a good man, nor can he be happy without it; but it is far otherwise with the carnal heart.
4. They impiously say, “We desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” Sinners are not only ignorant, but willing to continue so. They dislike the way in which God walks. And they are equally averse to the way in which God has directed His creatures to walk, the way of holiness and happiness, of humility and self-denial, of faith and love, and evangelical obedience.
II. The sources of this impiety. No reason can be rendered for a thing in itself so unreasonable.
1. This ignorance proceeds from pride.
2. From practical atheism.
3. From hatred and aversion.
4. From slavish fear and dread.
5. There is an utter contrariety of nature which renders the sinner averse from God, and from a knowledge of His ways. Reflections--
(1) Without considering the depravity of human nature, nothing could appear more unaccountable, because nothing can be more unreasonable, than that man should feel averse from God, and from a knowledge of His ways.
(2) If anyone should presume to say to God, “Depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways,” let him tremble at the consequences. If God takes him at his word, he will be given up to hardness of heart. (B. Beddome, M. A.)
God repudiated
I. God offers to instruct and guide men in the knowledge of his ways. Wicked men could not say to God, Depart, unless He came near to them. No truth is more clear than that our Lord really desires to instruct men in His ways, that He may bless them with His favour. In the Bible God has revealed the methods by which we may learn His will, gain His grace, and be saved; and this Word, with all its priceless offers, His providence has placed in our hands. In the whole capabilities of human thought can there be a more wonderful, a vaster idea than this: the absolute and Almighty Sovereign, instead of subduing rebellious subjects by power, perseveringly seeking to win them by love!
II. Some repel these gracious offers. The practical response of every unregenerate soul, acquainted with the Gospel, to these proffers of God, is “Depart from me.” This is the virtual utterance, not only of the profligate and profane, but of all who practically repudiate the law of the Lord as a rule of their lives. Every sinner makes the gratification of his own propensities and desires--not the will of the Lord--the rule of his life. Even what he does that is right and good, he does because he chooses, not because God requires it.
III. The sinner’s strange reason for his repulse of God. “We desire not.” Yet the human intellect craves for knowledge. Men want to know what history, literature, philosophy, science can teach. But of the ways of the great God, who made and governs all things, they desire not to know. See some of the causes of this unreasonable aversion.
1. The mode of acquiring knowledge of God is too humbling for the depraved, human will.
2. A subtle, scarcely acknowledged unbelief in the inspiration and authority of the Bible.
3. The supreme reason is the love of sin,
4. Others do not desire a knowledge of God’s ways now. Not yet, but at some convenient future season they hope to learn more of this matter. (J. L. Burrows, D. D.)
