---
title: "John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible"
author: "John Wesley"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 124 of 398
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/124/
cite: "John Wesley, John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible, section 124. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/124/"
---

# John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible

*John Wesley*

Wesley's short, plain notes on the Old and New Testaments, verse by verse.

## 124. Job · 8 of 17

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/124/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/124/#p-N

[¶0] First - born - A terrible kind of death. The first - born was the chief of his brethren, and therefore this title is given to things eminent in their kind.

[¶1] Confidence - All the matter of his confidence, his riches, and children. Terrors - To death, which even Aristotle called, The most terrible of all terribles. And this it will do, either because it will expose him to his enemies, who will kill him; or because the sense of his disappointments, and losses, and dangers, will break his heart.

[¶2] It - Destruction, expressed ver.12, shall fix its abode with him. Because - Because it is none of his own, being got from others by deceit or violence. Brimstone - It shall be utterly destroyed, as it were, by fire and brimstone. He seems to allude both to the destruction of Sodom, which happened not long before these times, and to the judgment which befel Job, chap.1:16.

[¶3] Darkness - From a prosperous life to disgrace and misery, and to the grave, the land of darkness.

[¶4] Astonied - At the day of his destruction. They shall be amazed at the suddenness, and dreadfulness of it. Before - Before the persons last mentioned. Those who lived in the time and place where this judgment was inflicted.

[¶5] The place - The condition.

[¶6] Ten - Many times. A certain number for an uncertain. Strange - That you carry yourselves like strangers to me, and condemn me as if you had never known my integrity.

[¶7] Erred - If I have sinned, I myself suffer for my sins, and therefore deserve your pity rather than reproaches.

[¶8] Cry - Unto God. Wrong - That I am oppressed by my friends.

[¶9] Glory - Of my estate, children, authority, and all my comforts. Crown - All my power, and laid my honour in the dust.

[¶10] Every side - In all respects, my person, and family, and estate. Gone - I am a lost and dead man. Hope - All my hopes of the present life, but not of the life to come. Tree - Which being once plucked up by the roots, never grows again. Hope in this life is a perishing thing. But the hope of good men, when it is cut off from this world, is but removed like a tree, transplanted from this nursery to the garden of God.

[¶11] Troops - My afflictions, which are God's soldiers marching under his conduct. Raise - Cast up a trench round about me.

[¶12] Estranged - As we must eye the hand of God, in all the injuries we receive from our enemies, so likewise in all the slights and unkindnesses we receive from our friends.

[¶13] Maids - Who by reason of their sex, commonly have more compassionate hearts than men.

[¶14] Arose - From my seat, to shew my respect to them, though they were my inferiors.

[¶15] Inward - My intimates and confidants, to whom I imparted all my thoughts and counsels.

[¶16] Skin - Immediately, the fat and flesh next to the skin being consumed. As - As closely as it doth to these remainders of flesh which are left in my inward parts.

[¶17] Touched me - My spirit is touched with a sense of his wrath, a calamity of all others the most grievous.

[¶18] As God - As if you had the same infinite knowledge which God hath, whereby you can search my heart and know my hypocrisy, and the same sovereign authority to say and do what you please with me. Not satisfied - Are like wolves or lions that are not contented with devouring the flesh of their prey, but also break their bones.

[¶19] My words - The words which I am now about to speak. And that which Job wished for, God granted him. His words are written in God's book; so that wherever that book is read, there shall this glorious confession be declared, for a memorial of him.

[¶20] Lead - Anciently they used to grave the letters in a stone with an iron tool, and then to fill up the cuts with lead, that the words might be more plainly seen.

[¶21] For - This is the reason of his confidence in the goodness of his cause, and his willingness to have the matter depending between him and his friends, published and submitted to any trial, because he had a living and powerful Redeemer to plead his cause, and to give sentence for him. My Redeemer - In whom I have a particular interest. The word Goel, here used; properly agrees to Jesus Christ: for this word is primarily used of the next kinsman, whose office it was to redeem by a price paid, the sold or mortgaged estate of his deceased kinsman; to revenge his death, and to maintain his name and honour, by raising up seed to him. All which more fitly agrees to Christ, who is our nearest kinsman and brother, as having taken our nature upon him; who hath redeemed that everlasting inheritance which our first parents had utterly lost, by the price of his own blood; and hath revenged the death of mankind upon the great contriver of it, the devil, by destroying him and his kingdom; and hath taken a course to preserve our name, and honour, and persons, to eternity. And it is well observed, that after these expressions, we meet not with such impatient or despairing passages, as we had before; which shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort. Latter day - At the day of the general resurrection and judgment, which, as those holy patriarchs well knew and firmly believed, was to be at the end of the world. The earth - The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day. Heb. upon the dust; in which his saints and members lie or sleep, whom he will raise out of it. And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust, or the grave, or death; because then he will put that among other enemies under his feet.

[¶22] Though - Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed, and the rest of it, together with this body, shall be devoured by the worms, which may seem to make my case desperate. Flesh - Or with bodily eyes; my flesh or body being raised from the grave, and re - united to my soul. God - The same whom he called his Redeemer, ver.25, who having taken flesh, and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Job upon the earth, might well be seen with his bodily eyes. Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him; but of that glorious and beatifying vision of God, which is promised to all God's people.

[¶23] See - No wonder he repeats it again, because the meditation of it was most sweet to him. For - For my own benefit and comfort. Another - For me or in my stead. I shall not see God by another's eyes, but by my own, and by these self - same eyes, in this same body which now I have. Though - This I do confidently expect, tho' the grave and the worms will consume my whole body.

[¶24] Therefore - Because my faith and hope are in God. The root - The root denotes, a root of true religion. And the root of all true religion is living faith.

[¶25] Sword - Of some considerable judgment to be inflicted on you which is called the sword, as Deut 32:41, and elsewhere. That - This admonition I give you, that you may know it in time, and prevent it. A judgment - God sees and observes, and will judge all your words and actions.

[¶26] Therefore - For this thy severe sentence. Make haste - I speak sooner than I intended. And possibly interrupted Job, when he was proceeding in his discourse.

[¶27] The check - Thy opprobrious reproofs of us. Understanding - I speak, not from passion, but certain knowledge.

[¶28] This - Which I am now about to say. Since - Since the world was made.

[¶29] Though - Though he be advanced to great dignity and authority.

[¶30] Bones - His whole body, even the strongest parts of it. The sin - Of the punishment of it.

[¶31] Mouth - To his taste; though it greatly please him for the present. Hide - As an epicure doth a sweet morsel, which he keeps and rolls about his mouth, that he may longer enjoy the pleasure of it.

[¶32] Turned - From sweet to bitter. Gall of asps - Exceeding bitter and pernicious. Gall is most bitter; the gall of serpents is full of poison; and the poison of asps is most dangerous and within a few hours kills without remedy.

[¶33] Vomit - Be forced to restore them. God, &c. - If no man's hand can reach him, God shall find him out.

[¶34] See - Not enjoy that abundant satisfaction and comfort, which good men through God's blessings enjoy.

[¶35] Swallow - So as to hold it. He shall not possess it long, nor to any considerable purpose. Yea, he shall be forced to part with his estate to make compensations for his wrongs. So that he shall not enjoy what he had gotten, because it shall be taken from him.

[¶36] Belly - He shall have no peace in his mind. Desired - Any part of his desirable things, but shall forfeit and lose them all.

[¶37] Therefore - It being publickly known that he was totally ruined, none of his kindred shall trouble themselves about any relicks of his estate.

[¶38] In, &c. - In the height of prosperity he shall be distressed. Hand, &c. - So his wickedness shall be punished by those as wicked as himself.

[¶39] Rain - This phrase denotes both the author of his plagues, God, and the nature and quality of them, that they shall come upon him like rain; with great vehemency, so that he cannot prevent or avoid it. Eating - As it fell upon thy sons.

[¶40] Flee - From the sword or spear; and so shall think him self out of danger.

[¶41] It - The arrow, which had entered into his body, and now was drawn out of it either by himself or some other person; having in general said, that it came out of his body, he determines also the part of the body, the gall; which shews that the wound was both deep and deadly. Terrors - The terrors of death; because he perceived his wound was incurable.

[¶42] Darkness - All sorts of miseries. Hid - Or, laid up; by God for him. It is reserved and treasured up for him, and shall infallibly overtake him. Secret - In those places where he confidently hopes to hide himself from all evil: even there God shall find him out. Not blown - By man, but kindled by God himself. He thinks by his might and violence to secure himself from men, but God will find him out. With him - With his family, who shall inherit his curse as well as his estate.

[¶43] Heaven - God shall be a swift witness against him by extraordinary judgments; still he reflects upon Job's case, and the fire from heaven. Earth - All creatures upon earth shall conspire to destroy him. If the God of heaven and earth be his enemy, neither heaven nor earth will shew him any kindness, but all the host of both are, and will he at war with him.

[¶44] Increase of his house - His estate. Depart - Shall be lost. Flow - Like waters, swiftly and strongly, and so as to return no more. His - Of God's wrath.