Job's Fears for His Children
T. Horton, D. D. Job 1:4-5 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day… In the text there are two parts. I. JOB'S FEAR, OR JEALOUSY, CONCERNING HIS CHILDREN. The persons suspected. His sons. His daughters are mentioned, but Job's care specially concerned the sons, as responsible for the feast, and as more exposed to temptations of excess. But perhaps sons means children, and includes them all. Look at Job as another man than his children, and yet solicitous about them. Then we learn that a good and gracious heart is troubled about other men's miscarriages as well as his own. The good man will try to restrain others by his admonitions; to expiate their sins by his prayers; to bewail their sins in his reflections. So should we do, upon sundry considerations. (1) Out of respect to the honour and glory of God. (2) Out of respect to the souls of our brethren. (3) Out of respect to ourselves.Consider Job in his relation as a father. His chief care was lest his children should offend God at their meetings and feastings. (1) He did not find fault with the meeting itself (2) He does not complain of the charge or cost of the meeting. (3) He does not think wrongly of his not being invited.This was his fear, lest his children should offend, and trespass against God. He was solicitous about the sins of his children. No doubt he had been careful to instruct his children. But there is no trust to be given either to good relationships, or good education, considered alone by themselves. See the reasons and occasions for Job's fears. (1) His love and affection for them. (2) Their general corruption of nature. (3) Their age and condition of life. (4) Their employment, or the occasion of their present meeting — a feast.There are great temptations at such scenes: to gluttony, drunkenness, and intemperance; to strife, contentions, and brawlings; to lascivious carriages and speeches; to atheism and forgetfulness of God. Satan is usually vigilant to improve such opportunities. II. THE PARTICULAR MATTER OF JOB'S FEAR is, lest his children should "have cursed God in their hearts." It may mean have blest (the word is barak) God in their hearts — that is, they may have sinned together with their blessing of God. This is usual, and it proceeds from that hypocrisy which by nature rests in men's hearts; men are careful to have a good outside now and then, and to conform to some outward duties of religion, because they carry some speciousness with them, but the inward frame and disposition of spirit is little heeded or regarded by them. The expression admits of such an interpretation as this: though my sons have blest God in their hearts, they may have fallen into some occasional and actual miscarriage. There are said to be sins of three sorts. (1) Sins of daily or frequent incursion, which, whilst we remain in the flesh, we shall never be freed from. (2) Sins which, in an especial manner, wound the conscience. (3) Sins of a middle nature between both; sins of a non-attendancy or neglect. Take the sentence negatively. "Have sinned, and have not blessed God," or "Have sinned, and little blessed God." Take it as "cursed God." This need not be understood in the proper and aggravating sense but rather in the qualified and interpretative. There is a blaspheming God in the heart, and there is a blaspheming that does not reach so far. Learn — 1. It is a thing very commendable in a Christian to repent of sin, even unknown. 2. It is the care of a gracious person, not only to take heed of notorious sins, but also of the shadows and resemblances of it. 3. A good Christian has regard to his thoughts, as well as to his words and actions. 4. A godly man is tender of passing hard censure upon the persons or actions of other men. (T. Horton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. WEB: His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.