Judgment and Justice
George Hutcheson. Job 8:3 Does God pervert judgment? or does the Almighty pervert justice? These two words may be taken as expressing one and the same thing. If we distinguish them, judgment may serve to express God's righteous procedure in punishing the wicked; and justice His procedure in vindicating the righteous when they are oppressed. Job is unjustly charged, and accordingly he vindicates himself. 1. Job's maintaining of his own righteousness is not a quarrelling of God's righteousness, who afflicted him. Job held both to be true, though he could not reconcile God's dealing with the testimony of his own conscience, that did evidence his weakness, but not charge God With unrighteousness. 2. As for his complaints of God's dealings, he was indeed more culpable therein than he would at first see and acknowledge; yet therein he intended no direct accusation against God's righteousness. Learn — (1) The justice of God is so uncontrovertedly clear in all His proceeding, whether He act immediately, or mediately by instruments, that the conscience of the greatest complainer, when put to it seriously, must subscribe to it; and all are bound to the defence of it, as witnesses for God. (2) Such as know God, in His perfect and holy nature and attributes, will see clear cause to justify God in His proceeding; and particularly they who look upon His omniscient power and all-sufficiency, will see that He can neither be moved to injustice by hope of any reward, nor hindered to be just by the fear of the greatness of any, or any other by-respect. (3) Though God be unquestionably just, yet His dispensations may, sometimes, be such toward His people as they cannot easily reconcile His justice in His dealing, with the testimony of their own consciences, concerning their own integrity. (4) The study of God's sovereignty will solve many difficulties in the sad lots and sufferings of saints. (George Hutcheson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? WEB: Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?