Job 12:16-22 - Homilies By E. Johnson

Instances of the overruling wisdom of God.

I. THE DECEIVER AND THE DECEIVED ARE HIS . ( Job 12:16 .) He can cause the spirit of the faithless prophet to be a lying spirit ( 1 Kings 22:1-53 .), to be deceived in his oracles, and incur destruction ( Ezekiel 14:9 ).

II. So THE JUDGES ARE MADE FOOLS . ( Job 12:17 .) In short, God hath made from time to time the wisdom of this world foolishness ( 1 Corinthians 1:1-31 .), that no flesh might glory in his presence.

III. HE BRINGS NEW DISCOVERIES OF TRUTH TO LIGHT . ( Job 12:22 .) This is the revelation of God in history, and its page is full of illustrations. The calling of Abraham; the raising up of Moses; the deliverance of Israel; the elevation of David, the "rod out of his stem'" the lowly Messiah; the progress of the gospel and triumph over the wisdom of Greece and pride of Rome; the beginnings of the Reformation,—are but a few of the salient points in this providential history of the world.

The whole description is fitted to teach: