Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?
All Commentaries on Job 27:9 Go To Job 27
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
15. ‘His cry in the time of his straits God heareth not,’ because in the time of tranquillity he did not himself hear the Lord crying in His precepts. For it is written; He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. [Prov. 28, 9] And so the holy man seeing that all they that are indifferent to practise what is light now, in the time at the end betake themselves to words of beseeching, saith; Will God hear his cry? By which words assuredly he follows close upon the words of our Redeemer, Who saith, Last of all come the foolish virgins also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. And it is answered them, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. [Matt. 25, 11] Because great severity is exercised then, in proportion as now greater mercy is prolonged [al. granted beforehand], and He does then with strictness put forth judgment upon persons not corrected, Who now patiently bestows pity upon them going on transgressing. For hence it is the Prophet saith, Seek ye the Lord, while He may be found; call ye upon Him, while He is near. [Is. 55, 6] Now He is not seen, and’ is near,’ then He shall be seen, and shall not’ be near.’ He hath not yet appeared in judgment, and if He be sought, He is found. For in a wonderful way, when He appeareth in judgment He is at once able to be seen, and unable to be found. Hence Solomon describes Wisdom at once caressing sweetly, and judging dreadfully, saying, Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets. Whose language he also tells, adding, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and fools delight in their own harm, and silly ones hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto yow 1 will make known my words unto you. [Prov. 1, 20-28] Mark with what kind of words her sweetness in calling is expressed. Let us see now in what ways her severity in upbraiding is told, that in the end sooner or later her strictness in punishing may have free scope. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand; and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. Let her now say how she will smite those, whom she bears with so much longsuffering, never turning back to her: I also will laugh at your destruction, I will mock when your fear cometh, when sudden calamity falleth on you, and your destruction riseth as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall rise up early, but they shall not find me. By the mouth of Solomon then, the wisest of men, all particulars are carefully set forth relating to the Judgment from Above: because she both at first calls us sweetly, and afterwards upbraids us terribly, and at the last condemns us irretrievably. And so it is well said; Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Surely because the hypocrite then findeth not a remedy in crying, who now lets slip the fitting opportunity of crying.
