[Here we continue a reprint of a small portion of Joseph
Caryl’s study in Job. Mr. Caryl wrote twelve volumes on
the book of Job. His study is a great example of how deep
one can dig into the truths of the Bible.]
A Study by Joseph Caryl (1644)
Job 1:13-15 (part 2) -
The Time of Affliction
13
And
there
was
a
day
when
his
sons
and
his
daughters
were
eating
and
drinking
wine
in
their
eldest
brother’s
house:
14
And
there
came
a
messenger
unto
Job,
and
said,
The
oxen
were
plowing,
and
the
asses
feeding
beside
them.
15
And
the
Sabeans
fell
upon
them,
and
took
them
away;
yea,
they
have
slain
the
servants
with
the
edge
of
the
sword;
and
I
only
am
escaped
alone
to
tell thee.
(KJV)
“And
the
Sabeans
fell
upon
them…”
–
The
Hebrew
is,
Saba
fell
upon
them,
the
country
put
for
the
people:
Saba
for
the
Sabeans
.
As
we
use
to
say,
Spain
made
war,
and
France
made
war,
that
is,
the
Spaniards
made
war,
or
the
French
made
war,
so
it
is
such
an
expression;
Saba
fell upon them, that is, the people inhabiting
Saba
.
“…fell
upon
them…”
–
The
word
denotes
a
mighty
violence;
they
came
upon
them
as
from
above;
they
came
powering
down
upon
them
like
a
storm.
There
is
such
a
phrase
in
war,
when
they
go
violently
upon
a
place,
they
are
said
to
storm
the
place,
to
storm
the
gates
of
a
castle
or
of
a
city;
so
here,
they
fell
upon
them,
that
is,
they
came
violently
upon
them
like
a
storm.
In
Prov.
1:27,
destruction
is
described
to
come
upon wicked men
like a whirlwind
.
The
Sabeans
were
a
people
(as
it
is
concluded
by
most
interpreters)
inhabiting
Arabia
felix
,
near
the
country
where
Job
dwelt.
And
for
the
manners
of
this
people,
it
is
observed
by
historians,
that
they
were
a
people
famous
only
for
robberies,
a
people
that
lived
by
pillage
and
by
plundering
of
their
neighbors.
Such
a
people
they
were;
these
Sabeans
fell
upon
them,
they
took
away
thy
cattle,
and
have
slain
thy
servants
with
the
edge of the sword
.
Here
it
may
be
questioned:
how
or
why
these
Sabeans
at
such
a
time
should
fall
upon
the
estate
of
Job?
What
hurt
had
Job
done
them?
Job
lived
in
a
fair
way
with
all
his
neighbors,
and
kept
good
quarter
and
correspondence
with
them;
he
was
not
a
man
of
war
or
contention.
How
then
comes
it
to
pass
that
these
fell
upon
Job’s
estate
and
took
it
away,
and
upon
that
day
too, in this nick of time?
As
when
the
widow
of
Tekoah
had
told
a
fair
tale
to
David
about
the
bringing
back
of
Absalom,
the
king
asked
her,
Is
not
the
hand
of
Joab
with
thee
in
all
this?
So
when
you
see
such
men,
Sabeans
and
Chaldeans
falling
upon
the
estate
of
Job,
you
may
demand,
Is
not
the
hand
of
Satan
in
all
this?
Yes,
no
doubt.
These
Sabeans
fell
upon
Job’s
estate,
but
Satan
first
fell
upon
the
Sabeans,
and
by
strong
temptations
provoked
them to do this service.
But
how
could
he
prevail
upon
the
Sabeans,
that
they
should come and do his business, now at this time?
The
Apostle
tells
us,
that
wicked
men
are
led
captive
by
Satan
at
his
will
(see
II
Tim.
2:26)
.
Satan
leads
men
captive
at
his
will,
while
they
are,
as
they
conceive,
conquerors,
riding
in
triumph,
doing
their
own
will.
These
Sabeans
came
to
execute
their
own
designs,
but
Satan
had
a
design
upon
them:
he
brought
them
thus
to spoil the estate of Job.
But
what
could
Satan
do?
How
could
Satan
prevail
with
these?
Can
he
force
men
to
be
his
instruments,
to
execute
his
designs
upon
the
people
of
God?
Or
has
he
Sabeans
and
Chaldeans,
nations
and
people
at
his
beck, or under his command?
No,
Satan
cannot
force
or
compel
them
against
their
wills,
but
as
that
scripture
says,
he
leads
them
captive
at
his
will
;
and,
as
it
says
in
another
scripture,
he
is
a
prince
of
the
power
of
the
air,
and
he
works
in
the
children
of
disobedience;
yea,
he
works
like
a
prince,
mightily
and
powerfully
in
the
children
of
disobedience
(see
Eph.
2).
Though
he
cannot
constrain
them,
yet
he
can
work
mightily in them to effect what he has to do.
But
how
does
he
bring
them
about
thus
readily
and
suddenly to act what he projects.
Thus:
First,
he
finds
out
the
temper
and
disposition
of
the
persons.
That
Satan
can
do.
He
is
a
great
naturalist
,
and
has
a
great
deal
of
help
to
his
skill,
long
experience
,
by
both
he
can
go
very
far
in
discovering
the
dispositions
of
men,
which
way
their
spirits
tend;
and
he
found
out
that
these
Sabeans
were
a
people
given
to
robbery
and
spoil,
and
so
fit
ministers
for
him
to
work
by in his design of spoiling the estate of Job.
Secondly,
when
he
found
out
the
natural
temper
or
state
of
a
man’s
heart,
he
can
lay
a
bait
of
temptation
suitable
to
that
inclination
and
desire.
Finding
out
a
people
given
to
spoil,
he
presently
sets
before
them
rich
spoils,
ripe
for
the
taking.
See,
yonder
is
a
brave
prize
for
you;
yonder
is
a
rich
man;
his
estate
will
be
good
plunder;
yonder
are
oxen
and
asses;
there’s
good
booty
to
be
had.
Thus
finding
out
their
disposition,
he
presents
or
holds
up
an
object
to
them
which
hits
it
fully.
Thirdly,
Satan
deals
with
man
to
draw
him
to
his
purpose
a
degree
further,
by
injecting
and
casting
into
the
mind
the
motion
to
do
this.
He
not
only
presents
such-and-such
a
thing,
such-and-such
an
opportunity,
but
he
casts
in
and
injects
the
motion.
As
it
is
said
of
Judas,
that
the
devil
put
it
into
his
heart
betray
Christ
(John
13:2).
The
devil
being
a
spirit
has
access
to
our
spirits,
and
can
convey
himself
into
them
and
instill
his
suggestions.
As
the
Lord
Christ
did
breathe
upon
his
disciples,
and
so
they
received
the
Holy
Ghost
and
were
filled
with
the
Spirit,
so
Satan
breathes
filthy
suggestions
into
the
spirits
of
men,
and
fills
them
with
all
manner
of
wickedness,
malice,
unrighteousness.
He
fills
them
with
the
spirit
of
hell.
“Why
hath
Satan
filled
thine
heart?”
said
Peter
to
Ananias
(Acts
5:3).
Satan
had
filled
his
heart
to
lie
to
the
Holy
Ghost
.
Thus,
he
instilled
these
thoughts
of
gain
by
robbery
and
murder
into
the
Sabeans
and
the
Chaldeans,
and
filled
their
hearts
brim
full.
Then,
they
resolve
to
act
it
out
with
the
hand,
and
so
they
become
Satan’s
instruments.
Lastly,
Satan
can
do
somewhat
more
than
inject
and
suggest
such
thoughts:
he
can
mightily
irritate
and
provoke,
and
stir
up
the
heart
to
be
willing
to
give
entertainment
to
such
a
motion.
He
not
only
barely
presents
his
temptation,
but
vehemently
backs
it,
and
will
give
no
rest
to
a
man
until
he
yields
it.
So
it
is
said
of
his
tempting
David,
that
Satan
stood
up
and
provoked
David
to
number
the
people
(I
Chron.
21:1);
he
did
not
only
inject
such
a
thought
to
David,
but
he
provoked
him;
he
never
let
him
alone,
but
followed
him
and
solicited
him
to
it.
This
Satan
can
do,
and
yet
he
cannot
press
men
to
take
up
arms
for
his
designs.
All
those
that
fight
under
Satan’s
colors
are
volunteers
.
He
never
constrains
any,
neither
can
he;
the
will
is
never
forced
by
him,
neither
can
it
be.
Satan
uses
no
compulsion
beyond
a
moral
persuasion
well
set
on;
he
can
but
vex
us
(as
the
Midianites
did
Israel)
with
his
wiles.
He
is
an
Ahitophel
, not an
Alexander
; a
Machiavel
, not a
Caesar
.
This
is
the
manner
of
Satan’s
working
in
the
children
of
disobedience.
All
these
things
he
does;
yet
I
believe
he
is
not
always
put
to
do
all
these
upon
everyone
over
whom
he
prevails.
Some
come
to
this
work
on
easier
terms
than
others.
He
needs
not
provoke
and
solicit
them;
a
suggestion
wins
them.
The
very
sight
of
an
object
overcomes
them:
Yea
some
stand
ready
offering
their
service
to
Satan,
and
selling
themselves
to
work
any wickedness he will employ them in.
I
have
shown
you
the
most
that
Satan
can
do;
I
conceive
he
had
not
much
to
do
with
these
Sabeans
to
enlist
them
to
this
war:
That
which
is
in
motion
is
easily
moved.
And
as
we
say,
he
must
needs
run
whom
the
devil
drives
;
so
the
devil
needs
not
drive
them
who
are
running of themselves.
It
being
opened,
what
these
Sabeans
were,
and
how
they
came
into
the
service
of
Satan,
what
made
them
take
up
arms,
as
it
were,
in
his
cause,
we
may
observe
hence:
First,
that
wicked
and
ungodly
men,
while
they
satisfy
their
own
lusts,
are
but
doing
the
work
of
Satan
and
executing
his
designs.
These
Sabeans,
though
they
did
not
think
it,
yet
they
came
upon
Satan’s
errand.
So
God,
when
he
justly
uses
wicked
men
to
punish
or
correct
his
people,
they
do
their
own
will,
and
they
have
their
own
way;
but
God
has
his
way
too;
he
overrules
them
to
effect
his
business
at
that
time.
So
it
is
said
of
the
King
of
Assyria,
“O
Assyrian,
the
rod
of
mine
anger,
I
will
send
him
against
an
hypocritical
nation,
and
against
the
people
of
my
wrath
will
I
give
him
charge.
How
be
it,
he
meaneth
not
so,
neither
doth
his
heart
think
so”
(Isa.
10:5-7);
he
has
purposes
of
his
own.
So
they
that
are
agitated
by
Satan
and
provoked
by
him,
they
think
not
so
;
they
think
not
they
are
doing
the
will
and
work,
the
dirty
drudgery
of
Satan,
but
the
truth
is,
they
do
nothing
else
all
the
while.
“You
are
of
your
father
the
devil,
and
his
lusts
you
will
do,”
said
Christ
to
the
Jews
(John
8:44);
while
they
do
their
own,
they
fulfill
the
lusts
and
designs
of
Satan.
As
it
is
said
in
Revelation:
“The
devil
shall
cast
some
of
you
into
prison”
(Rev.
2:10);
it
was
not
the
devil
in
person,
it
was
the
devil
in
his
seconds
or
servants;
and
these
men
little
thought
that
they
did
the
devil’s
service
at
that
time.
If
one
should
have
come
and
told
them,
you
are
now
doing
the
devil’s
work,
and
undertaking
a
piece
of
service
for
him,
you
are
as
so
many
instruments
and
agents
for
hell,
they
would
not
have
believed
it.
But
the
truth
is,
it
was
the
devil’s
work,
and
they
did
it
so
devilishly,
that
from
both,
it
is
said,
the
devil
did
it;
he
cast
some
of
them
into
prison.
It
is
a
fearful
thing
to
persecute
or
oppress
the
people
of
God;
such
in
serving
their
own
lusts,
are
indeed
the
right hand of Satan; the devil’s hirelings.
(Note:
Satan
could
have
destroyed
all
himself
if
he
pleased.
Good
angels
have
mighty
power,
and
so
do
wicked
angels
too,
if
God
will
let
them
alone
to
put
out
their
powers.
Therefore,
they
are
called
principalities
and
powers
.
Satan
had
leave;
he
might
have
taken
what
course he would with the estate of Job).
Secondly,
forasmuch
as
Satan
will
have
Sabeans
and
Chaldeans
to
afflict
Job’s
estate,
note
from
hence,
that
Satan
loves
to
draw
others
to
be
partakers
with
him
in
his
designs
.
Though
he
can
do
his
work
alone,
yet
he
will
have
man
join
with
him
in
it
if
he
can.
And
in
this,
he
imitates
God
himself,
who
has
an
almighty
power,
and
is
able
to
do
all
things
alone
if
he
please;
yet,
he
usually
calls
in
instruments.
He
is
able
to
convert
alone
by
the
motion
of
his
Spirit,
but
he
will
have
preachers
to
convert
by
the
ministry
of
the
Word.
He
is
able
to
protect
his
people
from
their
enemies
by
his
own
strength,
yet
he
will
have
armies
mustered
to
do
it
by.
And
why
does
God
choose
to
work
thus?
There
is
a
double
good
in
it.
He
does
it
that
he
may
do
good
two
ways
at
once.
First,
his
creature
is
saved
and
relieved;
that’s
one
good.
Secondly,
men
who
are
employed
as
instruments
are
honored
and
respected,
they
having
given
help
to
God
in
such
a
cause:
God
gives
them
honor
in
the
eyes
of
all
his
servants;
that
is
another
good.
So
Satan,
while
he
sets
men
a-work—Sabeans,
Chaldeans
and
other
to
do
mischief
to
Job
or
others
whom
he
afflicts—he
does
mischief
to
his
instruments;
he
makes
these
sin
as
he
makes
other
suffer.
If
he
carry
on
the
work
alone,
they
suffer,
but
others
do
not
partake
in
the
guilt
of
the
sin;
but
now,
when
he
uses
instruments
to
effect
his
wicked
designs,
he
makes
one
miserable
and
the
other
wicked.
This
is
one
of
Satan’s
methods,
he
will
work
by
means,
and
do
his
business
by
the
hands
of
men,
that
he
may
at
once
do
a
double
mischief.
Thirdly,
in
that
these
Sabeans
and
Chaldeans
are
observed
in
histories
to
be
a
people
given
much
to
robberies
and
spoil,
and
these
are
the
men
whom
Satan
picks
out
for
this
business,
observe,
that
Satan
suits
his
temptations
to
man’s
natural
temper
and
inclination
.
Whensoever
he
tempts,
he
takes
this
advantage,
if
he
can
discover
or
obtain
it.
He
is
wiser
then,
to
set
sail
against
wind
and
tide,
to
row
against
the
stream.
Therefore,
he
labors
all
he
can,
to
find
which
way
the
stream
of
every
man’s
affections
runs,
and
to
what
sins
his
relations,
his
calling
or
his
opportunities,
lay
him
most
open
and
obnoxious,
accordingly
he
lays
his
snares
and
spreads
his
net.
When
he
meets
with
a
proud
man,
him
he
tempts
with
high
thoughts;
when
he
meets
with
a
covetous
man,
him
he
tempts
to
the
love
of
the
world,
he
lays
a
golden
bait
of
profit
before
his
eyes.
The
adulterous,
he
leads
to
the
harlot’s
house.
For
howsoever
it
be
true,
that
every
man
has
in
him
a
principle
suiting
to
every
sin,
yet
it
is
a
truth
too,
that
every
man
is
not
equally
active
for
or
disposed
to
every
sin,
and
every
man
has
not
every
particular
sin
predominant
in
him.
Now
Satan,
when
he
sees
what
is
predominant
in
any
man,
then
he
fashions
and
frames
a
temptation
suitable:
he
perceived
these
Sabeans
were
given
to
rob
and
spoil,
and he shows them a desirable booty.
“…yea,
they
have
slain
thy
servants
with
the
edge
of
the
sword…”
–
This
is
a
further
aggravation
of
the
affliction,
they
did
not
only
fall
upon
Job’s
cattle
and
took
them
away,
but
they
slew
his
servants.
A
man’s
servants
are
nearer
to
him
than
his
cattle,
than
his
oxen
and
his
asses;
servants
are
next
unto
our
children.
So
that
this
was
a
heightening
of
Job’s
sorrow,
not
only
are
your
cattle
gone,
but
your
servants
are
slain,
and
they
are
slain
(said
he)
with
the
edge
of
the
sword;
the
word
in
the Hebrew is,
they are slain with the mouth of the sword
.
We
read
in
Scripture
sometimes
of
the
face
of
the
sword
,
and
sometimes
of
the
mouth
of
the
sword;
the
Hebrew
is,
they
shall
flee
from
the
face
of
the
sword
,
similar
to
Jer.
25:27.
Now,
when
the
Scripture
speaks
of
the
face
of
the
sword
,
it
is
meant
of
war
coming,
or
war
preparing
and
approaching.
But
the
mouth
of
the
sword
is
war
inflicted,
war
acted.
This
phrase,
the
mouth
of
the
sword
is
used
to
show
that
the
sword
is
a
great
devourer:
“I
will
make
mine
arrows
drunk
with
blood,
and
my
sword
shall
devour
flesh”
(Deut.
32:42).
War
has
a
terrible
face;
it
has
a
wide
mouth
and
sharp
teeth;
they
have
slain
thy
servants
with
the
edge
of
the sword
; the mouth of the sword has devoured them.
At
this
day,
we
have
great
cause
to
have
our
hearts
deeply
affected
with
this
thing.
There
has
been
(as
it
were)
the
face
of
the
sword
a
great
while
looking
towards
us,
but
now
there
is
the
very
mouth
of
the
sword
gaping
at
us;
yea,
tearing,
gnawing,
and
devouring
the
flesh
and
bones
of
thousands
amongst
us.
Where
the
sword
comes,
it
will
devour;
war
is
a
great
judgement,
one
of
God’s
sore
judgements,
the
sorest
of
all
God’s
outward
judgements.
David
chooses
the
pestilence
rather
than
the
sword;
the
pestilence
is
a
devourer,
but
the
sword
is
a
greater
devourer.
And
though
the
prophet
Jeremiah
in
his
Lamentations
makes
famine
a
sorer
judgement
than
the
sword,
“They
that
be
slain
with
the
sword
are
better
than
they
that
be
slain
with
hunger”
(Lam.
4:9);
yet,
the
sword
is
in
this
worse
than
famine,
because
usually
it
is
the
cause
of
famine.
The
sword
cuts
off
food,
the
support
of
man’s
life,
as
well
as
the
life
of
man.
While
the
sword
is
making
itself
fat,
it
hath
famine
in
the
belly of it.
We
need
not
go
to
Jeremiah
or
Josephus
for
the
proof
of
this
in
Jerusalem,
Babylonian
or
Roman
desolations,
and
Germany,
bleeding
Ireland
are
near
woeful
witnesses
and
spectacles
of
it
at
this
day.
The
sword
has
opened
a
way
for
famine
to
enter
also,
and
which
of
the
two
has
eaten
most
flesh,
is
hard
to
determine.
Let
us
cry
earnestly
to
God
that
the
mouth
of
the
sword
may
be
stopped,
or
continued
open
only
to
devour
those
who
would
devour
the
man
that
is
more
righteous
than
they.
Let
us
pray
that
blood
may
be
spared,
or
none
but
corrupt
blood
spilt.
Spare
thy
people,
O
Lord.
It
is
(I
confess)
one
of
the
saddest
prognostics
in
my
observation
against
this
nation:
that
God
hitherto
has
made
little
difference.
Our
sword
has
not
yet
been
taught
from
heaven
to
distinguish
of
men.
Precious
blood
has
been
drawn,
and
men
whose
very
hairs
were
all
numbered
(that
is
highly
prized)
by
God,
have
been
numbered
among
the
slain.
It
must
satisfy
us
that
the
will
of
God
is
so.
The
answer
which
David
gave
Joab’s
messenger
is
good
settling
council
now:
Let
not
this
displease
thee
(he
speaks
this
after
the
fall
of
noble
Uriah)
for
the
sword
(not
by
accident
but
decree,
not
casually
but
providentially)
devoureth
so
and
such
(as
the
Hebrew
language
has
it)
one
as
well
as
another
,
so
we
translate.
It
is
mercy
we
are
not
all
consumed
by
this
devourer,
as
in
the
text;
you
may
read
all
the
servants
of
Job
were,
excepting
one,
only
one
got
out
of
the
mouth
of
the
sword,
eating
up
all
saving
one;
and
he
was
saved,
that
by
the
report
of
this
destructive
sword, he might destroy Job himself.
“…and
I
only
am
escaped
alone
to
tell
thee.”
–
The
word
in
the
original
is
double:
only
I,
I
alone
am
escaped
,
as
if
the
man
should
have
said
between
horror
and
amazement,
much
ado
I
had
to
get
away
without
losing
somewhat
of
myself;
I
only
singly,
singly
I
got
away
and
escaped.
The
sword
was
very
hungry,
when
but one man of all Job’s servants escaped the teeth of it.
But how came it to pass that this one man escaped?
Certainly,
as
I
said
before,
the
hand
of
Satan
was
in
this
also.
For
however
he
ordered
and
disposed
all
these
things,
yet
he
let
Satan
work
in
his
circle,
in
his
compass
to
contrive
things,
as
he
pleased
himself
the
most
aptly
he
could
imagine,
to
afflict
and
trouble
Job;
therefore,
there
is
somewhat
in
it,
no
good
will
(I
believe)
to
Job,
that
this
one
man
had
the
favor
of
quarter, or the mercy of an escape.
It
was
not
out
of
any
compassionate
respect
to
Job
that
one
of
his
servants
came
home
alive.
It
was
rather
to
increase
the
affliction
of
Job,
and
for
the
perfecting
of
his
sorrows,
this
man
was
not
slain,
in
order
that
Job
might
be