We have no difficulty in explaining sin as the cause of sorrow. The four sore judgments of God, famine, the sword, wild beasts, and pestilence, are among the rods by which guilty nations, in all ages, have been scourged. But when Noah, Daniel, and Job, are spoken of as beings saved from general destruction by their righteousness, this can only be explained upon Gospel principles. The unerring language of the Word of God is, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; and, therefore, by the deeds of the law can no flesh be justified in God's sight. I humbly conceive, therefore, that those three men are here introduced as types of Christ. Noah by faith is said to have prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7. This explains the whole. These types of Christ represent the person and righteousness of Jesus, by whom alone they, and every individual heir of faith, could obtain salvation.
Ezekiel 14:12-21
12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoila it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
16 Though these three men were in it,b as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
18 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?