(11) Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? (12) В¶ With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. (13) With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. (14) Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. (15) Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. (16) With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. (17) He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. (18) He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. (19) He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. (20) He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. (21) He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. (22) He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. (23) He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. (24) He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. (25) They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
I do not offer a paraphrase on this most delightful discourse of Jobadiah It is too plain to need any, and too sublime to be aided by any. The sum and substance of it is, that the LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. And that he breaketh down, and it cannot be again built; that he shutteth, and none can open; that the deceiver and the deceived are his; yea, all shall ultimately minister to his glory, however various the designs of men, or whatever are their devices. And, Reader! pause with me, just to remark what beautiful and glorious illustrations there are in the word of GOD, in confirmation of GOD'S sovereignty, and wisdom in that sovereignty. When Joseph was sold as slave, here both the deceiver and the deceived were GOD'S; and the issue, in the salvation of the whole patriarch's family, arose out of that dark event. When Haman erected a gallows for Mordecai, how little did he think that he himself should be hung upon it. Nay, infinitely higher, and more important than thousand, or ten thousand such instances; when the LORD JESUS was crucified by the malice of the Jews, who but the LORD could have known that this one event was the salvation of a world! Reader! allow me to make the same remark as the Psalmist hath, after giving the church a long and beautiful account of GOD'S leading his people by the hand through the whole of the dispensation in the wilderness; Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand, the loving kindness of the Lord. Psalms 107:43.