D. Scott Meadows

“Acquaint now thyself with him.” —Job 22:21

If we would rightly “acquaint ourselves with God, and be at peace,” we must know him as he has revealed himself, not only in the unity of his essence and subsistence [better, substance], but also in the plurality of his persons. God said, “Let us make man in our own image” [Gen 1.26]—let not man be content until he knows something of the “us” from whom his [i.e., man’s] being was derived.

Endeavor to know the Father; bury your head in his bosom in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worthy to be called his son; receive the kiss of his love; let the ring which is the token of his eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at his table and let your heart make merry in his grace [Luke 15.19 ff.]

Then press forward and seek to know much of the Son of God who is the brightness of his Father’s glory [Heb 1.3], and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace became man for our sakes [Phil 2.7]; know him in the singular complexity of his nature: eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man; follow him as he walks the waters with the tread of deity [Jn 6.19], and as he sits upon the well in the weariness of humanity [Jn 4.6]. Be not satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend, your Brother, your Husband, your all.

Forget not the Holy Spirit; endeavor to obtain a clear view of his nature and character, his attributes, and his works. Behold that Spirit of the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos [Gen 1.2], and brought forth order; who now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the order of holiness. Behold him as the Lord and giver of spiritual life [alludes to Nicene Creed], the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. Behold him as, like holy unction [1 Jn 2.20], he descends upon the head of Jesus, and then afterwards rests upon you who are as the skirts of his garments [Psa 133.2].

Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity in Unity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace indeed.

—C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 8 May PM

On Job 22:21

The whole verse reads, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” In these words, Eliphaz addresses Job. The counsel is good in general but somewhat misapplied. “Acquaint” (from Latin, meaning “to come to know”) translates a Hebrew word literally meaning, “to become a companion of” (JFB), and, “to bring into consonance and accord” (LBSL). It presupposes an intellectual knowledge that God is and something of who He is but goes further to denote the reconciliation of a sinner, and ongoing fellowship, with God. Spurgeon uses the text to urge us forward theologically and relationally in our knowledge of God, to include a greater appreciation for the Trinity and distinct fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is in keeping with John Owen’s treatise, Of Communion with God (Works, vol. 2), with which Spurgeon was no doubt familiar. Given the fullness of Christian light since the Incarnation of the Son, the outpouring of the Spirit, and the writing of the New Testament, this is a perfectly legitimate use of the text in Job.

Several observations on this devotional message

The doctrine of the Trinity needs shoring up in the Christian community, especially today. A crude grasp of the basics (one God, three Persons) is commonplace but insufficient, leaving many impoverished devotionally and unprepared apologetically. Herman Bavinck wrote, “The doctrine of the Trinity is of incalculable importance for the Christian religion. The entire Christian belief system, all of special revelation, stands or falls with the confession of God’s Trinity. It is the core of the Christian faith, the root of all its dogmas, the basic content of the new covenant. It was this religious Christian interest, accordingly, that sparked the development of the church’s doctrine of the Trinity” (RD 2.333).

“Subsistence” [“an individual instance of a given essence,” Muller, DLGTT] in paragraph 1 is an inaccuracy, being more suitably placed with the mention of “persons” in the second part of the sentence. “In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences” (2LCF 2.3). Perhaps, as a near synonym for “essence,” Spurgeon meant “substance” [“the underlying ‘stuff,’ material or spiritual, of things; that which exists,” Muller, DLGTT].

It is plain that distinct fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was not merely theoretical for Mr. Spurgeon. What familiarity in personal experience and urgent pathos is evident in his exhortations! May God grant that all readers will accept Spurgeon’s challenge so to acquaint ourselves further with the Triune God, since the “doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him” (2LCF 2.3).

The structure of this devotional message

I. We must know God as He has revealed Himself: Trinity in Unity (1)
II. We must know and fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit (2–4)
III. We who truly know God are Trinitarians with His peace (5)

Points for further reflection

1. The third step of the famous Twelve-step Program for addiction recovery, however well-intentioned, says participants “made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him” (www.aa.org, accessed 8 May 2019). This is a disastrous reinforcement of idolatry. Spurgeon wisely counsels another course: “We must know [God] as he has revealed himself” (paragraph one). Only thus can we know the true God.

2. In paragraph five, Spurgeon calls for “belief in the Trinity” of three kinds: “intelligent” (correct notions), “scriptural” (biblical basis), and “experimental” (practical application). This wise call guards against irrationality, rationalism, and hypocritical superficiality. Ω