Job 3
-After the seven days of silence (see Job 2:13), Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth saying, “Let the day perish on which I was to be born, and the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived (life starts at conception proof here).’” He went on to languish that darkness was that day of this birth and that God above should not care for it, nor light shine on it. Darkness and black gloom had claimed his life; a cloud had settled on it and terrified it. This darkness had seized his birthday, and it should not rejoice among the other days (or months) of the year. He wished that night had been barren with no joyful shouts of his birth. Leviathan, the great sea monster, Job says to those professionals who bring up curses, should have been roused to swallow up the day of his birth. In short, he wished this day when the LORD opened his mother’s womb had never been created. Further, he wished that he had died at his birth. This would have been better than the things he was experiencing now. An infant death would have been much more quiet and peaceful in his mournful spirit’s perception to the things he was experiencing. He longs for the afterlife, where “the wicked cease from raging,” and where “the weary are at rest.” There, in the afterlife, “the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster. The small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master (Job 3:1-19).” These are the whims of a man in deep sorrow and grief.
-He wonders why light is given to the one suffering, and “life to the bitter of soul.” This brings to mind John’s opening words of his gospel concerning Jesus (John 1:4-5). He longed for death, but there was none of that. He was, in his poetic words, digging for it (it being death, an ending to the suffering) more than for hidden treasures. He would exalt to see the grave in this grief-stricken state. He was being honest. He felt “hedged in” by God. He groaned at the sight of his food (appetite gone), and his cries poured out like water. Fear encompassed him, and what he dreaded had come about in life’s circumstances. He was not at ease (shalah- to be at rest, prosper, be quiet, be at ease), and he was not quiet (shaqat- a peaceful state, undisturbed). He was not at rest (nuwach- to rest, settle down and remain, to repose, have rest, be quiet); turmoil (rogez- turmoil, disquiet, raging, trembling, trepidation) had definitely come (Job 3:20-26).
-*Application* Any counselor will tell us that these are the classic stages of grief that Job was going through. After the initial shock of what had happened subsided, the gloom and feeling of doom was upon him. He was so troubled in his spirit that he wished the pain and agony were over for good. Life had no meaning or purpose to go forward. He felt betrayed by God, but he wouldn’t curse Him. That was the good news, and an example for us. Life was not appetizing, terrifying, and tumultuous. There was no rest, no peace, no hope, no joy for a season. When these feelings hit us, remember that God is taking us through no matter what. His care is still a fact, even when our emotions are volatile and erratic. Cling to Him in grief, just like Job did. God is faithful even when we are waffling.
Verse to Memorize: Job 3:26
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