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Commentary on Job 3 verses 20–26
Job, finding it to no purpose to wish either that he had not been born or had died as soon as he was born, here complains that his life was now continued and not cut off. When men are set on quarrelling there is no end of it; the corrupt heart will carry on the humour. Having cursed the day of his birth, here he courts the day of his death. The beginning of this strife and impatience is as the letting forth of water.
I. He thinks it hard, in general, that miserable lives should be prolonged (Job 3:20-22): Wherefore is light in life given to those that are bitter in soul? Bitterness of soul, through spiritual grievances, makes life itself bitter. Why doth he give light? (so it is in the original): he means God, yet does not name him, though the devil had said, "He will curse thee to thy face;" but he tacitly reflects on the divine Providence as unjust and unkind in continuing life when the comforts of life are removed. Life is called light, because pleasant and serviceable for walking and working. It is candle-light; the longer it burns the shorter it is, and the nearer to the socket. This light is said to be given us; for, if it were not daily renewed to us by a fresh gift, it would be lost. But Job reckons that to those who are in misery it is dōron adōron - gift and no gift, a gift that they had better be without, while the light only serves them to see their own misery by. Such is the vanity of human life that it sometimes becomes a vexation of spirit; and so alterable is the property of death that, though dreadful to nature, it may become desirable even to nature itself. He here speaks of those, 1. Who long for death, when they have out-lived their comforts and usefulness, are burdened with age and infirmities, with pain or sickness, poverty or disgrace, and yet it comes not; while, at the same time, it comes to many who dread it and would put it far from them. The continuance and period of life must be according to God's will, not according to ours. It is not fit that we should be consulted how long we would live and when we would die; our times are in a better hand than our own. 2. Who dig for it as for hidden treasures, that is, would give any thing for a fair dismission out of this world, which supposes that then the thought of men's being their own executioners was not so much as entertained or suggested, else those who longed for it needed not take much pains for it, they might soon come at it (as Seneca tells them) if they are pleased. 3. Who bid it welcome, and are glad when they can find the grave and see themselves stepping into it. If the miseries of this life can prevail, contrary to nature, to make death itself desirable, shall not much more the hopes and prospects of a better life, to which death is our passage, make it so, and set us quite above the fear of it? It may be a sin to long for death, but I am sure it is no sin to long for heaven.
II. He thinks himself, in particular, hardly dealt with, that he might not be eased of his pain and misery by death when he could not get ease in any other way. To be thus impatient of life for the sake of the troubles we meet with is not only unnatural in itself, but ungrateful to the giver of life, and argues a sinful indulgence of our own passion and a sinful inconsideration of our future state. Let it be our great and constant care to get ready for another world, and then let us leave it to God to order the circumstances of our removal thither as he thinks fit: "Lord, when and how thou pleasest;" and this with such an indifference that, if he should refer it to us, we would refer it to him again. Grace teaches us, in the midst of life's greatest comforts, to be willing to die, and, in the midst of its greatest crosses, to be willing to live. Job, to excuse himself in this earnest desire which he had to die, pleads the little comfort and satisfaction he had in life.
1.In his present afflicted state troubles were continually felt, and were likely to be so. He thought he had cause enough to be weary of living, for, (1.) He had no comfort of his life: My sighing comes before I eat, Job 3:24. The sorrows of life prevented and anticipated the supports of life; nay, they took away his appetite for his necessary food. His griefs returned as duly as his meals, and affliction was his daily bread. Nay, so great was the extremity of his pain and anguish that he did not only sigh, but roar, and his roarings were poured out like the waters in a full and constant stream. Our Master was acquainted with grief, and we must expect to be so too. (2.) He had no prospect of bettering his condition: His way was hidden, and God had hedged him in, Job 3:23. He saw no way open of deliverance, nor knew he what course to take; his way was hedged up with thorns, that he could not find his path. See Job 23:8; Lam 3:7.
2.Even in his former prosperous state troubles were continually feared; so that then he was never easy, Job 3:25, Job 3:26. He knew so much of the vanity of the world, and the troubles to which, of course, he was born, that he was not in safety, neither had he rest then. That which made his grief now the more grievous was that he was not conscious to himself of any great degree either of negligence or security in the day of his prosperity, which might provoke God thus to chastise him. (1.) He had not been negligent and unmindful of his affairs, but kept up such a fear of trouble as was necessary to the maintaining of his guard. He was afraid for his children when they were feasting, lest they should offend God (Job 1:5), afraid for his servants lest they should offend his neighbours; he took all the care he could of his own health, and managed himself and his affairs with all possible precaution; yet all would not do. (2.) He had not been secure, nor indulged himself in ease and softness, had not trusted in his wealth, nor flattered himself with the hopes of the perpetuity of his mirth; yet trouble came, to convince and remind him of the vanity of the world, which yet he had not forgotten when he lived at ease. Thus his way was hidden, for he knew not wherefore God contended with him. Now this consideration, instead of aggravating his grief, might rather serve to alleviate it. Nothing will make trouble easy so much as the testimony of our consciences for us, that, in some measure, we did our duty in a day of prosperity; and an expectation of trouble will make it sit the lighter when it comes. The less it is a surprise the less it is a terror.
From this, Job’s preparation against the adversary emerges. Even Paul, who possessed the hope and grace of the Spirit, was vigilant and fought the adversary, since he knew that for the holy the struggle “was not against enemies of blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil.” Our struggle is also against the archvillain himself, the devil, who prowls around “like a roaring lion … looking for someone to devour.” Even though Job was vigilant, the devil did not refrain from asking for permission to test him and to impose on him the burden he proceeds to place on him. Job’s difficult experience seems like God’s wrath, yet he knows that his sufferings are not the result of his sinfulness. For Job states, “I know that I shall be vindicated.” Even in other passages Scripture describes hardship as “wrath.” It is said, “You sent out your fury; it consumed them like stubble.” When we hear about God’s wrath, we do not consider it a condition of the soul similar to human emotions. Such an emotion cannot be sent, since it lives in the soul. The wrath of God, however, is sent, for “you sent out your fury,” that is, hardship. Hardship is imposed. Job calls that which has affected him as “wrath.”
I did not ignorantly run into the things that I suffer. In fact, when I saw in others poverty’s afflictions and the different diseases of the body, my communion with nature and my body warned me to fear lest anything of the same kind should happen to me. Therefore, I am also forced to fear an increase in the misfortunes I bear. This anticipation makes death look better than life. Job then adds, “Was I not quiet?” The Greek reads, “I was not quiet.” That is to say, I did not continue in the fruition and prosperity of my goods. He says he feared he might encounter against his intention the evil necessity to reveal part of his vexations with wailing accents. Therefore Job says, “Was I not quiet?” This means that while the harshness of my pain struck me, I wanted to hide in silence what I suffered, but such an abundance of raging misfortunes befell me that I am forced to reveal my tribulations with a feeble voice.
16. The righteous therefore lament and fear, and torment themselves with bitter lamentations, because they dread to be given over, and though they rejoice in their own correction [correptio], the correction itself disturbs their fearful spirits, lest the evil, which they are undergoing should not be the merciful stroke of discipline, but the righteous visitation of vengeance. And the Psalmist reflecting thereupon says with justice, Who knoweth the power of Thine anger? [Ps. 90, 11] For the power of God's anger cannot be conceived by our faculties, in that His dispensation, by its undiscerned provisions concerning us, often takes us up in that very point where it is counted to abandon us, and in the very thing wherein it is supposed to take us up, it forsakes us. So that very often that is rendered grace to us, which we call wrath, and that is sometimes wrath, which we account to be grace. For strokes of affliction are the correction of some men, but others they lead to a frenzy of impatience, and there are some whom prosperity, in that it soothes them, calms from a state of madness, while there are others whom, seeing that it uplifts them, it wholly turns adrift from every hope of conversion. Now vice forces all men down beneath, but some the more easily return from thence, that they take the greater shame to themselves to have fallen thereunto. And attainments in virtue in every case raise men on high, yet sometimes some men, in that swelling thoughts are engendered from their virtues, fall down by the very pathway of their rise. And so forasmuch as the power of God's wrath is little known, under all circumstances it must needs be unceasingly feared.
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SUMMARY
Job 3:25 encapsulates the profound despair of a man whose deepest, long-held anxieties have tragically materialized. Amidst unimaginable suffering, Job articulates a pre-existing apprehension that has now become his devastating reality, revealing the crushing psychological and spiritual weight of his calamities, which transcend mere physical or material loss and confirm his worst premonitions.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 3:25 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of Job's despair. The most prominent is Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and that which I was afraid of is come unto me") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first ("For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me"). This repetition emphasizes the crushing reality of his realized fears, ensuring the reader grasps the profound psychological impact of his suffering. There is also an element of Irony present; Job, described as "blameless and upright, one who feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1), is precisely the one upon whom such calamities fall, challenging the conventional wisdom that righteousness guarantees protection. Furthermore, the verse hints at Hyperbole in the sense that Job's fear, though real, might have been an internal, exaggerated apprehension that has now been tragically confirmed by an equally extreme external reality, amplifying the sense of cosmic injustice. The phrasing also gives a subtle hint of Personification, as if "the thing" or "that which I was afraid of" is an active, malevolent entity that has deliberately "come upon" or "come unto" him, contributing to the feeling of an inescapable, almost predatory, destiny.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 3:25 profoundly explores the human experience of fear and its potential realization, a theme echoed throughout Scripture. It challenges a simplistic understanding of divine providence, suggesting that even the righteous can experience deep, pre-existing anxieties that are tragically fulfilled. The verse forces us to confront the reality that life's uncertainties can manifest in the most devastating ways, prompting questions about why God permits such suffering, especially for those who walk blamelessly. While Job's initial reaction is one of despair, his words set the stage for a deeper theological inquiry into the nature of suffering, the sovereignty of God, and the limits of human understanding. It highlights the psychological dimension of suffering, showing that the mind can be as tormented as the body, and that the fulfillment of long-held fears can be a uniquely crushing burden, often leading to a crisis of faith and understanding.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 3:25 serves as a raw, honest validation of the human experience of fear and dread. It reminds us that even in times of prosperity and apparent security, deep-seated anxieties can linger, and sometimes, our worst nightmares do indeed materialize. This verse invites us to acknowledge the reality of our own fears, rather than suppressing them, recognizing that such feelings are part of the human condition. While Job's initial response is one of utter despair, his journey through suffering ultimately points towards the possibility of finding God amidst the pain, even when answers are elusive. For us, this means that when the "thing we greatly feared" comes upon us, we are not alone in our anguish. It encourages us to lean into our faith, seek community, and allow ourselves to lament, trusting that even in the darkest valleys, there is a path towards healing and renewed understanding, as Job eventually discovered. The verse challenges us to consider how we respond when life shatters our sense of security and brings our deepest fears to fruition, prompting us to cultivate resilience and a deeper reliance on divine grace, knowing that God is present even in our deepest dread.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What exactly was Job afraid of before his calamities struck?
Answer: The text of Job 3:25 does not specify the exact nature of Job's fears. The Hebrew phrasing "the thing" (דָּבָר, davar) is intentionally broad, suggesting a general apprehension about the fragility of his blessings and the potential for loss. Given his meticulous sacrifices for his children (see Job 1:5), it's plausible his fears centered on the moral purity and well-being of his family, and by extension, the security of his vast estate. It implies a deep, perhaps subconscious, awareness of life's precariousness, even for the righteous, which manifested as a persistent dread of losing everything he held dear.
Does this verse imply that Job's fear somehow caused his misfortunes?
Answer: No, the verse does not suggest that Job's fear was the cause of his calamities. The narrative in Job 1-2 clearly attributes the origin of Job's suffering to a divine permission granted to Satan, not to any fault or psychological state of Job. Job 3:25 is a statement of realization – that his pre-existing fears have now been fulfilled – rather than a statement of causation. It highlights the psychological torment that accompanies his external suffering, emphasizing that the materialization of his deepest anxieties adds a profound layer of anguish to his already unbearable situation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's lament in Job 3:25, expressing the crushing weight of realized fears, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job's fears were centered on the loss of earthly blessings and the suffering of his body and family, humanity's deepest fears are fundamentally spiritual: the fear of sin, death, judgment, and separation from God. Christ, in His perfect humanity, intimately knew fear, most profoundly in the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). Here, Jesus faced the ultimate "thing which I greatly feared" – the bearing of the world's sin and the experience of divine wrath on the cross. Yet, unlike Job, who was overwhelmed by his fears, Jesus willingly embraced this suffering, conquering sin and death through His obedient sacrifice. Through His resurrection, Christ disarmed the power of our greatest fears, offering eternal life and reconciliation with God (Romans 8:15). In Christ, our deepest fears are not merely realized but are ultimately overcome and redeemed, transforming our dread into hope and our sorrow into joy, as He is the One who "delivers all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Hebrews 2:14-15).