Job 3 THE POWER OF PESSIMISM Beginning in chapter 3, with the lament of Job and concluding with his exclamations of innocence in chapters 29-31, there is a series of poetic speeches between Job and those men who came to be with him. Then a younger man, Elihu speaks four times and directs the attention of those men and those of us who read the text to how God disciplines, how God rules, God's justice and God's greatness. Following his speeches, God Himself speaks, and Job answers God directly. The conclusion of the book returns to the historical form of writing.
Hebrew poetry is quite different than the rhythm and repetition of sounds that are used in English poetry. Hebrew poetry uses rhythm of thoughts. It addresses the same subject in two or more different ways of expressing parallel ideas. Job said he wished he would "Die at birth," and/or "Perish when I came from the womb." Both are the same thought, but the thought is expanded a bit when said in two different phrases. Contrasting thoughts are also used in Hebrew poetry to make the impact on the reader greater. Figures of speech and colloquial language is also used to paint word pictures. Many of the colloquialisms used in the English language comes from the words of the Bible.
- At the eleventh hour
- At your wit's end
- The blind leading the blind
- By the skin of your teeth
- To cast pearls before swine
- Eat, drink and be merry
- To fall by the wayside
- Feet of clay
- A fly in the ointment
- He that toucheth pitch
- The land of milk and honey
- The land of Nod
- A leopard cannot change its spots
- Like a lamb to the slaughter
- A millstone about your neck
- To move mountains
- There is nothing new under the sun
- The handwriting is on the wall These are all phrases that we hear in everyday language that come from Hebrew poetry and Hebrew literature.
In the story of Job's suffering, the source was Satan who was temporarily allowed to use physical and natural disasters to show the character of one of God's servants. Suffering in that case came from Satan. Suffering may also come because of sin as in the case of sinning believers in the assembly at Corinth. Our suffering may also come as a result of someone else's sins as in war between nations when many innocent bystanders suffer and die. Some suffering comes from avoidable disasters that could have been prevented if we would have taken precautions ahead of time.
The startling thing about Job's first words when he broke the silence of seven days, is the bitterness that burst out of his mouth at the first words. For one who was noted for his patience and piety, it seems quite out of character with the man. He began with a curse against himself. Never did he curse God. His complaint is that if he had never been born, all that happened in loss, suffering and physical pain would not have been done to him. There is underlying this thought in the case of Job, and also in the case of those who take their own lives, that God makes mistakes. It is like a challenge against God's wisdom in letting a person be born in the first place if bad things are going to happen to them.
Patience and despair are close companions. Patience follows tribulation when one's mind is stayed on God. But when the mind focuses on some thing or someone else, the thought that comes to the forefront is, "Why did this happen to me?" "What did I do to make this unfair problem dump on me?" It may have been that in the seven days of silence sitting with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar who had come to comfort him, his mind would have turned to philosophical reasons that they had discussed in pervious conversations. If we allow our minds to stray from the power and simplicity of faith when problems arise, we are in danger of losing our peace in times of pain, and contentment in times of complexity. Philosophical ideas make for interesting discussions and arguments that can be enjoyable. Likely the friends had talked before about the "Whys" of life and hope on previous occasions.
Job's first outburst was not a prayer of anguish or a statement of his faith, but a curse on himself for ever being born and the day he was born. Peace in tribulation and suffering is very hard to maintain unless we deliberately focus our attention and thoughts on the Lord Himself. The "Who" is far more important than the "Why". The "Why" may be finally understood when we find the "Way". The "Why" emphasizes what was lost rather than what is found in the "Who" of our faith that looks forward.
When the way of wisdom and patience is ignored or lost, there is bitterness, impatience and deep-seated complaints that are ready to take their place. Looking back at the "What ifs" of our past life has no real value in the present or the future. Brooding over present circumstances is bad enough, but when one is sitting with other "friends" who brood in silence, one is paying attention only to the present misery and a cloud of gloom comes over everyone there. The "darkness and shadow of death" overwhelmed the memories of joy and fellowship Job once had with the Lord. In his monologue, Job curses the day he was born and then this complaint turns into a lament in verse eleven as the "Whys" overcome his mind, and darkens his soul.
He considered miscarriage, abortion or crib-death better than life. He thinks that the state of being confined in a grave would be better than living with suffering. Even today we hear some people say without thinking when a person dies, "Well, they're better off now." That is so when a person is a child of God, but it is not so if a person is an unbeliever. Wicked people, fools, kings, world leaders and paupers are all thought by many people to be at rest when they die. Job was looking at life and death from the "Why" point of view rather than the "Who, What and Where" that is really the major importance of our existence now and forever.
This attitude can happen to believers today who get so involved in the affairs of this world that they leave no time for God, His word, prayer and the assembling together with other Christians. Job's final "Why" makes clear what his basic problem was. Why does God give life to us and then fence us in with restrictions and allow us to suffer loss, darkness of soul, and disappointments? He indicated that he had feared losing all that was good, given by the hand of God, and now what he had feared, had happened.
Our lives are not given for mere happiness and success, but are our opportunity to serve God and give Him the honor and glory that is due Him. Our lives are not based on what we feel, but who we love. God loves us without measure both in success or suffering, in loss or gain, in sickness and in health, in pain or in prosperity.