Job Loses It (Job 3:1-26)

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John Hartley calls Job 3 ‘a curse-lament’. Note the oft-repeated ‘Why?’ (3:11, 12, 16, 20, 23). (a) Job never loses his faith. (b) Job’s words were nevertheless rash – 38:2; 40:1-4.

  1. Job curses the day of his birth.
    • Job did not curse God, but he did curse the day of his birth – 3:1-3. It reverses 1:4-5. Birth has ushered in gloom – 3:4-10.
    • Bunyan’s pilgrim fell into the Slough of Despond; William Cowper saw himself as a castaway at the end. There are many examples from Scripture – 1 Kings 19:4; Jer.20:14, 18; Jonah 4:3, 8; Ps. 88:18.
  2. Job wishes that he had died in the womb or at birth.
    • read 3:11-12, 13-19. Bach once wrote a piece of music entitled Come, Sweet Death, but that was written in serenity.
    • the man of great faith in 1:21 and 2:10 now collapses.
  3. The more we understand, the more we suffer.
    • 3:20-26. Understanding makes suffering worse – 9:17. Blaise Pascal: ‘Man’s greatness comes from knowing he is wretched: a tree does not know it is wretched, but there is greatness in knowing one is wretched.’ Matthew Prior: Who thinks must suffer, and who feels must mourn,/ And he alone is blessed who ne’er was born. William Howells: man is ‘a modified fish’. No, he is not. Fish do not ask these questions. See Isa.50:10; Lam.3:16-18, 21-24, and Matt.27:46.