Dialogue Between Job And Three Friends (3:1-31:)

Reading: 1Co 1:18-25

Songs:

Theme: seeking to understand the problem of the righteous suffering and how to deal with it

INTRODUCTION

B. Job was a man who underwent a severe testing of his faith. A tremendous series of calamities wiped out all that he held of value - his possessions, and his children and his health. In addition his wife, perhaps also having been filled with grief and confusion over her husband's losses, encouraged Job to give up, rather than try to offer him support. In spite of all this stress, Job is remained trusting in God and refused to fault God. Through the entire struggle, the devil failed to discourage Job. In the rest of the book, the devil used three of Job's friends to try to get Job to doubt his relationship to God. Job’s friends, as with Job and his wife, did not understand about Job’s suffering, what God revealed to us in chapters one and two. In fact, as we will later read, they began to suspect that perhaps Job was going through the struggles he was because he really deserved it. Chapter 3 begins around a dialogue between Job and his friends, and this dialogue constitutes a major part of the book. The chapter opens with a bitter lament from Job.

I. JOB'S CONFUSION (3:1-10).

The Desire

A. … Job … cursed his day … Let the day perish wherein I was born … (3:1-3).

1 ¶ After <0310> this opened <06605> (8804) Job <0347> his mouth <06310>, and cursed <07043> (8762) his day <03117>.

2 And Job <0347> spake <06030> (8799), and said <0559> (8799), {spake: Heb. answered}

3 Let the day <03117> perish <06> (8799) wherein I was born <03205> (8735), and the night <03915> in which it was said <0559> (8804), There is a man child <01397> conceived <02029> (8795).

1. This chapter opens with a lament from Job, which described his anguish and torment.

2. Having sat in silence for seven days (Job 2:13) before his friends who had come to comfort him, Job finally spoke, and he began by cursing the day of his birth and the night of his conception, for having failed to prevent his sorrow through a still birth (3:1-10).

1. In this disposition, Job resembled others in anguish who also did not understand their torment such as Jeremiah (Jer 20:14-18).

a. Both expressed a desire never to have been born but neither gave any indication whatsoever, that they had considered the possibility of suicide.

i. They might have wondered at the Lord's wisdom, but they did not consider ending lives, with which God had endowed them.

ii. In fact, Job chastised his wife for having tried to encourage him to kill himself.

b. Have you ever felt like Job?

i. Have you ever wondered, “Why is this happening to me?”

ii. Did the helpless, lead to desiring that you could drop out of life entirely?

1) That is what the devil would like you to do.

2) However, it is not what Job did and God rewarded him for it.

2. We might wonder why Job and others would felt the way he did.

The Reason

B. … Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes …. (3:4-10).

4 Let that day <03117> be darkness <02822>; let not God <0433> regard <01875> (8799) it from above <04605>, neither let the light <05105> shine <03313> (8686) upon it.

5 Let darkness <02822> and the shadow of death <06757> stain <01350> (8799) it; let a cloud <06053> dwell <07931> (8799) upon it; let the blackness <03650> of the day <03117> terrify <01204> (8762) it. {stain: or, challenge} {let the…: or, let them terrify it, as those who have a bitter day}

6 As for that night <03915>, let darkness <0652> seize <03947> (8799) upon it; let it not be joined <02302> (8799) unto the days <03117> of the year <08141>, let it not come <0935> (8799) into the number <04557> of the months <03391>. {let it not be…: or, let it not rejoice among the days}

7 Lo, let that night <03915> be solitary <01565>, let no joyful voice <07445> come <0935> (8799) therein.

8 Let them curse <05344> (8799) it that curse <0779> (8802) the day <03117>, who are ready <06264> to raise up <05782> (8788) their mourning <03882>. {their…: or, leviathan}

9 Let the stars <03556> of the twilight <05399> thereof be dark <02821> (8799); let it look <06960> (8762) for light <0216>, but have none; neither let it see <07200> (8799) the dawning <06079> of the day <07837>: {the dawning…: Heb. the eyelids of the morning}

10 Because it shut not up <05462> (8804) the doors <01817> of my mother’s womb <0990>, nor hid <05641> (8686) sorrow <05999> from mine eyes <05869>.

1. Job was beginning to break and crumble under the weight of his struggle, as the unceasing, unexplained anguish continued.

a. It was this terrible strain upon his soul, which led to his crying out, "Why was I ever born?"

b. Job was seeking a purpose to his life.

2. Does life ever get that way for you? Do you ever wonder if the pain is ever going to stop?

Transition: Such questions faced Job as he tried to keep above his struggle.

II. JOB’S QUESTIONS (3:11-26).

Why Didn’t I Die At Birth

A. Why died I not from the womb … (3:11-19).

11 ¶ Why died <04191> (8799) I not from the womb <07358>? why did I not give up the ghost <01478> (8799) when I came out <03318> (8804) of the belly <0990>?

12 Why did the knees <01290> prevent <06923> (8765) me? or why the breasts <07699> that I should suck <03243> (8799)?

13 For now should I have lain still <07901> (8804) and been quiet <08252> (8799), I should have slept <03462> (8804): then had I been at rest <05117> (8799),

14 With kings <04428> and counsellors <03289> (8802) of the earth <0776>, which built <01129> (8802) desolate places <02723> for themselves;

15 Or with princes <08269> that had gold <02091>, who filled <04390> (8764) their houses <01004> with silver <03701>:

16 Or as an hidden <02934> (8803) untimely birth <05309> I had not been; as infants <05768> which never saw <07200> (8804) light <0216>.

17 There the wicked <07563> cease <02308> (8804) from troubling <07267>; and there the weary <03019> <03581> be at rest <05117> (8799). {weary: Heb. wearied in strength}

18 There the prisoners <0615> rest <07599> (8768) together <03162>; they hear <08085> (8804) not the voice <06963> of the oppressor <05065> (8802).

19 The small <06996> and great <01419> are there; and the servant <05650> is free <02670> from his master <0113>.

1. Job questioned why he hadn’t died at birth if his life was just to be filled with meaningless suffering (vs 11-12).

a. He was feeling like his whole life was meaningless.

b. Consequently, in his pain and tears, death seemed better to Job than life.

2. Job viewed death as a time of rest, a quiet after the tumult and troubles of life (vs 13-19).

a. However, this view, as many people have who do not know what the Bible declares about death, had the possibility of promoting error.

b. Job’s view toward death, as an escape from misery and a time of rest, is true only of those who die in the Lord (cf. Psa 116:15; 1Th 4:13-18; Jam 1:18; Rev 2:10; 14:13).

c. For the wicked, death is not a time of rest (cp. Luk 16:19-31; 2Th 1:8-9).

Why Can’t I Die Now

B. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery … (3:20-22).

20 ¶ Wherefore is light <0216> given <05414> (8799) to him that is in misery <06001>, and life <02416> unto the bitter <04751> in soul <05315>;

21 Which long <02442> (8764) for death <04194>, but it cometh not; and dig <02658> (8799) for it more than for hid treasures <04301>; {long: Heb. wait}

22 Which rejoice <08056> exceedingly <01524>, and are glad <07797> (8799), when they can find <04672> (8799) the grave <06913>?

1. Job could see any purpose to his life.

a. Have you ever wonder of what use is your life when it is so filled with misery that you couldn’t do anything but suffer and feel anguish?

b. Many people feel that way.

2. Job couldn’t understand why death escapes those in misery.

C. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid … For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me (3:23-25).

23 Why is light given to a man <01397> whose way <01870> is hid <05641> (8738), and whom God <0433> hath hedged in <05526> (8686)?

24 For my sighing <0585> cometh <0935> (8799) before <06440> I eat <03899>, and my roarings <07581> are poured out <05413> (8799) like the waters <04325>. {I eat: Heb. my meat}

25 For the thing which I greatly <06343> feared <06342> (8804) is come <0857> (8799) upon me, and that which I was afraid <03025> (8804) of is come <0935> (8799) unto me. {the thing…: Heb. I feared a fear, and it came upon me}

26 I was not in safety <07951> (8804), neither had I rest <08252> (8804), neither was I quiet <05117> (8804); yet trouble <07267> came <0935> (8799).

1. What Job feared in life had become part of his life.

a. Job, it would seem, had never let down his guard, had never stopped properly worshipping God nor living as was proper.

b. Yet, still tragedy came to him.

2. Though he always knew tragedy could befall his household, as with anyone, when it came to Job, he couldn’t understand why God had allowed it to happen.

3. For those outside of Christ, tragedy in life can bring feelings of hopelessness. However, in Christ, there is hope, regardless of what befalls us in life. We know that whatever happens, though it hurts, though it makes us sad, there is a great life to come in heaven, where never again will there be sorrow, if we endure.

4. How do we survive until that day?

5. Though it is a common saying, quick off the tongue of those who want to help, it is true, we need to trust in the Lord (Psa 11).

6. We also need to take our strength from the Lord (Col 1:11).

Conclusion:

Questions:

What two things did Job curse (3:1-3)?

Why did Job curse the day of his birth (3:10)?

Why did he wish he had died at birth (3:11-15)?

Why did he wish he had been stillborn (3:16-19)?

What did Job wonder regarding his suffering (3:20-21)?