Job 3:4
That day – May it be darkness,
May God above not regard it,
May the light not shine upon it,
This verse refers back to the first part of 3:3 and to Job’s birthday. Having asked that it be blotted out, now Job asks that it be darkness. Darkness refers again to the chaos before creation, before there was light. Last year about this time, COVID was only “over there” and we had a big party for my wife’s birthday. It was an opportunity to celebrate her life and the joy she has brought to us. Job was at the opposite end of that spectrum. Life was terrible and he did not want to face the day. One of my favorite bands has a song with a lyric that is something like “I don’t want to face the day, the day, the day…” I have a work task that I do not want to face, but it has to be done.
“May God not regard it from above.” When I first studied the verse, I wrote “All impossible”. But with time to reflect I realize that this is actually something God can and will do, or at least He will for our sins. So why not a particular day in history? Speaking of a day in history. “Day in History” is part of a lyric from a Jesus Jones song. I had no idea the song was about the fall of the Berlin wall until today. I also learned that their 1991 U.S tour sold out before they ever got to the states. I was able to see them that year in College Station, so I guess I was lucky.
My rendition has “not regard it”, but others include “not seek it”, “not look after it”, “not care about it”, “ignore it”, and “have no concern of it”. I find it hard to believe God would not care about or have concern for something. I can believe the not seek it out. Ignore seems an action or lack of action not consistent with a holy God. The reference that had “not look after it”, actually says “No god look after it from above.” I of course do not align with the idea of their being other gods, so I looked down upon this rendering, but if I replace god with angel, then I see a hint of the spiritual that I do not understand. Maybe something to keep in mind as I move forward in the study. I had a comment about the day not crossing God’s mind, but omniscience by definition prevents that.
“May the light not shine upon it.” This makes the day a physical thing to me. As if each day was its own little world that existed in time waiting for the dawn. Here the light shines in and overcomes the darkness that was before, bring order to chaos, to reveal the truth and not let it stay hidden. In a marvel story when a superhero goes back in time to fix everything, another tasks them with the thought that chaos and order are not mutually exclusive and that they both have their place in the order of things. The made-up mystical sense of the movie is of course not suitable for basing a religion upon, but the interplay of chaos and order are religious subjects that play out in life. Do we ignore the evil in the world? Do we ignore the coming tribulation? Do we not fight for everything in its place?
In my own house, I am more me than anywhere else. I let my guard down and my wife and children see me as weak as I am. I think Job was at home in his anguish. He was laying out his opinion with no pretense before his friends (at least one non-friend) and God. Job has exposed his frustration (two verses of many) and it is not pretty. At least up until the poetry Job hung onto his integrity, being who he was at all times. It is something to strive for, but many of us, including our spouse and children strive a little harder when others can see and less so at home in front of the family. I have learned that it is easier to be strong when others can see you. When the light can shine upon your actions.