“At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. He said: “Let the day of my birth be erased,and the night I was conceived. Let that day be turned to darkness, Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it. Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it. Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months. Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy. Let those who are experts at cursing whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — curse that day” (Job 3:1-8, NLT). *
Heavenly Father, once again we are in Your Throne Room, seeking wisdom from You, our only source of true wisdom. Please make Your message clear to us, and please make our hearts willing to receive it. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Scripture for today is a part of Job’s response, that sparked the comments of his friends. He cursed the day that he was born. Please notice that I added three more Bible verses to our Scripture for today. I am also using the New Living Translation. Unless otherwise stated, the Bible version that I always use is the New King James Version (NKJV).
As I think about what is called Denial in the five stages of grief, that were first introduced by Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book Death and Dying (1969), I am not sure if that term can be applied to what Job experienced, when, instead of weeping and outwardly grieving, he bowed and worshiped God (Job 1:20-21). Or, when, instead of cursing “God and [dying]”, as suggested by his wife, he accepted his loss as a give and take from God (Job 2:9-10).
Or, can we really describe his cursing the day that he was born as Anger? One of the points on which Kübler-Ross’ work was criticized is the fact that her “. . . model is the product of a particular culture at a particular time and might not be applicable to people of other cultures” (en.m.wikipedia.org).
Let me remind us that today we are looking at some of Job’s words, and the response from one of his friends. in the following devotional, we will look at the response from God. We will be following this pattern for the rest of the series.
The reason I used the NLT today, is because I believe it speaks more graphically to the depth of Job’s pain when He calls upon “those who are experts at cursing whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — [to] curse that day.” His pain is very great!
Eliphaz is the first to respond:
“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied to Job: “Will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out? “In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of [H]is anger” (Job 4:1-9, emphasis supplied).
It has been hard for me to listen to the words of Job’s “friend.” I pray that as we consider Job’s experience and the words of those who are described as his friends, that God will soften our hearts. Consider the words of the wiseman in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (NASB1995). May we learn to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19)!
The words of Eliphaz are difficult to listen to. How much more difficult, during a time of bereavement! His words are accusing, and devastating! Is he hearing himself? Has he forgotten that his friend has lost everyone that was near and dear to him? Except his wife? Everything that he owned? Is he aware that besides his own suffering, he might be absorbing the pain of his wife, who carried these ten children under her heart for nine months, each? And has lost them all in one day?
In these days in which we are living— in the valley of the shadow of death; where every time we hear the sound of a siren we begin to pray for our loved ones if they are not at home, and for everyone we know, that the ambulance is not for them. May God make us sensitive to the pain of others. Let us not commit the error of Job’s friends. How much better to sit with those who are in pain — in silence. Hold their hands, if possible. And pray without ceasing for them.
We will listen to God’s response in our next devotional.
Footnotes: *
- 3:8 The identification of Leviathan is disputed, ranging from an earthly creature to a mythical sea monster in ancient literature.