Job 23:17

The closing verse of this section is not entirely clear. In the Authorized Version, Job wishes he had been cut off before this darkness came, so that he would not have seen it. Another view follows the context more closely. It makes him stress his dread of God. He does not shrink from his disasters, terrible as they are, but from this awesome Being who fills his soul with dread. "I have not been destroyed before the darkness [of present affliction], and before my face [all disfigured with disease], which thick darkness covers."

Job thought it was God who made his heart weak, and that it was God Himself who terrified Job. Why? Because God did not cut him off in death before he faced the darkness and deep darkness that had now overtaken him (vv. 16-17).

Job felt it was impossible to turn God aside from a purpose he could not understand. What was appointed to him would come to pass without fail, for He has His mind, and always does it. So Job was thrown into confusion before His face, and fear grew as he thought about it. Eliphaz might talk of the darkness which Job admitted did surround him, and he might blame it on hidden wickedness. But it was God's doing that appalled and perplexed him.

The "patience of Job" is not apparent here. On the contrary, fears fill his heart. He dreads God as an enemy, and would shrink from the very presence which so lately he craved. He blames God for overwhelming him. He blames God for throwing his thoughts into utter confusion.

God is certainly unique. But Job limited that uniqueness to awe-inspiring majesty, and he did not understand God's unique love and grace. Job says God does whatever His soul desires. Yet he thought those desires had nothing to do with the real needs of His creatures. How totally wrong this idea was! It is true that God carries out whatever He appoints for people (v. 14). But His appointments are not meant to inspire terror in a believer's heart, as this did with Job. Indeed, why did he seek God's presence if he was "terrified at His presence"? (v. 15).

Job allowed God's entire supremacy; he allowed His sovereignty in the fullest degree. He was troubled that there was something between God and him; something with which God had a question, but what — he did not understand yet.

Blessed be God, He has revealed His perfect love in Christ. All is bright there, and the darkness is only a passing cloud. It cannot hide the glory of the love that shines down upon us.