Job 3:20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul; When it is asked why a man is kept in misery on earth, when he would be glad to be released by death, perhaps the following among others may be the reasons. 1. Those sufferings may be the very means which are needful to develop the true state of his soul. Such was the case with Job. 2. They may be the proper punishment of sin in the heart, of which the individual was not fully aware, but which may be distinctly seen by God. There may be pride, and the love of ease, and self-confidence, and ambition, and a desire of reputation. Such appear to have been some of the besetting sins of Job. 3. They are needful to teach true submission, and to show whether a man is willing to resign himself to God. 4. They may be the very things which are necessary to prepare the individual to die. At the same time that men often desire death, and feel that it would be a relief, it might be to them the greatest possible calamity. They may be wholly unprepared for it. For a sinner, the grave contains no rest; the eternal world furnishes no repose. One design of God in such sorrows may be to show to the wicked how intolerable will be future pain, and how important it is for them to be ready to die. If they cannot bear the pains and sorrows of a few hours in this short life, how can they endure eternal sufferings? If it is so desirable to be released from the sorrows of the body here, — if it is felt that the grave, with all that is repulsive in it, would be a place of repose, how important is it to find some way to be secured from everlasting pains! The true place of release from suffering, for a sinner, is not the grave; it is in the pardoning mercy of God, and in that pure heaven to which he is invited through the blood of the Cross. In that holy heaven is the only real repose from suffering and from sin; and heaven will be all the sweeter in proportion to the extremity of pain which is endured on earth. (A. Barnes.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;WEB: "Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul, |
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