23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
23 What's the point of life when it doesn't make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in?
23 Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?
6 Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
6 Therefore I will hedge up her
6 But I'll fix her: I'll dump her in a field of thistles, then lose her in a dead-end alley.
6 "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths.
6 "For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way.
(Read Hosea 2:6-13)
God threatens what he would do with this treacherous, idolatrous people. They did not turn, therefore all this came upon them; and it is written for admonition to us. If lesser difficulties be got over, God will raise greater. The most resolute in sinful pursuits, are commonly most crossed in them. The way of God and duty is often hedged about with thorns, but we have reason to think it is a sinful way that is hedged up with thorns. Crosses and obstacles in an evil course are great blessings, and are to be so accounted; they are God's hedges, to keep us from transgressing, to make the way of sin difficult, and to keep us from it. We have reason to bless God for restraining grace, and for restraining providences; and even for sore pain, sickness, or calamity, if it keeps us from sin. The disappointments we meet with in seeking for satisfaction from the creature, should, if nothing else will do it, drive us to the Creator. When men forget, or consider not that their comforts come from God, he will often in mercy take them away, to bring them to think upon their folly and danger. Sin and mirth can never hold long together; but if men will not take away sin from their mirth, God will take away mirth from their sin. And if men destroy God's word and ordinances, it is just with him to destroy their vines and fig-trees. This shall be the ruin of their mirth. Taking away the solemn seasons and the sabbaths will not do it, they will readily part with them, and think it no loss; but He will take away their sensual pleasures. Days of sinful mirth must be visited with days of mourning.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 3:23
Commentary on Job 3:20-26
(Read Job 3:20-26)
Job was like a man who had lost his way, and had no prospect of escape, or hope of better times. But surely he was in an ill frame for death when so unwilling to live. Let it be our constant care to get ready for another world, and then leave it to God to order our removal thither as he thinks fit. Grace teaches us in the midst of life's greatest comforts, to be willing to die, and in the midst of its greatest crosses, to be willing to live. Job's way was hid; he knew not wherefore God contended with him. The afflicted and tempted Christian knows something of this heaviness; when he has been looking too much at the things that are seen, some chastisement of his heavenly Father will give him a taste of this disgust of life, and a glance at these dark regions of despair. Nor is there any help until God shall restore to him the joys of his salvation. Blessed be God, the earth is full of his goodness, though full of man's wickedness. This life may be made tolerable if we attend to our duty. We look for eternal mercy, if willing to receive Christ as our Saviour.