Job 24:13 | KingComments | STEP | In the previous verses Job has described a certain category of evildoers who openly commit their sins. In the following verses he describes the fellow members of these evildoers, to whom they belong. He is going to talk about people who do their evil works in the darkness. The evildoers choose the night to perform their “unfruitful deeds of darkness” ( ). In spiritual terms, this of course also applies to the category of evildoers described in the previous verses. People who choose darkness to perform their sinful deeds do so because they hate light ( ; ). They do not know God’s ways, which are always in the light. “God is light” ( ). Because they hate light, they do not remain on His paths, for His light shines upon it. Job has said the opposite of himself ( ). Because they reject the Word of God, they go on “the paths of the violent” ( ). In Job speaks of the murderer, the thief, and the adulterer, i.e. the transgressors of the sixth, eighth, and seventh command respectively. Before it becomes light, the murderer and thief become active ( ). First he kills “the poor and needy”, who are people without protection. Then he steals their paltry possessions. The adulterer is also one who commits his sin in the night ( ; ). He waits until twilight before going on his way. He is well aware that he is going to do something that must remain hidden. Nobody should see him. And in case anyone should see him anyway, he puts on a mask, which means that he hides his face behind his upper garment by hoisting it up. Then he’s unrecognizable. In Job generally speaks of the worker of iniquity. What he does and who he is, he summarizes in three sentences: 1. He does his work in darkness. 2. During the day he shuts himself up, he hides himself, to go out the next night. 3. He abhors the light. These men are as afraid of the morning as they are of “the thick darkness” that is the darkness of death ( ). Although they are familiar with the terrors of thick darkness, they are scared to death of daylight, for then there is a good chance that they will be caught or recognized. Of course, they want to avoid that at all costs. It is just as bad to be caught as it is to look death in the eye. The power of what Job says does not only lie in the truth of what he observes. It is above all that he indicates that people commit the most heinous sins, without God raising a hand to judge them. All perpetrators of iniquity can continue unhindered. No one stops or punishes them.

‏ Job 24:13

Darkness Envelops Sin

In the previous verses Job has described a certain category of evildoers who openly commit their sins. In the following verses he describes the fellow members of these evildoers, to whom they belong. He is going to talk about people who do their evil works in the darkness. The evildoers choose the night to perform their “unfruitful deeds of darkness” (Eph 5:11). In spiritual terms, this of course also applies to the category of evildoers described in the previous verses.

People who choose darkness to perform their sinful deeds do so because they hate light (Job 24:13; Jn 3:20). They do not know God’s ways, which are always in the light. “God is light” (1Jn 1:5). Because they hate light, they do not remain on His paths, for His light shines upon it. Job has said the opposite of himself (Job 23:11). Because they reject the Word of God, they go on “the paths of the violent” (Psa 17:4).

In Job 24:14-16 Job speaks of the murderer, the thief, and the adulterer, i.e. the transgressors of the sixth, eighth, and seventh command respectively. Before it becomes light, the murderer and thief become active (Job 24:14). First he kills “the poor and needy”, who are people without protection. Then he steals their paltry possessions.

The adulterer is also one who commits his sin in the night (Job 24:15; Pro 7:8-9). He waits until twilight before going on his way. He is well aware that he is going to do something that must remain hidden. Nobody should see him. And in case anyone should see him anyway, he puts on a mask, which means that he hides his face behind his upper garment by hoisting it up. Then he’s unrecognizable.

In Job 24:16 Job generally speaks of the worker of iniquity. What he does and who he is, he summarizes in three sentences:

1. He does his work in darkness.

2. During the day he shuts himself up, he hides himself, to go out the next night.

3. He abhors the light.

These men are as afraid of the morning as they are of “the thick darkness” that is the darkness of death (Job 24:17). Although they are familiar with the terrors of thick darkness, they are scared to death of daylight, for then there is a good chance that they will be caught or recognized. Of course, they want to avoid that at all costs. It is just as bad to be caught as it is to look death in the eye.

The power of what Job says does not only lie in the truth of what he observes. It is above all that he indicates that people commit the most heinous sins, without God raising a hand to judge them. All perpetrators of iniquity can continue unhindered. No one stops or punishes them.