412. Light and Darkness as Emblems

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Job 18:5-65Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. (Job 18:5‑6). Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
To the susceptible mind of the Oriental, light is an object of desire, and darkness something to be greatly dreaded. The lamp is usually kept burning in the house all night; and its light is used as an emblem of prosperity, and the extinguishment of it as an emblem of a great calamity. Thus Job speaks of the days of his prosperity when the candle of the Lord shone upon his head (Job 29:33When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; (Job 29:3)). David says, “Thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness” (Psa. 18:2828For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. (Psalm 18:28)). On the other hand, we find Job saying, as expressive of great affliction: “How oft is the candle of the wicked put out” (Job 21:1717How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. (Job 21:17)). Solomon says, “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness” (Prov. 20:2020Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. (Proverbs 20:20)). “The candle of the wicked shall be put out” (Prov. 24:2020For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. (Proverbs 24:20)).