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Job 26:10
10 He hath compassed [chuwg] the waters [paniym] [mayim] with bounds [choq], until the day ['owr] and night [choshek] come to an end [takliyth]. KJV-Interlinear
10 'He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness. NASB
If you are into history and want to add a set of volumes to your library, then the Encyclopedia of Geography is a good source of information, both of the real world and the imagined world as seen through the eyes of the ancients.
Job is describing a boundary between the light and the darkness, between the land masses and the oceans, between the planet earth and the heavens above. And throughout history, people have interpreted Jobs writing in all of these ways.
With regard to maps, the ancients in Egypt viewed the world as a vast globe, with land in one portion and waters surrounding the great expanse beyond sight.
Opposed to this view was just about everyone, as the world was seen as a great plane, surrounded by a greater ocean, which was contained by impassable mountains.
No maps exist in our present day, from the time of Job. However maps have been constructed from the descriptions in Strabo, Herodotus, and others, which were summarized in the early Roman times circa 54 A.D. And these maps show the world surrounded by an ocean on every side, with a 'dark' ocean running beneath the earth, sometimes referred to as an Abyss.
The ancient Arabs viewed the earth in similar fashion, encompassed by a vast ocean and a 'Sea of Darkness' beyond. Similar maps existed during the time of the crusades.
It was not until the early centuries of the 'teens' that the landmasses began to take on their better shapes. More speculation of course led Columbus and others in the early 1500's A.D., to discover the spherical shape of the planet.
Job comments here are clues to more than just the circular shape of the earth, however.
His mention of the architects compass as used to draw curved lines or arc's, forms the curvature shape of the planet, or the horizon.
Anyone knows that when you place water in a pan it will settle to a level plane, but Job describes the shape of the waters as curved across the horizon.
The horizon also forms a line of separation between day and night. The sun being on one side at a time. The light side is on the sun side and the dark side exists when the sun is on the other side. Given that Job experienced both day and night, as we all do, then one has to presume that either the sun moved or the earth moved. Something had to move in order for the day and night to produce their changes.
Now these are all temporal views of the world around us. But we all should know that the Bible is not used to simply describe geography, but rather uses the truths of the world to teach the truths of the spiritual life.
In the last portion of this verse, the boundary of light and darkness is a reference to its 'completion.' This is not a separation description, but a chronological timetable. In other words, light and darkness will continue until history comes to a point of completion. At that time, the darkness will go away, and only the light will remain.
So we have several views now. The geographical description of the circular shape of the oceans. Their boundary or inscribed circle, which contains them (between the continents, within the planet, etc). Their relation to the separation between the day and the night. And the continuation of this boundary until a time of completion, at which time that boundary will cease to exist.
Light and dark are always used as illustrations of good and evil, of the spiritual life and the carnal life. Each being separated from the other.
People always have the choice between remaining in the light, or sailing off into the darkness's of the unknown, wherein lies the unknown abyss of no return.
In this life you can always sail off and probably return, but in the spiritual life, when life is over for you, if you have sailed away from God, as an unbeliever, then return is not possible.
Life has boundaries. We are born and we will all die. We all have choices. Good decisions bring more opportunities. Bad decisions lose opportunities for you.
Your choices in life place additional limits on your life. Your life can be either long or short depending on your lifestyle. The quality of your life can be either good or bad, depending on a lot of factors.
No matter who you are or what you do in life, you have limitations, physical, mental, or whatever.
You cannot change the world, you cannot change your limitations which God has placed on you.
You can, however, change the quality of your destiny, by making the right choices in life - faith in Christ, positive volition toward spiritual growth.
This planet was designed by God, complete with all of its limitations. Your life was designed by God, also complete with all of your limitations.
Just as you will not be here for an unlimited period of time, so neither will the planet, so neither will history.
Getting upset over the politics of the day, over the social ills of the day, over some standard which you believe to be important to society, making a big deal about how man should interact with man, or how people should or should not live their lives, will not change your limitations.
Pursue your spiritual life and all of these things will fall into place by natural means. Ignore your spiritual life, as most of the world does, and you will never see an end to problems.
So make the best of the time which God has given you, because once your time is up …..
