The dead are in deep anguish, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. – Job 26:5

Today's Scripture Reading (September 5, 2024): Job 25 & 26

The date was April 15, 1912. It was the day that the impossible became possible. The day that the unsinkable sank. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic, one of the largest ships to ever sail the world's seas, hit an iceberg and sank beneath the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean. Most of us have an image of the orchestra playing as the boat went under, an act of almost unbelievable courage.

It was a day of disaster. The creators of the Titanic, and even the lawmakers, were so sure that it was unsinkable that they reduced the number of lifeboats the ship required to carry (from 48 down to 16). Ultimately, the Titanic carried twenty lifeboats, even those were only 60% filled after the boat had sunk. The White Star Line's (the owner of the Titanic) managing director, J. Bruce Ismay, was among the list of the saved from the Titanic. Ismay was ridiculed and branded a coward in the aftermath of the tragedy because he was saved while many women and children died in the disaster, but the reality is that he didn't take the last seat available; there was lots of room on the lifeboats that were never filled.

On April 15, 1912, fifteen hundred and fourteen people died aboard the Titanic (a number that is only an approximation because we actually don't know precisely how many were on the ship). Some of the bodies were recovered, but most were buried at sea. Their bodies were left under the same water which was the cause of their deaths.

Experts have struggled with what Job might mean in this passage. Some have suggested that Job saw hell as a watery place rather than the eternal fire that contemporary people imagine. Others consider Job's words a poetic expression, not a technical description of hell. But the reality is that water in ancient times was seen as an uncontrollable chaos. There were no guarantees once you left to travel on the world's seas. It is a truth that the creators and owners of the Titanic needed to remember. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic met the chaos of the seas and lost the fight.

Chaos is also an excellent description of hell. The contemporary idea of hell often seems to be that it is a place where there will at least be some fun. Hell is the place where the interesting people will be. However, we need to hear Job's words. "The dead are in deep anguish, those beneath the waters and all that live in them" (Job 26:5). Like the waters of the seas, it is a place of chaos and anguish and a place where we should be thankful for any lifeboats that can carry us away from the scene.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Job 27