Job Speaks to God About Death
September 4, 2019
Commentary
In this passage, Job turns from the confidence that he could win his court case against God to a complaint about life’s futility and death’s certainty. He says that life is brief and full of trouble (v. 1). There is nothing any truer than that; trouble is the common denominator of mankind. All of us have had trouble. Sickness, loneliness, disappointment and death cause Job to say that life is not fair. He states that no man is perfect, or sinless, so what harm would there be in dealing with all men less severely.
Like a flower, man is born to die. He disappears like a shadow (v. 2) or like evaporating water (v. 11). Man’s days are numbered (vv. 3-6), but does he have a future? Job’s strongest image is that of a tree (vv. 7-12). Chop it down and its stump remains, and there is always a possibility that the tree might sprout again. The tree has hope, but man has no hope. When he dies, he knows that God is going to call him, and he will answer the call. In other words God is not through with us at our death. God leaves no stump behind. Man is more like water that evaporates or soaks into the ground; it can never be recovered again ( v. 11). Job just wants to be remembered (v. 13).
Job raises an important question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (v. l4). He says death is a release from the burdens of this life, and like an honorary discharge or a changing of the guard. Though Job anticipated that death would release him from life’s woes. Even in death Job knows that God is going to call him, and he will answer the call (v. 15). We need to remember that the Old Testament does not say much about the resurrection of the dead. This is why Job’s pessimism about death is understandable. In fact, it is remarkable that he had hope that God would hide him with the dead and bring him out again.
Application
When I must endure suffering, I have an advantage over Job. I know that the dead in Christ will rise again. My hope is based on Christ’s promise in (John 14:19).
Job 14:1– 15 (NET)
1 “Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.
2 He grows up like a flower and then withers away; he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.
3 Do you fix your eye on such a one? And do you bring me before you for judgment?
4 Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean? No one!
5 Since man’s days are determined, the number of his months is under your control; you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.
6 Look away from him and let him desist, until he fulfills his time like a hired man.
7 “But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.
8 Although its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump begins to die in the soil,
9 at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth shoots like a new plant.
10 But man dies and is powerless; he expires—and where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea, or a river drains away and dries up,
12 so man lies down and does not rise; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor arise from their sleep.
13 “O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait until my release comes.
15 You will call and I —I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made.
Illustration: A Life Changing Experience Rearranges Our Priorities
A life-threatening experience has a way of rearranging one’s priorities. That was true in the lives of former Texas Governor John Connally and his wife after he was wounded by the assassin who took the life of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. In an interview, Connally explained, “As far as Nellie and I are concerned,… it inevitably brought into sharper focus what’s really important in life… We try not to participate in things that are shallow or in the long run meaningless.” (Our Daily Bread, January 1, 1995).