Job 14
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CHAPTER 14
Job Concludes (14:1–22)
1–6 In Job's speeches so far, we have seen him express a wish for death (Job 3:11,16), a wish for God to leave him alone (Job 7:16,19), and a wish for the chance to argue his case with God (Job 13:3,15). We have seen Job one moment expressing despair (Job 10:15,19), and the next moment expressing hope and confidence (Job 13:16,18). And in this chapter also, we see him continue to express all of these conflicting emotions.
Job asks God why He would want to pay attention to such an insignificant, short-lived creature as man (verse 3). How can God expect to find something pure in a creature that by nature is impure? (verse 4). Man's life span is fixed; let him just live out his days—put in his time—and then let him die (verse 6).
7–12 Job then contrasts man with a tree, which can come to life again after it has been cut down. But man does not rise again when he is “cut down”—at least not till the heavens are no more (verse 12). Job is saying that although there is no immediate resurrection after death, maybe there will be a resurrection in the distant future—when the “heavens are no more.”
13–17 Here Job continues his hesitant thoughts about a future resurrection. He wishes that God would hide him in the grave until His anger has passed; then, after a set time, God might remember him (verse 13), and even call him back from the grave (verse 15). Job wonders if a man could live again after death; Job would be willing to wait for such a renewal all during his time of hard service in the grave (verse 14). Job hopes that if and when God calls him forth, He might not keep track of his sins but seal (them) up in a bag (verse 17).
Clearly, in verses 13–17, Job is expressing a tentative hope in some kind of resurrection after death. The idea of a resurrection is not well developed in the Old Testament; even Job seems to be saying one thing one moment and another thing the next. But in these verses he does rise above his general attitude of pessimism. Just maybe, the grave might be a temporary “hiding place” (verse 13) rather than a “place of no return” (Job 7:9). Just maybe, one day Job's sins might be forgotten, “sealed up,” “covered over” (verses 16–17), and Job might be restored to fellowship with God once more (Psalm 32:1–2; Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9).
18–22 But Job's fragile hope quickly fades (verses 18–19). This resurrection “dream” is too far off. Instead, Job is left with the prospect of imminent death. God is about to send him away to the grave, where one has no knowledge of the living—even of one's own children (verses 20–21). There a man remains alone, and mourns only for himself (verse 22). What a difference there is between Job's dark despair and the New Testament hope in the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting! (John 11:25).