IN this remarkable chapter Job looks at mankind as a race — man since the fall—and he describes the exercises of a man when he considers the approach of death. He uses four different words for man in describing his various activities, and in verse 1 it is simply man as a son of Adam. Job says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
Scripture also distinguishes another class or race, those that are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God” (John 1:1313Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)), those who have been redeemed from the fall and have resurrection life in Christ, the risen and glorified Man at God’s right hand. How different then is the outlook on life of the redeemed from that of the natural man. A life full of blessing and joy and peace is before the one who goes on with the Lord, with glory as his reward at the end; even as the Apostle could say, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Job goes on to say of man, that “He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” It is well that we consider this aspect of life. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psa. 90:1212So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (Psalm 90:12). Job cannot understand how God can take notice of such a one who is only here for such a brief time.
Then he asks an important question: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” Zophar had said that senseless man would be bold though born like a wild ass’s colt (chapter 11;12). It would seem then that both Job and Zophar recognized man’s condition before God. We know there had been in Noah’s day a distinction made between the clean and the unclean animals, when it came to the question of taking them into the ark. Job takes up this thought that man is unclean in the sight of God when he raised the above question. But this could not be answered until the coming of the Lord Jesus into the world to accomplish redemption. Now since the cross, life and incorruptibility have been brought to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:9, 109Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (2 Timothy 1:9‑10)).
In verse 10 another question is raised: “But man [a chief man] dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” This is a question that has been asked ever since. The chief men of this world would like the answer, but though this remained unanswered for thousands of years, yet we find the true answer in the gospel, where we learn that when a child of God dies, he is absent from the body and present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5.)
Then in verse 12 Job makes another remarkable statement. “So man [a strong man] lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” The natural thing for Job to say would be “till the earth be no more.” But it seems here he is speaking of something which is beyond man to understand. Long before the flood Enoch had spoken of how the Lord would come with all His saints to judge the earth (Jude 14, 1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15)). We know the Lord will come in judgment on the earth before the millennium, but Job is here speaking of a time coming when heaven and earth shall flee away from the face of the Lord sitting upon the great white throne, when men (the wicked dead) are raised for judgment (Rev. 20:11-1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15)). From the New Testament we learn that this will take place after the millennium, but it is one of the wonders of the Word of God that this solemn event is foretold in what is perhaps the oldest book of Scripture.
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