Job 14:21 | KingComments | STEP | A “mountain” ( ) is a pattern of stability. When a mountain falls, there is nothing left of its stability. The mountain has crumbled away. The same goes for “a rock” that “moves from its place”. The most impressive certainties disappear like snow in summer when God acts with it. Job’s life seemed as stable as a mountain and a rock. But his life perishes, it is taken away from its fixed place. The water of trial has done its work thoroughly ( ). The stones of the rock of his house of life have been wearing away by the continuing trials. The stones have become like dust of the earth. His life has become dust that is washed away by the torrents that came over his life. Job’s life and also his environment have been crushed under the heavy blows of the disasters that have come upon him. This is how God “destroy man’s hope”. What can a powerless human do against almighty God ( )? God is infinitely stronger. He overpowers him forever. Never will a human being have a chance to compete against God again. He disappears from God’s presence to disappear into death. At first he had a kind face toward God. That was in his former days of prosperity. But God changed his face through His plagues, indicating that God is the cause of the change in his attitude toward Him. And then God sends him away to the tomb. In the tomb he is gone from the presence of God and he is also gone from his family ( ). He doesn’t know how his children are doing, whether they are regarded or despised. He no longer has an eye for it. For the present Job has enough with just himself ( ). He lives with death as his only expectation. His body pains him tremendously. In addition, he has no joy whatsoever in his soul. He experiences nothing but mourning. All joy is gone. What’s the use of life? We see that Job struggles enormously with the meaning of suffering, and that in the darkness and despair of this ambiguity he continues to search for a possible way out, for a possible explanation for his suffering. Here the first round of discussions ends. It is clear that the book cannot be closed. There will be another round of discussions.

‏ Job 14:21

The Strongest Man Loses Out to God

A “mountain” (Job 14:18) is a pattern of stability. When a mountain falls, there is nothing left of its stability. The mountain has crumbled away. The same goes for “a rock” that “moves from its place”. The most impressive certainties disappear like snow in summer when God acts with it. Job’s life seemed as stable as a mountain and a rock. But his life perishes, it is taken away from its fixed place.

The water of trial has done its work thoroughly (Job 14:19). The stones of the rock of his house of life have been wearing away by the continuing trials. The stones have become like dust of the earth. His life has become dust that is washed away by the torrents that came over his life. Job’s life and also his environment have been crushed under the heavy blows of the disasters that have come upon him. This is how God “destroy man’s hope”.

What can a powerless human do against almighty God (Job 14:20)? God is infinitely stronger. He overpowers him forever. Never will a human being have a chance to compete against God again. He disappears from God’s presence to disappear into death. At first he had a kind face toward God. That was in his former days of prosperity. But God changed his face through His plagues, indicating that God is the cause of the change in his attitude toward Him. And then God sends him away to the tomb.

In the tomb he is gone from the presence of God and he is also gone from his family (Job 14:21). He doesn’t know how his children are doing, whether they are regarded or despised. He no longer has an eye for it.

For the present Job has enough with just himself (Job 14:22). He lives with death as his only expectation. His body pains him tremendously. In addition, he has no joy whatsoever in his soul. He experiences nothing but mourning. All joy is gone. What’s the use of life? We see that Job struggles enormously with the meaning of suffering, and that in the darkness and despair of this ambiguity he continues to search for a possible way out, for a possible explanation for his suffering.

Here the first round of discussions ends. It is clear that the book cannot be closed. There will be another round of discussions.