Job 7:12-19 | KingComments | STEP | From , there is, as it were, a sudden revival with Job. After his words in about the brevity and vanity of life, his resistance to the fate that God has bestowed on him flares up and he challenges God for it as it were. He calls Him to account. He cannot keep silent about what God has done to him, he will not keep his mouth shut about it ( ). The anguish of his spirit seeks a way out. He finds it by complaining, by expressing the bitterness of his soul. He cannot bear the thought of his rush to the grave and thus the loss of all that is dear to him. He calls out to God whether he is the sea, or the sea monster to Him ( ). Is this how God sees him? For God sets a guard over him as if he were a fierce sea or a sea monster devouring everything. He feels as if God is doing everything He can to restrain him so that he does not harm others. He tells God that he is trying to find comfort on his bed ( ), by which he says that he is not a destructive sea or a sea monster. He also goes to his couch to ease his complaint. He is someone who needs comfort and support, he only yearns for peace and security. How, then, does God come to think that he must be restrained like the sea or the sea monster? In addition, God frightens him with dreams and terrifies him with visions when he tries to find peace ( ). Eliphaz has also had visions ( ) and seen the greatness of God in them. But Job only experiences nightmares and sees in his dream only the horrors of God. Through all his torments, Job experiences God as an enemy, even though he has a strong need for a Friend. But Job accuses God of making life so unbearable for him that he chooses to die by suffocation ( ). After all, life no longer makes any sense at all. It consists of a chain of misery that is felt uninterrupted every day and every night. Surely then it is clear that he would rather be dead than alive, isn’t it? He despises life as it is now ( ). It has become a heavy burden and has nothing attractive anymore. It is a comforting thought for him that he will not live forever, not always, in this misery on earth. In itself this is a thought that also gives the Christian peace and comfort when he is in trouble. Many Christians live on earth as if they will live here forever. With them there is no desire to leave the earth in exchange for heaven because they are having a great time here. What for Job is a flee is a desire for the dedicated Christian. Job wants to be free of misery. The Christian looks forward to the joy. Job looks to the here and now, the Christian looks to the future. Job begs God to leave him alone. His days are a sigh, they are over just like that, but God does not give him a moment’s rest in the little time he has. And he has just such a need for rest. Here Job does not know what he is asking for, and fortunately God does not answer his supplication. If God really would leave him alone, He would take His hands off him. That would really mean endless unrest. If God leaves a man to himself, he is lost without salvation. Once again Job asks God his desperate question as to why He considers the mortal human, that puny man, of such great value, that He concerns Himself with him ( ). Why does the great God of eternity take the time and the effort to visit him every morning and to try him with plagues and pain ( )? Surely it is a waste of time and effort, for it does not benefit Him at all. Job undoubtedly means himself. He impatiently asks why God enjoys tormenting and paining a mortal human like him every day. The answer to the desperate question of is magnificently given in Psalm 8 by presenting Christ, the Son of Man, the last Adam ( ). The value of man to God we see in the Man Christ Jesus. Every trial with which He visits one of His own is meant to make him more conformed to that unique Man. Job asks God how long He thinks He will continue His trials before He stops paying attention to him and focuses His gaze on something else ( ). How long must he be the target of all God’s arrows? It feels to Job as if God is constantly pointing His gaze at him in order to hit him. God gives him so little rest that he does not even come to swallow his spittle. Swallowing spittle doesn’t take much time, it’s done in no time. But even this short time of rest is not given to him by God, as Job experiences.

‏ Job 7:12-19

God Is His Enemy

From Job 7:11, there is, as it were, a sudden revival with Job. After his words in Job 7:1-10 about the brevity and vanity of life, his resistance to the fate that God has bestowed on him flares up and he challenges God for it as it were. He calls Him to account.

He cannot keep silent about what God has done to him, he will not keep his mouth shut about it (Job 7:11). The anguish of his spirit seeks a way out. He finds it by complaining, by expressing the bitterness of his soul. He cannot bear the thought of his rush to the grave and thus the loss of all that is dear to him.

He calls out to God whether he is the sea, or the sea monster to Him (Job 7:12). Is this how God sees him? For God sets a guard over him as if he were a fierce sea or a sea monster devouring everything. He feels as if God is doing everything He can to restrain him so that he does not harm others.

He tells God that he is trying to find comfort on his bed (Job 7:13), by which he says that he is not a destructive sea or a sea monster. He also goes to his couch to ease his complaint. He is someone who needs comfort and support, he only yearns for peace and security. How, then, does God come to think that he must be restrained like the sea or the sea monster? In addition, God frightens him with dreams and terrifies him with visions when he tries to find peace (Job 7:14). Eliphaz has also had visions (Job 4:14-21) and seen the greatness of God in them. But Job only experiences nightmares and sees in his dream only the horrors of God.

Through all his torments, Job experiences God as an enemy, even though he has a strong need for a Friend. But Job accuses God of making life so unbearable for him that he chooses to die by suffocation (Job 7:15). After all, life no longer makes any sense at all. It consists of a chain of misery that is felt uninterrupted every day and every night. Surely then it is clear that he would rather be dead than alive, isn’t it?

He despises life as it is now (Job 7:16). It has become a heavy burden and has nothing attractive anymore. It is a comforting thought for him that he will not live forever, not always, in this misery on earth. In itself this is a thought that also gives the Christian peace and comfort when he is in trouble. Many Christians live on earth as if they will live here forever. With them there is no desire to leave the earth in exchange for heaven because they are having a great time here.

What for Job is a flee is a desire for the dedicated Christian. Job wants to be free of misery. The Christian looks forward to the joy. Job looks to the here and now, the Christian looks to the future.

Job begs God to leave him alone. His days are a sigh, they are over just like that, but God does not give him a moment’s rest in the little time he has. And he has just such a need for rest. Here Job does not know what he is asking for, and fortunately God does not answer his supplication. If God really would leave him alone, He would take His hands off him. That would really mean endless unrest. If God leaves a man to himself, he is lost without salvation.

Once again Job asks God his desperate question as to why He considers the mortal human, that puny man, of such great value, that He concerns Himself with him (Job 7:17). Why does the great God of eternity take the time and the effort to visit him every morning and to try him with plagues and pain (Job 7:18)? Surely it is a waste of time and effort, for it does not benefit Him at all. Job undoubtedly means himself. He impatiently asks why God enjoys tormenting and paining a mortal human like him every day.

The answer to the desperate question of Job 7:17-18 is magnificently given in Psalm 8 by presenting Christ, the Son of Man, the last Adam (Psa 8:5-8). The value of man to God we see in the Man Christ Jesus. Every trial with which He visits one of His own is meant to make him more conformed to that unique Man.

Job asks God how long He thinks He will continue His trials before He stops paying attention to him and focuses His gaze on something else (Job 7:19). How long must he be the target of all God’s arrows? It feels to Job as if God is constantly pointing His gaze at him in order to hit him. God gives him so little rest that he does not even come to swallow his spittle. Swallowing spittle doesn’t take much time, it’s done in no time. But even this short time of rest is not given to him by God, as Job experiences.