Job 14 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

1 All men lead the same short, troubled life.
2 They grow and wither as quickly as flowers;

they disappear like shadows.

3 Will you even look at me, God,

or bring me before you to be judged?

4 Nothing clean can ever come

from anything as unclean as man.

5 The length of his life is decided beforehand

the number of months he will live.

You have settled it, and it can-'t be changed.
6 Look away from him and leave him alone;

let him enjoy his life of hard work.

7 There is hope for a tree that has been cut down;

it can come back to life and sprout.

8 Even though its roots grow old,

and its stump dies in the ground,

9 with water it will sprout like a young plant.
10 But a man dies, and that is the end of him;

he dies, and where is he then?

11 A time will come when rivers stop running,

and even the seas go dry.

12 But dead men will never rise;

they will never wake up while the skies last;
they will never stir out of their sleep.

13 I wish you would hide me alive in the land of of the dead;

let me be hidden until your anger is over,
and then set a time to remember me.

14 If a man dies, can he come back to life?

But I will wait for better times,

wait till this time of trouble is over.

15 Then you will call and I will answer,

and you will be pleased with me, your creature.

16 Then you will watch every step I take,

but you will not keep track of my sins.

17 You will forgive my sins and put them away;

you will wipe out all the wrongs I have done.

18 A time will come when mountains fall,

and even rock cliffs are moved away.

19 Water will wear down rocks,

and hard rain wash away the soil;
so you destroy man's hope for life.

20 You overpower a man and send him away forever;

his face is twisted in death.

21 His sons win honor, but he never knows it,

nor is he told when they are disgraced.

22 He feels only the pain of his own body

and the grief of his own mind.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 14:1-22

268.

The mixture of pity and contempt arouse the contrary feelings of_____ and Why? Is this right?

269.

Is this a proof-text for original sin? Discuss.

270.

What is meant by saying, Nothing is more ephemeral than a flower?

271.

Give three figures of speech which describe the briefness of life.

272.

Give in your own words the meaning of verse three.

273.

Verse four seems out of place in the context. Explain.

274.

There is a fatalistic note in verse five, the thought of which is often repeated today. What is it? Discuss.

275.

The omnipresence of God is a real hindrance to man, i.e., according to Job. Why? Cf. Job 14:6.

276.

Man has less hope than a tree. How so? Why does Job say this?

277.

A Near Eastern custom is revealed in verse seven. What is it?

278.

What type or condition of a tree is described in verses eight and nine?

279.

There are two kinds of man in verse ten. What is the reason for using two Hebrew words?

280.

How is man like the water of a sea, lake or river?

281.

Job surely has a limited view of man and life, but he had more reason than many who share the same view today. Discuss.

282.

Explain in what sense Job wants to be hid in Sheol. Does Job believe in an afterlife after all? Discuss.

283.

Life after death is couched in an image of a military figure of soldiers. How so?

284.

Two views of God are struggling within Job's heart. What are they? Discuss.

285.

Why does God watch or mark our every step? Job has conflicting answers to this question. What are they? What is your answer?

286.

Give in your own words the meaning of Job 14:17. (This is a very important verse. Think well about it.)