Commentary on the Book of Job part twenty one

                                   Job 14:1-22

In Job 14:1-2, Job spoke of the obvious but important fact that man's life on earth is short and full of sorrow.

In Job 14:3, Job sought answers from God about man's condition on earth. Why does man suffer in life? God assured Job that He would bring Job into judgment with Him, and by extension, all humans.

In Job 14:4, Job wondered about God's judgment of humans. Since no human can cleanse himself of sin, what effect will that have on God's judgment?

In Job 14:5, Job realized that God has set the bounds of every person's life; that is, the length of his life, his nation, his family, and all the conditions of his environment throughout his life that he cannot change, and yet, God deals with every person as a free individual. Every person possesses free will, but each person can exercise their free will only within the bounds of the restrictions that God has put on his life. When God judges every human, He will certainly require him to answer for how he chose to live his life, but God will also take into consideration the restrictions on his life that influenced his decisions. Since God is good and merciful, He will be scrupulously meticulous and supremely fair in every judgment. Matthew 10:26.

In Job 14:6, Job imagined that if God stopped caring about man and refrained from bringing him into judgment, then perhaps man could find rest from all the turmoil and confusion that results from his reflections on his relationship with God. But then Job realized that if God abandoned man, man would simply live out his days as a slave to sin and be lost forever. God caused Job to understand all this as He answered Job's prayers.

In Job 14:7-10, God provided Job with a vision and a parable about how when a tree has been cut down, it will sprout again when it gets some water. In scripture, water symbolizes God's ability to give life. God created all life and it all belongs to Him. God can never lose it. God was trying to make Job realize that He will bring every man back to life after His physical death. Luke 20:38; Romans 11:29.

In Job 11:11-15, God cleared up some of Job's confusion and answered his question in verse 10. In verse 11, Job compared the drying of the great flood to man's death and burial. Just as a tree needs water to live again, so man needs God to live again. Job imagined that if the heavens last forever, then man will never be raised from the dead because it all has been infected by sin. Job did not fully comprehend that God had given him a hidden prophecy that the heavens will not last forever and that someday God's wrath will pass. God provided Job with a hidden prophecy that one day He will dissolve the heavens and the earth, call Job, who represents all mankind, from the grave to life, and recreate a righteous earth and humanity. II Peter 3:12-13.