"Man Born of Woman Is of Few Days and Full of Trouble"

Continuing a study of Job, Job is still speaking from Chapter 13, and speaking to God.

(Job 14:1) "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. (2) He comes forth like a flower and is cut down; he flees also like a shadow and does not continue. (3) And do You open Your eyes on such a one, and bring me to judgment with Yourself?"

Continuing with Job's point from the last passage in the last study, that God must be keeping a severe and very detailed record of him since his youth, he asks in so many words, if one so frail as man warrants such constant watching and judging by almighty God?

(4) "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."

Job may be referring to the natural sinful nature of man, indicating there will always be something to record about Job, because he is after all, a sinful man. God would know this, so why so much attention now?

(5) "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits that he cannot pass. (6) Turn from him, that he may rest, till like a hired man he finishes his day."

Since life is short as determined by God, and every man eventually comes to the end and must die, Job asks if he might be allowed to die in peace with God ceasing to afflict him.

(7) "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease. (8) Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, (9) Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. (10) But man dies and wastes away; yes, man breathes his last and where is he?"

Job speaks here about his present earthly life. Unlike a tree that may be dead but may sprout again when cut down, man cannot "sprout again" when he dies.

(11) "As the waters disappear from the sea, and the stream decays and dries up, (12) So man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their sleep. (13) Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!"

This is an indication that Job knows he will eventually be resurrected in the end. He would be hidden away in his grave till the visible heavens are no more, and God remembers him on that day. I don't think Job is asking "if" God will please remember him on that day, but rather continuing with the plea that God just let him die in peace "until" he remembers him on that day.

(14) "If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes. (15) You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands."

Job is looking forward to the future when God will call him at the time of his resurrection.

(16) "For now You number my steps, do you not watch over my sin? (17) My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity."

This may be a reference back to Job's statements about God keeping a severe record of every one of his steps. His transgressions are sealed up and stored in God's memory.

(18) "But as the mountain falls and crumbles away, and as the rock is moved from its place; (19) The waters wear the stones; You wash away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and You destroy the hope of man."

As Job obviously knows there will be a resurrection, I believe he is speaking here of the plans of mortal man. No mortal man is guaranteed a tomorrow.

(20) "You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away."

Again perhaps a reference to the fact that God watches every movement of man during his entire lifetime, and then he is changed to a dead man and "sent away".

(21) "His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; and they are brought low, but he does not perceive it. (22) But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn."

This may be Job's summation of the state of man. The sum of the life of man is pain of body and distress of soul. Although he is honored and mourned after his death, he doesn't know it. He died knowing only his pain and suffering during his lifetime.