Job 12:14

Job 12:14 is a profound statement from Job, speaking to his friends about the absolute and unchallengeable power of God. In this verse, Job asserts that when God acts, His decisions are final and irreversible by human means. He uses two powerful metaphors to illustrate this divine sovereignty: God's ability to dismantle what cannot be rebuilt, and His power to confine a person without any possibility of release.

Context

This verse is part of Job's response to his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who have been attempting to explain his suffering as a direct consequence of sin. Job, while acknowledging God's justice, also emphasizes God's incomprehensible wisdom and irresistible power. His aim in chapters 12-14 is to remind his friends that God's ways are far above human understanding and control, and that even the wise and mighty are subject to His will. Job is not questioning God's power, but rather highlighting its immense, unchallengeable nature, which transcends human logic and attempts to box God in.

Key Themes

• God's Absolute Sovereignty: The verse powerfully underscores God's ultimate authority and control over all creation and human affairs. When God "breaketh down," it signifies an act of divine judgment, dismantling, or destruction that no human effort can reverse or rebuild. This highlights the finality of God's decrees.
• Human Helplessness and Limitation: Contrasting God's power, the verse emphasizes the utter powerlessness of humanity to counteract or undo God's actions. What God has broken, humanity cannot repair; whom God has confined, humanity cannot release. This theme calls for humility before the divine.
• Divine Control Over Destiny and Circumstances: The phrase "he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening" speaks to God's complete control over a person's freedom, circumstances, and even their fate. This can refer to literal imprisonment, but also to metaphorical states of being trapped by illness, adversity, or spiritual bondage, from which only God can provide an escape. This echoes themes found elsewhere, such as in Isaiah 46:10 where God declares the end from the beginning, or Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:6, affirming God's power to bring down and raise up.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew words used in this verse convey a strong sense of finality and absolute control:

• The phrase "breaketh down" comes from the Hebrew verb haras (הָרַס), meaning "to tear down," "to overthrow," or "to destroy." It implies a complete and irreversible demolition.
• "Shutteth up" is from the Hebrew verb sagar (סָגַר), which means "to shut," "to close," or "to deliver up." When God "shuts up" a man, it signifies an absolute confinement or restriction, with no human means of "opening" or release. The repeated negation ("cannot be built again," "no opening") reinforces the idea of divine actions being beyond human undoing.

Practical Application

Job 12:14 serves as a powerful reminder of God's ultimate authority in our lives. It encourages:

• Humility and Reverence: Recognizing God's sovereign power should lead us to greater humility and reverence for Him. Our plans and efforts are always subject to His will.
• Trust in Adversity: When faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles or circumstances from which there appears to be "no opening," this verse reminds us that God is ultimately in control. While He may "shut up," He also has the power to open. Understanding His ultimate power can bring peace in times of distress.
• Surrender and Dependence: The verse calls us to surrender our will and depend entirely on God, acknowledging that true freedom and ultimate success come only through His allowance and blessing. Ultimately, Job himself comes to a similar conclusion later, stating, "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee" (Job 42:2).