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Commentary on Job 14 verses 16–22
Job here returns to his complaints; and, though he is not without hope of future bliss, he finds it very hard to get over his present grievances.
I. He complains of the particular hardships he apprehended himself under from the strictness of God's justice, Job 14:16, Job 14:17. Therefore he longed to go hence to that world where God's wrath will be past, because now he was under the continual tokens of it, as a child, under the severe discipline of the rod, longs to be of age. "When shall my change come? For now thou seemest to me to number my steps, and watch over my sin, and seal it up in a bag, as bills of indictment are kept safely, to be produced against the prisoner." See Deu 32:34. "Thou takest all advantages against me; old scores are called over, every infirmity is animadverted upon, and no sooner is a false step taken than I am beaten for it." Now, 1. Job does right to the divine justice in owning that he smarted for his sins and transgressions, that he had done enough to deserve all that was laid upon him; for there was sin in all his steps, and he was guilty of transgression enough to bring all this ruin upon him, if it were strictly enquired into: he is far from saying that he perishes being innocent. But, 2. He does wrong to the divine goodness in suggesting that God was extreme to mark what he did amiss, and made the worst of every thing. He spoke to this purport, Job 13:27. It was unadvisedly said, and therefore we will not dwell too much upon it. God does indeed see all our sins; he sees sin in his own people; but he is not severe in reckoning with us, nor is the law ever stretched against us, but we are punished less than our iniquities deserve. God does indeed seal and sew up, against the day of wrath, the transgression of the impenitent, but the sins of his people he blots out as a cloud.
II. He complains of the wasting condition of mankind in general. We live in a dying world. Who knows the power of God's anger, by which we are consumed and troubled, and in which all our days are passed away? See Psa 90:7-9, Psa 90:11. And who can bear up against his rebukes? Psa 39:11.
1.We see the decays of the earth itself. (1.) Of the strongest parts of it, Job 14:18. Nothing will last always, for we see even mountains moulder and come to nought; they wither and fall as a leaf; rocks wax old and pass away by the continual beating of the sea against them. The waters wear the stones with constant dropping, non vi, sed saepe cadendo - not by the violence, but by the constancy with which they fall. On this earth every thing is the worse for the wearing. Tempus edax rerum - Time devours all things. It is not so with the heavenly bodies. (2.) Of the natural products of it. The things which grow out of the earth, and seem to be firmly rooted in it, are sometimes by an excess of rain washed away, Job 14:19. Some think he pleads this for relief: "Lord, my patience will not hold out always; even rocks and mountains will fail at last; therefore cease the controversy."
2.No marvel then if we see the decays of man upon the earth, for he is of the earth, earthy. Job begins to think his case is not singular, and therefore he ought to reconcile himself to the common lot. We perceive by many instances, (1.) How vain it is to expect much from the enjoyments of life: "Thou destroyest the hope of man," that is, "puttest an end to all the projects he had framed and all the prospects of satisfaction he had flattered himself with." Death will be the destruction of all those hopes which are built upon worldly confidences and confined to worldly comforts. Hope in Christ, and hope in heaven, death will consummate and not destroy. (2.) How vain it is to struggle against the assaults of death (Job 14:20): Thou prevailest for ever against him. Note, Man is an unequal match for God. Whom God contends with he will certainly prevail against, prevail for ever against so that they shall never be able to make head again. Note further, The stroke of death is irresistible; it is to no purpose to dispute its summons. God prevails against man and he passes away, and lo he is not. Look upon a dying man, and see, [1.] How his looks are altered: Thou changest his countenance, and this in two ways: - First, By the disease of his body. When a man has been a few days sick what a change is there in his countenance! How much more when he has been a few minutes dead! The countenance which was majestic and awful becomes mean and despicable - that was lovely and amiable becomes ghastly and frightful. Bury my dead out of my sight. Where then is the admired beauty? Death changes the countenance, and then sends us away out of this world, gives us one dismission hence, never to return. Secondly, By the discomposure of his mind. Note, The approach of death will make the strongest and stoutest to change countenance; it will make the most merry smiling countenance to look grave and serious, and the most bold daring countenance to look pale and timorous. [2.] How little he is concerned in the affairs of his family, which once lay so near his heart. When he is in the hands of the harbingers of death, suppose struck with a palsy or apoplexy, or delirious in a fever, or in conflict with death, tell him then the most agreeable news, or the most painful, concerning his children, it is all alike, he knows it not, he perceives it not, Job 14:21. He is going to that world where he will be a perfect stranger to all those things which here filled and affected him. The consideration of this should moderate our cares concerning our children and families. God will know what comes of them when we are gone. To him therefore let us commit them, with him let us leave them, and not burden ourselves with needless fruitless cares concerning them. [3.] How dreadful the agonies of death are (Job 14:22): While his flesh is upon him (so it may be read), that is, the body he is so loth to lay down,: it shall have pain; and while his soul is within him, that is, the spirit he is so loth to resign, it shall mourn. Note, Dying work is hard work; dying pangs are, commonly, sore pangs. It is folly therefore for men to defer their repentance to a death-bed, and to have that to do which is the one thing needful when they are really unfit to do any thing: but it is true wisdom by making our peace with God in Christ and keeping a good conscience, to treasure up comforts which will support and relieve us against the pains and sorrows of a dying hour.
“A person is punished,” Job says, “and, even if he has many descendents, he does not know them. In fact, after his death, he is often deprived of the pleasures that he was accustomed to enjoy while alive. What is the pleasure of leaving children after one who has departed?” You see, everywhere Job emphasizes the ephemeral character of life. It is impossible to come back and to return down here. Even if he leaves children after him, he does not know how they will prosper. He does not know at all whether his descendants will be numerous or scarce. What is more painful than to ignore one’s successes and to go away alone by only knowing one’s afflictions? Even if something good happens to him after his death, he does not know, nor will he ever know it [in this life]; but what he surely knows now is that “his flesh is in pain and his soul mourns.”
26. For as they, who are still living, know nothing of the souls of the dead, in what place they are held; so the dead, concerning the life of those living after them in the flesh, know not at all how it is ordered; in that both the life of the spirit is far from the life of the flesh, and as the corporeal and incorporeal are things different in kind, so are they parted in knowledge. Which however is not to be imagined concerning holy souls, in that they which behold the brightness of Almighty God within, we cannot for a moment suppose that there is any thing without that they know not [b]. But because carnal persons bestow their chief affection on their children, blessed Job declares that they are hereafter ignorant of that, which they loved here with all their heart, so that ‘whether their sons be in honour or dishonour they know not,’ whereas their care for these was always preying upon their minds.
Which however if it is to be understood in a spiritual sense, with no unfitness by the title of sons we have works denoted, as Paul saith of woman, Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in childbearing. [1 Tim. 2, 15] Not that a woman, who being devoted to continency never bears children, shall not be saved, but she is said to be ‘saved by childbearing,’ because by the operation of good works she is united to everlasting salvation. Thus the children in honour are good deeds, and the children in dishonour are bad deeds. And often man strives to do things with a good intention, yet by reason of the many occasions that creep upon him, how his actions are accounted of in the sight of Almighty God is a thing uncertain. And so ‘whether his sons be in honour or dishonour he perceiveth not,’ in that his works being sifted with a searching scrutiny, whether they be approved or condemned he cannot tell. Thus here man is placed in the painfulness of labour, and thither he is brought in the fearfulness of misgiving. Hence it is yet further subjoined concerning the labour of the present life itself.
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SUMMARY
Job 14:21 is a profound declaration within Job's lament, articulating the complete and irreversible detachment of the deceased from the earthly realm. It asserts that once an individual dies, they possess no awareness or perception of the triumphs or tragedies that befall their descendants. This verse underscores the absolute cessation of earthly consciousness and engagement with the living world, contributing to Job's broader contemplation on the brevity, fragility, and ultimate finality of human life from a purely temporal perspective.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 14:21 employs several literary devices to convey its somber message regarding the finality of death. The most prominent is Antithetical Parallelism, seen in the contrasting phrases "His sons come to honour" and "they are brought low." This juxtaposition vividly illustrates the full spectrum of human experience—from triumph to tragedy—to which the deceased is utterly oblivious. The parallel structure is further reinforced by the repetition of the negative clauses, "he knoweth [it] not" and "he perceiveth [it] not of them," which emphasize the complete absence of awareness. This repetition also functions as a form of Anaphora in its thematic recurrence, driving home the point of absolute detachment. The verse is also a quintessential example of Lament, characteristic of Job's speeches, expressing deep despair and a bleak view of human mortality and the finality of earthly existence. There is an underlying Irony in the human striving for legacy and familial continuity, as the very individual who establishes that lineage will be completely unaware of its future outcomes, whether good or ill.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 14:21 encapsulates a prevailing Old Testament understanding of death, particularly the state of those in Sheol. This perspective emphasizes a profound cessation of earthly consciousness and engagement, where the dead are cut off from the affairs of the living. It highlights the finality of earthly life and the limited human understanding of what lies beyond the grave in earlier revelation. While this view can appear stark, it underscores the importance of living faithfully and purposefully in the present, as earthly achievements and relationships are confined to this side of eternity. It also subtly sets the stage for later, clearer revelations about the afterlife and resurrection, which would bring a more robust hope and a deeper understanding of God's redemptive plan.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 14:21, though expressing a somber Old Testament perspective on death, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder of the brevity and fragility of human life, urging us to consider how we live each day with intentionality and purpose. Since our awareness of earthly events ceases at death, the verse compels us to prioritize what truly matters: our relationship with God, our investment in eternal values, and our relationships with loved ones while we are still able to engage with them. It challenges the human tendency to live for legacy or earthly recognition, reminding us that such things hold no sway beyond the grave. For those who grieve, there can be a strange comfort in knowing that the deceased are at rest, unburdened by the ongoing struggles or triumphs of this world. Ultimately, this verse calls us to live with an eternal perspective, focusing not on what we can control or perceive after death, but on faithfulness and purpose in the present moment, trusting God with all that lies beyond.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean there is no afterlife or consciousness after death for believers?
Answer: Job 14:21, along with other Old Testament passages like Ecclesiastes 9:5 and Psalm 146:4, reflects the prevailing Old Testament understanding of death, where the deceased enter Sheol, a shadowy realm of inactivity and separation from the living. This perspective primarily emphasizes the cessation of earthly awareness and engagement with the affairs of this world. It does not necessarily deny all forms of existence but rather highlights a profound break from the earthly sphere. The Old Testament's revelation regarding the afterlife was progressive and less clear than what is revealed in the New Testament. The New Testament, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, brings a much clearer and more hopeful understanding of conscious existence after death, a future resurrection, and eternal life in God's presence, as seen in passages like John 11:25-26 and Philippians 1:21-23. Therefore, while Job's lament reflects an ancient, limited understanding, it does not contradict the fuller revelation of conscious life beyond the grave for those in Christ.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 14:21, with its stark portrayal of the deceased's complete detachment from earthly affairs and the finality of human life, highlights the profound despair that can arise from a purely temporal view of existence. Job's lament underscores humanity's desperate need for a hope beyond the grave, a hope that fully blossoms in Jesus Christ. While Job perceives death as an irreversible end to earthly awareness, the New Testament proclaims Christ's victory over death and the grave, transforming this bleak outlook. Jesus, through His resurrection, conquered the power of death, ensuring that those who believe in Him do not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). The "ignorance of the dead" lamented by Job is overcome by the promise of resurrection and a conscious, eternal fellowship with God. Believers are promised a future where all tears are wiped away, and there will be no more death or sorrow (Revelation 21:4). The Christian hope, articulated powerfully in 1 Corinthians 15, assures us that death is not the end of consciousness or relationship, but a transition into the glorious presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Thus, Job's lament, while profoundly human, serves as a poignant backdrop against which the glorious, life-giving truth of Christ's resurrection shines ever brighter, offering not oblivion, but eternal life and perfect awareness in Him.