Daily Scripture Reading Job 13:24 - 15:6

All humans have a desire for life to have meaning. As we face obstacles and endure hardship, we want there to be a purpose for our suffering. One of the keys to finding meaning is to accept life as it is, even when we don’t like reality.

The book of Job records many statements made by Job. Some of his statements were not true, but today’s passage contains a section in which Job very accurately stated the human condition. Most humans do not like the reality of what Job stated, but accepting the truth of his observation is foundational to finding meaning in life.

In the first part of section 8, Job was responding to Zophar and refuting Zophar’s assertion that if Job would repent, then he would prosper. Then Job pivoted and began speaking directly to Yahweh. Job asked Yahweh to remove His hand and make his sins known, if indeed Job was being punished for sin. The following verses are a continuation of Job’s words to Yahweh.

Job 13:24 Why do You hide Your face

And think of me as Your enemy?

The irony of this question is that the opposite was true. Job’s calamity took place because Yahweh held Job up as a great example of a loyal servant, someone who would stay faithful to Yahweh no matter what lot in life he was given.

Job 13:25 Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble?

Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

Chaff and blowing leaves are so inconsequential that no one will bother instilling fear in them. Job’s implication was that humans are so inconsequential compared to God that it makes no sense for God to take actions against humans to instill fear. Job somewhat had a point, humans are irrelevant compared to Yahweh, but humans have the ability to make choices. Chaff and leaves do not.

Job 13:26 For You write bitter things against me

And make me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Job 13:27 You put my feet in the stocks

And kept watch over all my paths;

You set a limit for the soles of my feet,

Job 13:28 While I am decaying like a rotten thing,

Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

In verses 26-28, I am not sure Job was speaking specifically about the catastrophe that had befallen him. He may have been speaking about the human experience in general. Overall, God has placed limits on all humans. No human lives longer than 120 years. There is a limit on how fast we can run. We cannot be in more than one place at a time. We only have two hands and two feet.

Job 14:1 ¶ “Man, who is born of woman,

Is short-lived and full of turmoil.

This is a wise summary of the human experience, but Job did not learn it by divine revelation. Instead, Job knew this based on his observation of life.

Look at the words “short-lived”. Compared to all of history, which is around 6,000 years, each human lives around 100 years or less.

Notice the word “turmoil”. Life is not easy. Even rich and powerful people face obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments.

Many people try to find meaning in life by searching for the fountain of youth in order to live forever and never die. However, that quest is futile. According to Genesis 6:3, life expectancy is capped at 120 years. If we truly want to find meaning, we need to accept the reality that we only have a short time to live.

Also, in order to find meaning in life, we need to accept that pain and suffering are part of life. Meaning is found when we understand the benefit of pain and suffering.

Job 14:2 Like a flower he comes forth and withers.

He also flees like a shadow and does not stand.

Job 14:3 You also open Your eyes on him

And bring me into judgment with Yourself.

Job 14:4 Who can make the clean out of the unclean?

No one!

Job 14:5 Since his days are determined,

The number of his months is with You;

And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.

Job 14:6 Turn Your gaze from him that he may cease from toil,

Until he accepts his day like a hired man.

Job asked Yahweh to change the human experience. Job was not happy about his current situation and his solution was for God to give relief to all humanity.

Job 14:7 ¶ “For there is hope for a tree,

When it is cut down, that it will change back sprouting again,

And its shoots will not cease.

Job 14:8 Though its roots grow old in the ground

And its stump dies in the dry soil,

Job 14:9 At the scent of water it will flourish

And put forth sprigs like a plant.

Job 14:10 But man dies and lies prostrate.

Man breathes his last, and where is he?

This is another wise statement about the human experience. Trees and plants can grow again after being cut down. On the other hand, once a human dies, he is done. In order to find meaning in life, we need to understand how to make the most of the short time we have.

Verses 7-10 are an example of Hebrew poetry using contrast to make a statement.

Job 14:11 As water evaporates from the sea,

And a river becomes parched and dried up,

Job 14:12 So man lies down and does not rise.

Until the heavens are no longer,

He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.

Verses 11-12 are an example of Hebrew poetry using repetition. The point of verses 11-12 is that when humans die, their existence ceases. That is the same point Job made in verses 7-10.

Job 14:13 ¶ “Oh that You would conceal me in Sheol,

That You would hide me until Your anger returns to You,

That You would set a limit for me and remember me!

Look at the words “Your anger”. Job was convinced Yahweh was angry at him. We know that wasn’t true.

Job 14:14 If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my labor I will wait

Until my change comes.

Job 14:15 You will call, and I will answer You;

You will long for the work of Your hands.

Job 14:16 For now You number my steps,

You do not keep watch over my sin.

Job 14:17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag,

And You cover up my iniquity.

Job 14:18 ¶ “But the falling mountain crumbles away,

And the rock moves from its place;

Job 14:19 Water wears away stones;

Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;

So You make man’s hope perish.

Job stated that just as erosion gradually wears away a rock, so too Yahweh causes man to lose hope over time.

Job 14:20 You forever overpower him and he goes away;

You alter his appearance and send him away.

Job 14:21 His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it;

Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it.

This is another wise statement about being human. Men father children and raise them to be successful, but oftentimes the father dies before the son achieves his greatest success. Fathers do not live long enough to enjoy the fruit of their struggles as a parent. In order to find meaning in life, we need to accept that we will not live long enough to enjoy the benefits of many of the things we do as humans. Oftentimes, we do what we do as humans to benefit others, just as we benefit from what our fathers and ancestors did for us.

Job 14:22 But his flesh pains him,

And he mourns only for himself.”

Job 15:1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Look at the name “Eliphaz”. This begins the 9th section of Job.

Job 15:2 “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge

And fill his belly with the east wind?

Job 15:3 Should he argue with a word that cannot be used,

Or with speech which is not profitable?

Job 15:4 Indeed, you annul reverent fear

And cut off musing before God.

Job 15:5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

And you choose the tongue of the crafty.

Job 15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

And your own lips answer against you.

All humans have a desire for life to have meaning. One of the keys to finding meaning is to accept life as it is, even when we don’t like reality. Job very accurately observed that life is short, full of trouble, and we often do not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of our struggles as a parent.

In order to have meaning in life, we need to understand the benefits of pain, and be willing to live life to benefit those who come after us, just as we benefit from the labors of those who came before us.

How should the brevity of life affect how you live your life?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”