Job

Job Chapter 7

Job Continues: My Life Has No Hope

• Job 7:1  Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? 
• 2  As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
• 3  So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 

Job speaks of a one who has been hired for an appointed time and a servant that desires the night to come when his day of labor has ended. Job seems to think his plight is different and he has no hope of rest or his day ending in rest. He longs for his day of rest. He wants to die in other words. Morning doesn't bring any hope either. He also believes this is his fate and it was appointed to him by God.

• Job 7:4  When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. 
• 5  My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 
• 6  My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. 

This is probably how many feel when they suffer constant pain and there seems to be no healing or comfort. His boils must have been festering and painful all over not just one or two that we may have once in a while. Tossing and turning instead of a peaceful sleep seems to be what is happening.

• Job 7:7  O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. 
• 8  The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 
• 9  As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 

Perhaps Job isn't yet aware of a future resurrection or he is just looking at things darkly because of his suffering and forgets that there are better things awaiting the faithful ones who love the Lord. All that are in graves or who have died, will be resurrected either in the first resurrection or the second one. He is comparing his life to the wind that comes and goes in which his friends shall see him no longer.

• Job 7:10  He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 

Once he dies, he will not return to his old place of habitation. This is true in that there is better place being prepared for those that love the Lord.

• Job 7:11  Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 

He has to vent his feelings because that is all he can do at that time. I guess he feels he has to answer those that came to inquire and supposedly comfort him.

• Job 7:12  Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? 
• 13  When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; 
• 14  Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: 
• 15  So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. 

I've heard that there are some that believe every dream comes from the Lord. I do not believe that is so myself. Most of my dreams seem do not seem to have any meaning and I forget them. One thing I do notice about my own dreams is that if someone who has died is in the dream, they are never seen as dead but alive. Anyway I doubt that all dreams are from the Lord and if they are,  He will let us know one way or another that they are from Him.

• Job 7:16  I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. 
• 17  What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 
• 18  And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? 
• 19  How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 
• 20  I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 
• 21  And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be. 

Job believes strongly that if God doesn't help him, he shall die and not be alive on the earth very soon. He thinks, this is it, his life is over. Verse 21 seems to indicate that Job is asking for pardon and forgiveness if he did sin in some way.

Even though we read this and our heart is breaking for Job at least we know his final end but at this time he doesn't understand and he doesn't know the outcome of his sufferings. His end will be good but he doesn't know that at the time. Perhaps in all this he could be a help to others in his future that suffer the same things. We know that nothing but good awaits believers in Jesus our Christ. The presence of the Holy Spirit within us in this life and in eternity brings peace, love, joy and goodness forever. DC

Job Chapter 8