Hope For The Suffering (Job 14)

Should a brief life invest in eternity? Does such hope help us endure suffering, comfort the suffering? Let’s look at Job 14.

As Job muses on the few days and trouble of a normal life, how does Job address God?

Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue. Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass. Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day. (Job 14:1-6 WEB)

Does Job seem to believe that there is nothing beyond the grave?

Indeed there is hope for a tree. If it’s cut down and still sprouting and its shoots don’t fail, if its roots age in the ground and its stump dies in the dust, at the scent of water, it will bud and produce sprouts like a plant. But a human dies and lies there; a person expires, and where is he? Water vanishes from the sea; a river dries up completely. But a human lies down and doesn’t rise until the heavens cease; they don’t get up and awaken from sleep. I wish you would hide me in the underworld, conceal me until your anger passes, set a time for me, and remember me. (Job 14:7-13 CEB)

Does Job ask if humans will live again? Does he wish that God would not count his sins, but ends this prayer in despair again?

Will we humans live again? I would gladly suffer and wait for my time. My Creator, you would want me; you would call out, and I would answer. You would take care of me, but not count my sins—you would put them in a bag, tie it tight, and toss them away. But in the real world, mountains tumble, and rocks crumble; streams wear away stones and wash away soil. And you destroy our hopes! You change the way we look, then send us away, wiped out forever. We never live to know if our children are praised or disgraced. We feel no pain but our own, and when we mourn, it's only for ourselves. (Job 14:14-22 CEV)

What did Jesus tell Martha about her brother Lazarus, that would have given Job hope?

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

Should a brief life invest in eternity? Does such hope help us endure suffering, comfort the suffering? You decide!