Job 14:3–6

Here it is simply man born of woman, never born of God — not yet, not until a later chapter — none of these is thought of as born of God… "And 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? There is not one." It does not mean "not one person," but "not one thing."

In Job's far-off days human life was perhaps three times longer than it is today. Yet his life was still "few of days," and then it was "full of trouble," just as it is today. So, seen in the light of the eternal God, man is only like a fading flower or a passing shadow. Job knew this about himself, so he knew he could not stand God's inspection, or stand before Him in judgment. He also knew that he was not clean in God's sight, and he was sure no one could produce the clean out of the unclean.

But how sadly true verses 1 and 2 are! And will the mighty God enter into judgment with such a frail creature — not only frail, but impure by nature! Ah, let Job weigh his own words well. Instead he moves on in self-pity, begging to be left alone for a while, until like a hired worker he finishes his day! (verses 3-6).

Because life is so short, Job wondered why God troubles Himself to bring him to judgment, as he thought God was doing.

But first let us recognize that we are all subject to condemnation, and in ourselves liable to judgment as responsible to God… The Christian has, through grace, anticipated this. He has recognized by divine teaching that condemnation is his own portion. He knows that in him, that is, in his flesh, nothing good lives. He has said in spirit, "Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you" [older translations: "no man living shall be justified"].

In Job 14, he does not go beyond this present world of sight, and in his bitterness of spirit he has no sense of resurrection… Job was right, but he did not see beyond it, and here he did not know Him who is the resurrection and the life.

Man was never so exposed as a sinner as in the presence of the Son of God, and yet who was so attractive to the sinner?… In the presence of the light of God Job goes down in self-judgment. He says, "I despise myself." When his three friends had said all they had to say, his confidence in himself was still unshaken. He felt himself to be morally superior to them. But the light of God brought him down: "now my eye sees You" was what killed the sinful pride of his heart.

"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one." It does not mean, "not one person," but "not one thing." I say this only so that it is understood.

This leads him to a wider view of man's sad and frail condition, but still with his own case clearly before his eyes. If the fountain is corrupt, no one need wonder that its stream is foul.

But how sadly true are verses 1, 2! And will the mighty God enter into judgment with such a frail creature — not only frail but impure by nature! Ah, let Job ponder well his own words. But he passes on in self-pity to beg that he be let alone for a little, until as a hired man he completes his day (verses 3-6).

The first man was also, in a very real way, the representative of his race. This was not by any formal covenant made for his descendants, of which Scripture has no trace, but because God Himself made him the head of the race. Scripture states this in the plainest possible way. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" expresses the law. "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And the Lord affirms the principle in the strongest terms: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh."

Through the woman death had come in, and through the woman life comes in, but the life she brings in carries the taint of its origin: "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" asks Job. We must answer with him: by nature, "not one." So the truth taught here is that human increase means human defilement. Every child born into the world only adds to the evil in it. But this does not stand alone: we also see that "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."

God completely shut out the poison that sin had put into human nature in every other case. So the Lord Jesus was born of the woman, not of the man... The power of the Highest overshadowed His mother from the start, and only in this way was "that holy thing" born of her at the right time. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one," Job 14. This, and far more than this, was "that holy thing" which was born of the virgin. With God nothing is impossible.

In His person human nature was cleansed from its defilement, and God did what Job declared impossible for man — brought forth a clean thing out of an unclean (Job 14:4). At His birth He was what we become at new birth, but without any taint of evil, perfect in all things — yes, the Eternal Life itself.

"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one." This is impossible for any human being. Yet God is able to purify man's hearts, cleansing them through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 1:7), by faith (Rom. 3:25). But this is found only in the New Testament, so Job did not understand such a marvellous gospel.

Here it is simply man born of woman, never born of God... "He comes out like a flower, and is cut down; he flees like a shadow, and does not last." You know very well — we all know — that many children die. Death is most frequent there... "Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass." So it is all uncertain — a shaky position as far as man is concerned — but God has settled all of it.

Man has few days. His life in this world must end in death, and God decides the time when he goes, as verse 5 states. But what then? Job felt he was just like a hired worker putting in his day, and he wished that God would give him rest until the end came. But again, what then?

He recognises that God has determined the length of a man's life, and man cannot overstep his limits. But why did Job not fully submit at this time to the greater work of God? Why did he strain against the limits God had placed him under? (v.5). "Look away from him that he may rest," Job says. Did he mean he wanted God to relax the limits, so he could rest comfortably? For he was only like a hired man: could he not finish his day's work in peace?

The close of this speech brings the first round of the debate to an end. It is a most beautiful funeral song about the frailty and uncertainty of human life. Man comes up like a flower, and is cut down and withers. We are listening to the cry of Psalm 90, but without its faith in God, and not yet followed by the triumph of Psalm 91.

In Job 14 he clearly does not look past this present world of sight. In the bitterness of his spirit he has no sense of resurrection. The tree sprouts now, and visibly, in this present world — man does not... Job was right, only he did not see beyond, nor here know Him who is the resurrection and the life.

Our coming into the world is completely under God's control. And once we are born, our life is in His hand. Death, too, answers to His will... He is "the sovereign Lord of life and death." He kills; death is His black-winged messenger... He "makes alive," and "brings up" from the grave. Resurrection is the sovereign act of His power.

His short span of life is all in God's hands. So why not look away and give him a little relief, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired worker? All the more so, since life on earth closes for man with no hope. A tree that is cut down may sprout again. But man is like water that drains away and dries up: he lies down and rises no more, as long as the heavens last.

Why did Job not fully submit at this time to God's greater work, instead of fretting against the limits God had placed him under? (v.5). "Look away from him that he may rest," Job says. Did he mean he wanted God to relax the limits, so he could rest comfortably? For he was only like a hired man: could he not finish his day's work in peace?

These were different from the house servants, who were usually slaves. A hired servant was taken on for the day and paid at the end of it. A servant hired by the priest did not count as one of the family, and could not eat the holy food. The slaves, by contrast, counted as part of the family.

But how sadly true are verses 1, 2! And will the mighty God enter into judgment with such a frail creature — not only frail, but impure by nature! Ah, let Job ponder well his own words. But he goes on in self-pity, begging to be left alone for a while, until he finishes his day like a hired worker! (verses 3-6).

The close of this address ends the first round of the debate. It is a most beautiful funeral song about the frailty and uncertainty of human life. Man comes up like a flower, and is cut down and withers. We are listening to the wail of the 90th psalm, but without its faith in God, and not yet followed by the triumph of the 91st psalm.

Man being of few days, his life in this world must end in death, and the time when he goes is determined by God, as verse 5 states. But, what then? Job felt he was just like a hired man filling out his day, and he wished that God would give him rest until the end came. But again, what then?

In Job 14 he clearly does not look beyond this present world of sight. In the bitterness of his spirit he has no sense of resurrection. The tree sprouts again, here and now, in this present world — man does not… Job was right. He simply did not see beyond, and he did not yet know Him who is the resurrection and the life.

Everything around us is an empty show, but what is inside lasts. When the heart takes hold of this fact, it becomes like someone brought into a house to work for the day. He does the work well, but he passes through instead of settling into the circumstances… May the Lord keep us going on in simplicity, doing our day's work like a hired worker, until Christ comes — and then each one will receive his praise from God.