Job Chapter 7 - Under the Shadow of the Almighty

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Transcript

Welcome to the InAllWisdom Podcast,

A Daily Podcast dedicated to wisdom for life.

I am Jim Donnelly, your host.

I have completed a commentary on

The book of Ecclesiastes, all 222 verses.

My book title is:

Ecclesiastes Amplified: A Collection of Wise Words 

We have set the publication date for 2025.

In the meantime, I am working on 

the book of Job, 

all forty-two chapters, all 1070 verses.

My book title prompts 

a different approach to understanding

the book of Job: 

My book title is: 

Job True Story – Well Written/Well Said:

Subtitled: A Story About a Mighty God Who Does Not Distance Himself from Human Suffering 

Stay tuned to this exciting Podcast.

If you are finding yourself pressed into hard service at this time, and longing for  some shade from the intense heat; only to return again to your hard service, because you are not yet half-way through this difficult assignment; then stay tuned; you will find some help at this point in your journey. 

Job is forty-two chapters long. A daily Podcast will allow me to read through the entire book of Job every month. Some days I will read connecting chapters, because they belong together. And a nice surprise is that each day of the month whether the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 16th will have a counterpart chapter in Job. So, on the 25th of any month, you can expect a Podcast on Job 25.  

So, each Podcast will start with a reading from a chapter in the book of Job. I am taking this trek through Job for you and with you. Because most people on planet earth have never heard the true story of Job. 

Reading a chapter a day, will help them. It will also help many of you who know the book of Job but have never read it all. When reading along in the book of Job it is often very hard to figure out who is speaking, and harder still sometimes, to understand what they said.

Lastly, for each month of this Podcast I will choose a different version of the English Bible from which to read. This method will help us all to understand better what has been written for us. 

Today’s Podcast is from Job Chapter 7: 1-3 

The title: 

Under the Shadow of the Almighty

Allow me to read Job chapter 7. It is 21verses long. 

Today I am reading from The New Jerusalem Bible. 

The Book of JOB    Chapter Seven:

Is not human life on earth just conscript service? Do we not live a hireling’s life? 2 Like a slave, sighing for the shade, or a hireling with no thought but for his wages, 3 I have months of futility assigned to me, nights of suffering to be my lot. 4 Lying in bed I wonder, ‘When will it be day?’ No sooner up than, ‘When will evening come?’ And crazy thoughts obsess me till twilight falls. 5 Vermin and loathsome scabs cover my body; my skin is cracked and oozes pus. 6 Swifter than a weaver’s shuttle my days have passed, and vanished, leaving no hope behind. 7 Remember that my life is but a breath, and that my eyes will never again see joy. 8 The eye that once saw me will look on me no more, your eyes will turn my way, and I shall not be there. 9 A cloud dissolves and is gone, so no one who goes down to Sheol ever comes up again, 10 ever comes home again, and his house knows that person no more. 11 That is why I cannot keep quiet: in my anguish of spirit I shall speak, in my bitterness of soul I shall complain. 12 Am I the Sea,   or some sea monster, that you should keep me under guard? 13 If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, my couch will lighten my complaints,’ 14 you then frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, 15 so that strangling would seem welcome in comparison, yes, death preferable to what I suffer. 16 I am wasting away, my life is not unending; leave me then, for my days are but a breath. 17 What are human beings that you should take them so seriously, subjecting them to your scrutiny, 18 that morning after morning you should examine them and at every instant test them? 19 Will you never take your eyes off me long enough for me to swallow my spittle? 20 Suppose I have sinned, what have I done to you, you tireless watcher of humanity? Why do you choose me as your target? Why should I be a burden to you? 21 Can you not tolerate my sin, not overlook my fault? For soon I shall be lying in the dust, you will look for me and I shall be no more.” The New Jerusalem Bible (Job 7:1–21). (1985). Doubleday.

And now today’s Podcast titled:

Under the Shadow of the Almighty

The background of Job 7:1-4 is “fear, dread, expected turmoil and destruction; about which Job has already spoken, (see Job 3:25-26; 6:2; 30). 

A literal translation helps us to see that “hard service” is required in this “fearful” and “destructive” setting:

“Is not hard service a responsibility[i] to a man upon the land,[ii] and are not his days as days of a hired man? As a servant he will pant for shade; and as a hired man he will wait for his work.” 

The original audience understood “hard service” as thousands had served in the Conquest of Canaan. It was a seven-year war and the Hebrew word that begins chapter seven is normally understood as follows: Dhorme suggests that ṣābāʾ may denote the length of time spent in the army. Such is its use in Job 7:1 and 14:14. In the first passage man’s earthly existence is likened to hard military service. He must continually labor, endure suffering and be subject to a destiny beyond his control. In the latter passage man’s tenure of abode in Sheol is described in terms of the restrictions and hardships of military service.”[iii] 

The very last word of Job chapter six is “destruction”. The idea is this: “Can I not discern the taste of destruction?” (see, Job 6:30). This idea fits with the end of chapter 3: “My only food is sighs, and my groans pour out like water. Whatever I fear comes true, whatever I dread befalls me. For me, there is no calm, no peace; my torments banish rest.” (NJB, Job 3:24-26). 

“Destruction” in Job  6:30, is the transition word that serves to introduce “hard service” in Job 7:1. What’s more, “destruction” is the last word of Psalm 57:1 and Psalm 91:3. Also, we find that “shadow” (shade, protection), is a subject in all three: Job 7:2; Psalm 57:1 and 91:1.

I will read each for you: “Like the slave sighing for the shade.” (NJB, 7:20; “Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings, I will take refuge until destruction passes by.” (Psalm 57:1, NASB); “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” (Psalm 91:2-4, NASB). 

There is so much more to ponder in these first four verses of Job chapter 7.

I will bring them to your attention in time. But for now we have enough “food for thought”. I encourage you to think on these things. “Hard service” for Him is required. It is often causes us to fear tomorrow, when today has enough fear of its’ own. Often, we find ourselves exhausted from the heat and pressures of life, and we want to find a shady spot somewhere and rest a bit. A good place is under the “shadow of His wings”. Ask your Father in Heaven for a place, a time, an opportunity to gather your composure in a quiet, rejuvenating place. It could be just sitting on the tailgate facing some of His beauty, having a cool drink and a sandwich. Then get back to living for Him, knowing that “Hard service” is His plan.

Sometimes, it takes more than just a pit stop. I remember a time when I was serving in a ministry; it was a day when I was devastated by some very harsh criticism. I was broken by their words. My wife and I decided to go to a Bible Conference that evening in another State. The speaker was one of the great preachers of those days, and in his introduction my wife and I heard the very same words that tore me apart. We looked at each other in shock and began to cry. We were “under the shadow of the Almighty”, who comforted us in our affliction. That night was one of the best nights of our ministry.

We have come to the end of today’s InAllWisdom Podcast. A Daily Podcast dedicated 

to wisdom for life. Thank you for listening!

Please join with me again for another interesting episode about Wisdom for Life as He works in us for His good pleasure. 

Until He   COMES ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory, “The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 

The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ “

[i] “To man” is what we see in Proverbs: “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” The idea is that man’s responsibility is to plan things out, to arrange the thoughts of his heart, then wait upon the Lord for the answer of the tongue. Proverbs takes us there: “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps, (see Proverbs 16:9).
[ii] “Upon the land” occurs only nine times in the writings of Moses; all occur: “Upon the land of Egypt.”
[iii] Hartley, J. E. (1999). 1865 saba.  In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 750). Moody Press.