“But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost [spirit], and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up; so man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me. If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer Thee: Thou wilt have a desire to the work of Thine hands.” Job 14:10-15
Introduction
It may come as a surprise to some of our readers, but some 4,000 years ago the beloved old Patriarch Job believed in and spoke of what we believers living today refer to as the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational resurrection and rapture of God’s people. We know this to be true because Job set forth this truth in the above verses. In this study my desire is to demonstrate this truth for our readers.
Job’s Question
In Job 14:10 the old patriarch asked the question, “But man dieth and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost [spirit], and where is he?
Every person who has ever lived has likely pondered over this question at one time or another. What happens to man [mankind] when he dies? Is death the end of everything, as the atheistic evolutionists would like for us to believe? Or, is there life beyond death? Does man have an eternal soul that lives on after the death of the body? If so, where does the soul go when it leaves the body?
The Answer
Folks, it is perfectly normal for a person to ponder this question, even as Job did, and to seek to find the answer. Evidently, at some time in the past Job had sought and found [Matthew 7:7-8] the answer, for in Job 14:11-12, Job said, “As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: so man lieth down [dies], and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep;…”
These verses reveal that Job understood that when people die, the body “sleeps,” John 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:14. Job also understood that the dead body will not “sleep” forever, but that there will be an “awakening” and “rising” of body and soul. Read Job 19:25-27. Job’s understanding in these verses is in perfect harmony with the statement of the Lord Himself in John 5:28-29. Job understood that there is an appointed time [verse 14] for such an awakening and resurrection to take place. According to Job, that appointed time will come when…“the heavens be no more.”
What a fascinating statement! The serious student of the Word should recognize that this statement is a “time marker” set down in the inspired Word.
Folks, there is coming a time when the present order or arrangement of the heavenly bodies [planets] in this solar system is going to “pass away.” There is an abundance of Scripture that teaches this truth.
The Psalmist David taught, “…the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed,” Psalm 102:25-26.
In Isaiah 34:4 the prophet Isaiah plainly states, “And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.”
Again, in Isaiah 51:6, the prophet stated, “…for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke…”
The Lord Himself verified all of these statements by saying, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away,” Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31. The expression the Lord used, “pass away,” literally means, “to go past; to pass by; to go past one; to pass away; to perish; to be led by; to be carried past.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 488, Strong’s No. 3928. In other words, at some point of time in the future one or more of the heavenly bodies in the solar system are going to leave their present orbits, and come flying past the earth. Not only will such an event “change” the entire solar system, but as these heavenly bodies come flying past the earth it will cause great devastation and destruction upon the earth.
The Lord Himself verified this truth a second time in Luke 21:25-26 when He said, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;…..for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” The Greek word translated as “shaken” in this verse is the word, “saleuo.” This word literally means, “to agitate or shake; to cause to totter; to shake down; overthrow; to cast down; to move; to disturb.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 567, Strong’s No. 4531.
These Scriptures clearly point out that the present order or arrangement of the solar system is going to “change.” At the time that such “change” occurs, according to Job, there will also be an “awakening” and “raising” of the dead, Job 14:12. The question that then comes to mind is, “When will this change occur?” Do the Scriptures give us any insight as to the time when all of this will happen? They sure do!
The Appointed Time
In 2 Peter 3:10 we are specifically told, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Folks, the expression, “the day of the Lord,” always refers to the future seven year Tribulation [and beyond]. This is true throughout God’s Word. Therefore the statement, “the day of the Lord will come,” obviously refers to the beginning of the Tribulation. It is important to notice this truth, because as “the day of the Lord” begins, “the heavens” begin to “pass away,” exactly as predicted by Job, by the Psalmist David, by Isaiah, and by the Lord Himself. It is at this specific time that Job stated that “man” [mankind] who “lieth down” [dies] will “awake and be raised out of their sleep,” Job 14:12.
Perfect Harmony
This time of “awakening” and “rising” of God’s people [those truly saved] as set forth by Job, is in perfect harmony with the promise of our Lord in Luke 21:25-28. In verse 28 the Lord specifically stated, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Compare this statement with Romans 8:22-23.
Who is to be Raised at that Time?
Who is it that will “awake” and “be raised” as “the day of the Lord” begins? Remember that the Lord Himself spoke distinctly of two resurrections. In John 5:28-29 the Lord said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Folks, some who claim to be “Christians” rail against the truth of the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational resurrection and rapture of God’s people, but their railing doesn’t change the Word of God. If there is to be only one “general resurrection” when all of the dead are raised at the same time, then why did the Lord Himself specifically speak of “the resurrection of life” and “the resurrection of damnation?” Both the grammatical construction of the sentence and statement, as well as plain “common sense” makes it clear that Christ was speaking of two separate resurrections; one for believers saved by grace, and another for unbelievers lost in sin.
Now some folks want to argue about this. But are two separate resurrections taught elsewhere in the Scriptures? They sure are! The Scriptures are quite clear that all who are dead [physically] are not resurrected at the same time. Proof? Revelation 20:4 plainly speaks of a resurrection for believers preceding the thousand year reign of Christ [the Millennium]. But then Revelation 20:5 specifically states, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Folks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that two separate resurrections are set forth in these two verses; separated by not less than a thousand years. Then why do some want to rail against this truth? Could it be that they regard their own opinion or “theory” as being of greater value than the inspired Word of God? Well???
Job Was a Believer
I would emphasize the fact that Job was a believer. In speaking of the “awakening” and “rising” of those who “sleep” [the dead], Job had in mind true believers. We know this to be so because Job specifically asked the Lord to “keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past...,” Job 14:13. Isn’t this exactly what the Lord has promised to do for those who are true believers? You know it is!
“For God hath not appointed us [true believers] to wrath, but to obtain salvation [deliverance] by our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
“And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us [true believers] from the wrath to come,” 1 Thessalonians 1:10.
“God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies,” Nahum 1:2.
“Because thou [the church…true believers] hast kept the Word of My patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth,” Revelation 3:10.
Folks, immediately preceding the beginning of the Tribulation, the Lord will remove His people from this earth by means of the rapture, and will keep them “secret” in glory during the next seven years. Significantly, the Jewish wedding customs reveal that the Bride is shut up in seclusion with her husband [the Groom] for seven days following her arrival at the home of the Bridegroom’s Father. Is this telling us anything? Glory!
Job Was a Pre-tribulationist and Pre-millennialist
In view of Job’s assurance that the Lord would keep him “secret” until the outpouring of God’s “wrath be past,” it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that Job believed that he would be “awakened” and “raised” preceding that “wrath.” Job had assurance that the Lord would “appoint me a set time, and remember me,” Job 14:13. By comparing Job 19:25-27, it is obvious that Job believed that his “awakening” and “rising” would occur “at the latter day,” and that it would be a l` resurrection. Glory! Praise the Lord!
Conclusion
Folks, we believers living today are living “at the latter day.” See and compare such passages as 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, James 5:1-8, 2 Peter 3:3-4, and Jude 17-18. At any moment now the “awakening” and “rising” [resurrection and rapture] predicted by Job could take place. Even as I write, “the heavens” are in an uproar. The greatest solar flares that have occurred since modern man began keeping records, are occurring on the Sun right now. These solar flares are causing disruption and changes in the solar system, and internal heating of the earth’s core, resulting in earthquakes and volcanoes, and wreaking havoc with the weather systems. God’s people [those truly saved] should be encouraged and should be encouraging one another, for at any moment now our Lord is coming to resurrect and rapture His people to glory. Praise the Lord! And it was all predicted by Job in God’s wonderful Word nearly 4,000 years ago.
Do we [true believers] have a wonderful God or not? Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” Revelation 22:20.