DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2015 January 9
St Julian and the Redeemer (c. 1453)
Andrea del Castagno (c. 1421 - 1457)
Renaissance Style
Santissima Annunziata, Florence, Italy
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: Job 19 contains Job's answer to Bildad's second accusation. It also contains a magnificent affirmation of the resurrection. The image above depicts the Redeemer, whom Job expected to see in the resurrection day.
[ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Job 18. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
In reply to Bildad, Job asked his friends how long they would vex his soul and break him in pieces with their words. They had reproached him repeatedly; but they were not ashamed that they estranged themselves from him (1-3). And Job said that if they used the reproach into which he had fallen as an argument against him, then they should know that it was God who overthrew him and caught him in his net. This may be an allusion to Job 18:8-10, in which Bildad speaks of the wicked being taken in his own net. But Job's plight was not a natural consequence of Job's actions; it was a supernatural event from God himself. From this statement we may infer at least three things, (especially as we look at it in light of previous material in the book): First, the affliction was not the natural consequence of some sin by Job; second, it came from the inscrutable will of God; third, it was between him and God and was therefore not something which his meddlesome friends would be able to sort out (4-6).
In the next verses Job expands upon his plight. He cries out about the wrong and the injustice which is done to him (7). He is fenced in; and he is on a dark path (8). His glory and his respect ("crown") are gone (9). He is destroyed, gone, and hopeless (10). God is wrathful against him and counts him as one of his enemies (11). God's troops have surrounded his tent (12). Everyone is estranged from him: his brothers and his acquaintances (13); his kinsfolk and his close friends (14); those who live in his house -- his maids, his servant, and his wife -- are estranged from him (15-17); Young children despise him (18); his "inward friends" whom he loved have turned against him (19). He said that he was skin and bones and that he had escaped with the "skin of his teeth" (his gums). This may mean that his gums were the only sound part of his body; or it may mean that his teeth had fallen out, leaving only his gums.
Therefore he asked his friends to have pity on him because the hand of God had touched him. And he asked them why they persecuted him and why they were not satisfied with his flesh -- (meaning the torments of his flesh); in other words, they should not add torments of the mind to the torments of his body (20-22).
Then, in one of the most striking passages of Scripture, he expresses his unshakeable confidence in the resurrection. He begins by expressing his desire that his words would be made into a permanent record written in a book or on a rock, (presumably to be evidence for him in the latter day), because he knows that his Redeemer lives and shall stand in the latter day upon the earth (presumably to see Job's evidence and to display it). And Job goes a step further: not only will his Redeemer stand in the latter day upon the earth, so will Job. Even though worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh he will see God. He shall see him for himself, with his own eyes, even though his kidneys (a metonymy for all the parts of his body) are consumed within him (23-27). Job concludes, not with a mere request for pity, but (in anticipation of his vindication in the latter day) with a caution that his friends should ask themselves why they were persecuting him, and with a warning to be afraid of judgment for doing so (28-29).
Job 19
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
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