ABC:Job 7

Verse 9 (American Atheists)

American Atheists claims the Bible is wrong about the passage (and makes the following comments (italicized).

“ Resurrection of the Dead

Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

John 5:28-29 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. ”

Job is referring to the dead coming back to this present world and the life they knew, as evident from the next verse. "He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more." The dead have no more part in this life; although there are exceptions, as with Jesus' resurrection of Lazarus, His own resurrection, or the resurrections of saints in Jerusalem when He was crucified. (John 11:43-44; Luke 24:39; Matthew 27:52-53) Even before Christ's coming, Elijah resurrected a child. (1 Kings 17:23) Nonetheless, aside from such rare exceptions, it is appointed for man once to die, and then the Judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

Furthermore, Job himself later refers to the ultimate resurrection of the dead for the Final Judgment, stating that in the last days His Redeemer will stand upon the Earth, and that then Job will physically see Him in the flesh, even after worms have destroyed his original body. (Job 19:25-27) Thus, when reading the book of Job in context, it is apparent that Job in Job 7:9 is referring initially to resurrection in this life, not to the resurrection of the Final Judgment mentioned in John 5:28-29; which Job himself bears witness to in Job 19:25-27.

Furthermore, that Job to some degree spoke ignorantly of things he lacked knowledge of is evident from how God rebuked him. (Job 38:2; 40:2) Job himself acknowledged that he had spoken incorrectly about things he did not understand. (Job 42:3-6; 40:3-5) Job's primary error lay in justifying himself rather than God, and accusing God of punishing him without just grounds. (Job 32:2; 33:9-13; 34:5,9; 35:2-3; 40:8)