This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 34:20
20 In a moment [rega`] shall they die [muwth], and the people [`am] shall be troubled [ga`ash] at midnight [chatsowth] [layil], and pass away [`abar]: and the mighty ['abbiyr] shall be taken away [cuwr] without hand [yad]. KJV-Interlinear
20 'In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand. NASB
Man has no part in his own birth or death. Humanity may perpetuate biological life, but when a baby is born into this world, the biological life, which is supported from the mother through the umbilical cord, must have a replacement support mechanism when that umbilical cord is cut, otherwise the baby will not spring to life after the birth.
God breathes, 'nashamah,' life into the baby and human life takes hold and supports the biological part of life.
Likewise when death comes, only God is in control. Human life along with its vessel, the human soul, is removed from the individual and the biological life loses its support. The biological life ceases and the body begins its rapid deterioration and decay back to its elements or dust.
Without human life resident in the soul, and likewise resident within the physical body, the physical body cannot live.
In a 'moment' God removes the soul from the body. In an instant God removes the soul from the body.
We may witness the physical symptoms, no pulse, seizure results, dilated eyes, trauma, odors, fluids, bleeding and so forth, but these only accompany death. Death occurs when God removes the soul from the body. That happens in an instant of time and is happens in accordance with the will of God and for no other reason.
People can endure tremendous trauma in injury and remain alive. History is full of such stories. Likewise, people can have virtually nothing wrong with them and suddenly drop over dead. Gods will controls the place and timing of everyone's departure from this world.
And Elihu's point here is that God does not play favorites with anyone. Whether rich or poor, fat or thin, talented or not, all human characteristics are irrelevant. It is the destiny for all of humanity to die at least once. Even the Rapture generation will experience death of a sort. Their death will be instantaneous and they will likewise be resurrected in that same instant. Death is a separation from something and physical death is the separation from our physical body.
God gives breath and God removes breath. Mans breath is his human life and apart from that, man is nothing.
Man has no place from which to boast.
