Crumbling Mountains

But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man. You prevail forever against him, and he passes; you change his countenance, and send him away. His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not. He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself.
Job 14:18-22
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Crumbling Mountains
What seemed to be a turning point for Job in the previous verses now crumbles like mountains as his hope is once again dashed against the rocks of his own self perceived abandonment from God.  Job feels nothing but God’s Law. He sees God as nothing more than a vengeful God who seemingly delights in the misery of His people.  So much anguish Job’s friends have caused him by only focusing on the Law, by not properly diving the Law and the Gospel.  When nothing but the Law is applied than we risk becoming like Job, crushed under its weight, unable to see a way out from under it.  We are left to sit in sack cloth and ash scrapping our sores with pot shards.  Yet God gives us relief, and it comes in the form of the Gospel.  We know we are at the mercy of God, and that is a good thing because He is “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). And though the mountains may crumble away, and the stones be worn down, God’s love and mercy will endure forever.  For God’s Word endures forever and, in His Word, we are given the sweet relief of the Gospel.  The soothing balm of God for us not against us.  We are given faith to know Christ as our Savior.