To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
To bring back the soul from the pit means to deliver a person's life from death and destruction into life among the living, to be restored to the light of life which is God's purpose in the restoration. It describes rescue from the very brink of destruction in the midst of terrible affliction, not a return from the grave after death. God works with a person again and again to effect that rescue, speaking by His Word and by visions and dreams though man does not perceive, and when that speaking is not heeded permitting chastening by sickness and severe pain until the body wastes and life draws near the grave, in order to open dull ears, withdraw man from proud purposes, and turn him back to the right path from spiritual ruin. Deliverance comes through a messenger who shows God's uprightness, so that God is gracious and gives a ransom from going down to the pit, begetting a new life in the heart that makes the flesh fresher than a child's and restores the years that were eaten away. That a soul can thus be brought back from the pit and delivered from death and the grave proves that the soul can die and is subject to death rather than being inherently immortal.
Words and Setting
The pit is death or destruction, and to bring back the soul from it is to deliver from the destruction of being and restore to life among the living. Soul here means a person's life. The Hebrew word rendered soul can also mean the person as a whole, or the mind and emotions, and it does not mean an immortal being existing apart from the person.
To be enlightened with the light of the living is to be brought back to life among the living and into the light of life. That enlightening into the light of life is God's purpose in the restoring work. The deliverance is rescue from the brink of destruction in the midst of terrible affliction, not a return from the grave after death. Elihu applies this to Job, who appeared lost but could be delivered and enlightened to receive light and understanding again.
Rescue Through Affliction
God works with a person many times to rescue him from death and bring him into life, speaking again and again by His Word and by visions and dreams, once yea twice, though man does not perceive it. When that speaking is not heeded, He permits chastening by sickness and severe pain, with pain upon the bed and strong pain in the bones, wasting the body and taking away appetite for bread and dainty meat until the soul draws near the grave and very near death. The purpose of that chastening is to open dull ears, to teach truth not learned in prosperity, to correct and turn back to the right path, to withdraw man from his proud purposes, and to keep back his soul from the pit and rescue him from spiritual ruin and destruction.
Such affliction does not come by accident or chance, but under the Lord who sees and knows the trials, who limits what is laid on man, who shares the suffering, and who delivers and makes whole. Deliverance comes through a messenger, an interpreter, one among a thousand, who shows man God's uprightness and that the same kind hand that gave roses, lilies, and pinks now gives the bitter cup, so that God is gracious and gives a ransom and delivers from going down to the pit. The enlightening is a new life begotten in the heart, with flesh made fresher than a child's and return to the days of youth, actually restoring the years the locust has eaten and removing the trace of years of sin.
Pain is God's voice working oftentimes with man for that rescue from spiritual ruin, not an enemy to be hushed and stifled with coal-tar drugs such as phenacetin and acetanilid. These acts of turning people back from death to renewed life and light are merciful exceptions that come through faith, but they do not remove the rule that sin brings its penalty.
Soul Is Mortal
The soul is not inherently immortal, for it can be turned back from the pit and restored to life and to the light of the living. To be brought back in this way proves that the soul is subject to death and can die. What is wrought again and again to rescue a person from destruction ends in renewal to life among the living.
In its setting the soul draws near to the grave and stands very near death. The soul is spoken of together with death and the grave in Job 33:18, 22, and 28-30. From that condition it can be delivered from death and the grave and brought back from the pit into the light of life. Such deliverance shows that the soul is not an undying part of a person separate from death.
To bring back the soul from the pit means to deliver a person's life from death and destruction into life among the living, to be restored to the light of life which is God's purpose in the restoration. It describes rescue from the very brink of destruction in the midst of terrible affliction, not a return from the grave after death. God works with a person again and again to effect that rescue, speaking by His Word and by visions and dreams though man does not perceive, and when that speaking is not heeded permitting chastening by sickness and severe pain until the body wastes and life draws near the grave, in order to open dull ears, withdraw man from proud purposes, and turn him back to the right path from spiritual ruin. Deliverance comes through a messenger who shows God's uprightness, so that God is gracious and gives a ransom from going down to the pit, begetting a new life in the heart that makes the flesh fresher than a child's and restores the years that were eaten away. That a soul can thus be brought back from the pit and delivered from death and the grave proves that the soul can die and is subject to death rather than being inherently immortal.
Words and Setting
The pit is death or destruction, and to bring back the soul from it is to deliver from the destruction of being and restore to life among the living. Soul here means a person's life. The Hebrew word rendered soul can also mean the person as a whole, or the mind and emotions, and it does not mean an immortal being existing apart from the person.
To be enlightened with the light of the living is to be brought back to life among the living and into the light of life. That enlightening into the light of life is God's purpose in the restoring work. The deliverance is rescue from the brink of destruction in the midst of terrible affliction, not a return from the grave after death. Elihu applies this to Job, who appeared lost but could be delivered and enlightened to receive light and understanding again.
Rescue Through Affliction
God works with a person many times to rescue him from death and bring him into life, speaking again and again by His Word and by visions and dreams, once yea twice, though man does not perceive it. When that speaking is not heeded, He permits chastening by sickness and severe pain, with pain upon the bed and strong pain in the bones, wasting the body and taking away appetite for bread and dainty meat until the soul draws near the grave and very near death. The purpose of that chastening is to open dull ears, to teach truth not learned in prosperity, to correct and turn back to the right path, to withdraw man from his proud purposes, and to keep back his soul from the pit and rescue him from spiritual ruin and destruction.
Such affliction does not come by accident or chance, but under the Lord who sees and knows the trials, who limits what is laid on man, who shares the suffering, and who delivers and makes whole. Deliverance comes through a messenger, an interpreter, one among a thousand, who shows man God's uprightness and that the same kind hand that gave roses, lilies, and pinks now gives the bitter cup, so that God is gracious and gives a ransom and delivers from going down to the pit. The enlightening is a new life begotten in the heart, with flesh made fresher than a child's and return to the days of youth, actually restoring the years the locust has eaten and removing the trace of years of sin.
Pain is God's voice working oftentimes with man for that rescue from spiritual ruin, not an enemy to be hushed and stifled with coal-tar drugs such as phenacetin and acetanilid. These acts of turning people back from death to renewed life and light are merciful exceptions that come through faith, but they do not remove the rule that sin brings its penalty.
Soul Is Mortal
The soul is not inherently immortal, for it can be turned back from the pit and restored to life and to the light of the living. To be brought back in this way proves that the soul is subject to death and can die. What is wrought again and again to rescue a person from destruction ends in renewal to life among the living.
In its setting the soul draws near to the grave and stands very near death. The soul is spoken of together with death and the grave in Job 33:18, 22, and 28-30. From that condition it can be delivered from death and the grave and brought back from the pit into the light of life. Such deliverance shows that the soul is not an undying part of a person separate from death.