How should Job 4:20 influence our daily priorities and decisions? Setting the scene Job 4:20 comes from Eliphaz’s first speech to Job. While some of Eliphaz’s conclusions are later corrected by God, his observation about human frailty is factually true and echoes many other Scriptures. “Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever, with no one regarding it.” (Job 4:20) Life’s brevity in sharp focus • A single daylight span—“between morning and evening”—is enough to sweep a person from vigor to the grave. • Our passing can occur “with no one regarding it,” reminding us how quietly and quickly earthly reputations fade. • The verse underscores how fragile, temporary, and easily overlooked our earthly existence is. What this means for our priorities • Make the eternal first: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). • Value souls over stuff: “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen” (2 Corinthians 4:18). • Redeem the time: “Look carefully then how you walk… making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). • Pursue holiness now, not later: “Be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Share Christ while you have breath: “We are ambassadors for Christ… be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Decisions shaped by eternal perspective • Daily schedule: Build Scripture reading and prayer into the most alert part of your day. • Finances: Invest generously in kingdom work rather than merely accumulating. • Relationships: Reconcile quickly (Matthew 5:23-24); speak grace today, not tomorrow. • Work ethic: Labor “as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23), knowing earthly careers will pass. • Entertainment: Choose activities that nourish the soul and honor Christ, avoiding what dulls spiritual alertness. • Future plans: Hold them with an open hand (James 4:13-15), saying, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” Witness of the wider Scripture • Psalm 90:5-6—“You sweep them away in their sleep; in the morning they are like grass that springs up…” • James 4:14—“You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” • Isaiah 40:6-8—“All flesh is grass… but the word of our God stands forever.” • 1 Peter 1:24-25 quotes that Isaiah passage to anchor believers in the enduring gospel. Putting it into practice today • Start the morning by thanking God for another day and asking how to serve Him before evening falls. • Keep short accounts—confess sin promptly and forgive swiftly. • Speak a gospel word to at least one person. • Do one sacrificial act of love that cannot be repaid. • Close the day reviewing how you invested the hours God loaned you, ready to adjust tomorrow if He grants it. Job 4:20 reminds us that life can end between sunrise and sunset. Let that sober truth redirect every priority toward what lasts forever. |
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