The "scent of water" in Job 14:7-9 that will resurrect the dead in Christ

I’ll be going for a trip with my father-in-law to Vietnam tomorrow, but before I go, I just want to share one last post concerning this passage of scripture that the LORD hath impressed upon my heart:

Job 14:7-9 "For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant."

Job tells us in this passage of scripture that that there is hope for a tree, even after it has been cut down. This is God using the things of nature to teach us his precepts in the word of God. Verse 8 to 9 further tells us that even if the root of the tree has dried up in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground, yet, there is hope that the dead tree will sprout again and bring forth boughs like a plant. Link this to:

Psalms 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

This is the psalmist comparing a blessed man to a tree planted by the rivers of water. This is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of God. That would be a reference to a born again believer.

1 Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"

There is a “lively hope” for every born again believer by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That would be the tree in Job 14:7-9 that hath been cut down, yet through the “scent of water,” it sprout again and bring forth boughs like a plant. While his body may be dead, there is hope for that man. He shall live again even as the dead tree that came back to life at the “scent of water.” (Job 14:9) Recall what Jesus tells us in:

John 4:13-14 "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

This is the “living water” (John 4:10) that will cause the dead to live again. This is the water which scent will cause a dead tree to bud again in Job 14:7-9. This the reason why a born again believer can have hope, after his body ceased to live. This is the “water” that shall be in a born again believer, a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The heart of a born again believer is a “good ground” heart:

Luke 8:15 "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

A “good ground” is a well-watered ground, having received the “seed” which is the word of God, (Luke 8:11) will bring forth fruit with patience. This is an honest and good heart that loves the truth, every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. A keyword to note in Luke 8:15 is “patience.” Connect this to:

Romans 5:3-5 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

This is Paul showing us a sequence:

1. tribulation worketh patience;

2. patience, experience; and

3. experience, hope.

Verse 5 tells us that “hope maketh not ashamed; because the “love of God” is shed abroad in the heart of every born again believer by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. The “love of God” is the “love of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) because “the truth” is God himself. Paul further tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:10 that apart from the “love of the truth,” one cannot be saved. Therefore, it is the “love of the truth” that a born again believer is willing to live through tribulation which worketh patience, and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed.

Psalms 119:116 "Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope."

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of a born again believer, whom God will uphold according to his word. Though his body may be dead like the tree in Job 14:7-9, yet at the “scent of water” he shall live again and bring forth boughs like a plant. A born again believer who died physically is like a tree that was cut down. Though he be dead, yet through the scent of “water” he shall live again. This in itself is a prophecy of the first resurrection. Actually, this does not only apply to a born again believer, but it is also true of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially if we were to consider it along with:

Job 36:17 "But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee."

Job was a foreshadow of the Son of man Jesus Christ in that he fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Though without sin, the judgment of God took hold on the sinless Lamb of God for the sake of whosoever believeth in him: past, present and future. He died as a man and was buried, but on the third day, he rose from the dead by the power of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the blessed hope of every born again believer, that God shall raise them up at the last day.

John 6:40 "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

This is the will of God the Father concerning every born again believer, that Jesus Christ will return, and raise them up at the last day. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be accompanied by the “scent of water” (Job 14:9) by which the dead tree in Job 14:7-9 is resurrected to life. Paul tells us in these verses the sequence of events that will happen at the last day:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

The Lord Jesus Christ will return. He shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and this would be followed by those which are alive and shall remain unto the last day, at the coming of the Lord. Paul also tells us in verse 17 that born again believers which are alive and remain shall be “caught up” in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. That is a reference to:

Matthew 24:29-31 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days… and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Mark 13:24-27 "But in those days, after that tribulation… And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

Luke 21:27-28 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

These three end time passages tells us that the Son of man shall come in the clouds with great power and glory, and the “caught up” of those who are alive and remain according to Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is “he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:31) That, according to Luke 21:28, is our redemption. All these things will take place at the last day. Moreover, this is also the Holy Ghost making a reference back to Romans 5:3-5 “tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed…” Tribulation precedes patience, and patience precedes experience, and experience precedes hope, and “hope” is a reference to the resurrection of the dead tree in Job 14:7-9.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

However, before we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord be caught up by the angels, the dead in Christ must rise first, and this is Paul calling it “the resurrection of the dead” in 1 Corinthians 15:42. It is the seed of the word of God that was sown in a natural body which is corruptible, but raised as a new man in a spiritual body which is incorruptible.

1 Corinthians 6:14 "And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power."

This is where we know that God who raised up the Lord Jesus Christ, will also raise up the dead in Christ by the same power. It is the will of God that every born again believer who died bodily be raised up from the dead, and this is also where we know that the “scent of water” (Job 14:9) is in fact, referring to the power of God. What did the bible tell us about the “power of God?” The first-mention of this term is found in:

Matthew 22:29 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."

Scriptures can be read, and the power of God can be known. Here, Jesus compares scriptures to the power of God. In fact, we also find a second witness in:

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

This verse tells us that the word of God is “powerful,” which is to say, the power of God is embedded in every word of God in the scriptures. This is the very power that had raised Jesus up from the dead, and the same power that will also raise up the dead in Christ. Paul further tells us in:

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. This is my third witness, and it goes along with what we have established earlier from scripture that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the “scent of water” in Job 14:9 that will raise up the dead in Christ at the last day. It is the well of “living water” (John 4:10) in a born again believer which springs up into everlasting life. Isaiah also compares the word of God to water:

Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

Just like “living water” (John 4:10), the word of God is active and alive. It is out of the mouth of God that the will of God is accomplished through his word that goeth forth, even to the raising of the dead according to scripture. Notice in in verse 10 that “the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud…” That is a reference to the dead tree which came back to life in Job 14:7-9. It is the word of God which came down from heaven that watereth the earth and produce life. The same word of God will also resurrect the dead in Christ unto everlasting life at the last day.