MAN … HIS DAYS … AS A SHADOW THAT PASSETH

We have already considered our own frailty in a previous con­templation where we observed that our ‘days are as grass’. Here, another analogy is used, that of a shadow. Job chapter 14 verse 2 puts both of these together as Job considers himself.

In this psalm, David considers the strength of God in com­parison to the weakness of man. In particular, he contrasts God’s enduring might to the puny temporary power of the enemy. This is seen most wonderfully when the Lord Jesus is before Pilate who draws attention to his ‘power’ to crucify or release the Saviour. The Lord points out that Pilate’s ‘power’ was not really his but ‘given from above’, John 19. 10, 11. In contrast to this, the seemingly helpless victim has ‘all power’, to such an extent that indeed Pilate cannot ‘take’ His life but He alone can ‘give it’ and ‘take it up again’, John 10. 18.

David has brought the ‘shadow’ to our attention already. He speaks of ‘the shadow of thy wings’, Ps. 17. 8, while, famously, he tells us of the ‘shadow of death’, Ps. 23. 4. What a difference, the shadow of God brings protection and safety, while that of the enemy, including death that great and final enemy, brings dan­ger and fear. In our current psalm, David reminds us that in contrast to the permanent shadow of the Almighty, those cast by men and circumstances are but vanity and passing; even death has only temporary power over God’s own.

It is a fact that when a shadow is at its longest and greatest it is also close to its passing. As the sun dips the shadows grow longer but soon they disappear. So with men, as their days lengthen their effect, represented by the shadow, per­haps reaches its greatest but they are also nearing their end. Maybe someone reading these thoughts today is beset by dark shadows? Perhaps, the shadows of oppression, poor health, disappointment in others, failure in ourselves, or even the shadows of old age and death itself. Well, you can take encour­agement today that the longer those shadows the sooner they will pass. Like the Blessed Man for whom the shadows length­ened to the awful darkness of Calvary, they passed, to be replaced with the eternal light of the Father’s house.