"Our rest together is in the
dust." (Job 17:13,16) Thus he pictures the grave as a condition of
darkness, where there is no knowledge, no wisdom or device. Again he
said: "A man's sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are
brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them". (Job 14:21) Why? Because
those who are in hell, in the tomb, in the grave, in the condition of
death, have no knowledge of anything. They are out of existence, waiting
for the resurrection.
[86]Jacob's beloved son Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brethren.
Joseph's coat was dipped in the blood of an animal and brought to Jacob,
and it was told Jacob the father that his son Joseph was dead. In his
grief he exclaimed: "I will go down into hell [_sheol_, the grave] unto
my son mourning". (Genesis 37:35) Jacob was a good man and approved of
the Lord; for the Apostle says he was. (Hebrews 11:9,39) Jacob meant
that he was going to the grave, to the death condition, mourning for
his beloved son.
[87]Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son. After he lost Joseph his
affections were centered upon Benjamin. His elder sons came to him and
requested that their younger brother be permitted to go down with them
to Egypt. Their father Jacob objected to their taking him, saying, "My
son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left
alone: if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye
bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell [_sheol_, the grave]".
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