(Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 2009) Bosman, Hendrik L.
The reference to death as the ‘king of terrors’ in Job 18:14 is interpreted against the background of the Ugaritic mythology, the terrifying fate of the wicked and other Old Testament references to death as a violent challenge to life and human dignity.
It is argued that the Old Testament does consider God to be stronger than death without developing a pronounced theology of life after death. In contrast to the modern denial of the reality and inevitability of death one should face the challenge of accepting one’s death while maintaining human dignity.