Job 42
-Job’s restoration comes in this climatic final chapter that we would do well to deeply consider. We must understand this ending scene to make full-sense of all that has transpired in the previous 41 chapters. Everything is set straight in this final analysis. First off, Job answered the LORD admitting that only He knew all things and that no purpose of His could possibly be thwarted. He openly and honestly admits his foolishness in trying to declare what he did not understand, things too wonderful for him, which he did not know. He beseeches the LORD to hear him. He would speak and ask. Then he would allow the LORD to instruct him. This is the humility, admission, and searching that Jesus is after in the gospels (Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10). Job had heard through the hearing of the ear, but now his eye could see the LORD in all His transcendent-sovereign glory. It could tragedy to accomplish this. It took affliction. It took time. It took seeking. It took acknowledging his own limitations. It took more understanding of God’s nature. Because he had seen God in all His majesty and wisdom, he retracted and repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:1-6). Job was a broken man and he takes this opportunity to die to his old ways, which were religious but not relational.
-Now, it came about after the LORD had spoken to Job that God rebuked Eliphaz the Temanite and his two friends, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. They, the LORD told them, had not spoken of Him what is right. God vindicated Job saying that what he had said was right. God reiterates this point not only in verse 7, but also in verse 8. He instructed the three friends to make atonement by taking seven bulls and seven rams for themselves, going to God’s servant Job, and offering up these as burnt offerings for themselves. Then, God told them, Job would pray for them, and He would accept that intercessory prayer so that He would not discipline them according to their folly in speaking untruths. They complied, and the LORD accepted Job (Job 42:7-9).
-In fact, “The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.” He doubled his blessing in the end because he had passed the test and even learned how to forgive. Therefore, we can say, in the Scriptural context, that forgiveness leads to the LORD’s blessings. The flood gate of God’s grace opens wide and pours out all His joy and wonderment into the situation. As the future unfolded a brief synopsis is given as to what transpired. All of Job’s brothers and sisters and those who had known him before came to him and ate bread in his house. They consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. Notice here though that God brought on the adversity to strengthen him and bring good out of the misery as the end result (see Genesis 50:20 for a similar theme to Joseph’s life). His beloved gave him one piece of money to replenish and each gave a ring of gold. “The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginnings; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.” The LORD restored him with seven sons and three daughters, named Jemimah (Yĕmiymah- day by day), Keziah (Qĕtsiy`ah- cassia), and Keren-happuch (Qeren Hap-puwk- horn of antimony), who were the fairest women in all the land. They were given inheritance among their brothers. The wealth was opulent. Job lived another 140 years seeing his sons and his grandsons, up to four generations. “Job died, an old man and full of days (Job 42:10-17).”
-*Application* All’s well that ends well. At the end of all the talk and discussion, what mattered most was repentance, forgiveness, relationship, and restoration. This is a premiere biblical theme under the sovereignty, omniscience, and love of the Almighty. We can truly thank God for His attributes to overcome evil with good. Our mess ups can be redeemed!
Verses to Memorize: Job 42:5-7, 10
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