 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” The Lord Rebukes Job’s Friends 7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. The Lord Restores Job’s Fortunes 10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold. 12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days. Meditation Christians know the world is marked with warfare and waiting. Faith sinks roots of belief into the soil of God’s steadfast love, trusting Jesus will return to redeem all He has allowed. The warfare is real. God allowed Satan to bring suffering to Job. Likewise, Jesus did not stop Satan from sifting disciples in suffering. Rather, Jesus prays the disciple’s faith would not fail (Luke 22:31-32). Waiting for Jesus to return requires fortified faith in a world at war. Job responds to God with repentance because his waiting in the warfare was not without sin. Job knew God personally (1-2) and through suffering, experienced God directly to know God more intimately (3-6). In repentance, Job echoes God’s words to admit his wrong. Job turns from his faithless assumptions to trust God and His word. After repentance, God restores. God confirms Job’s right standing with Him (7-9) before doubling Job’s original fortune and family (10-17). The apostle James calls Christians to have joy in trials, discovering the treasure of tested faith (James 1). When challenging the Church to expect Jesus’ return, James notes the blessing for those who, with Job, remain steadfast in suffering by trusting the purposes and permanent character of the Lord (James 5:11). God’s sovereign grace invites Christians to turn from words of accusation and return to the Lord’s acceptance. We have not waited faithfully, but God remains faithful. The Lord is compassionate and merciful. Jesus will return to restore, redeeming all He has allowed. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the ending of Job, especially His repentance and restoration? -Where do you wait for Christ to return to our world in the midst of a spiritual war without fortified faith? This is to ask, where do you accuse God or turn your trust to other things? -How does the victory of Jesus over the suffering and struggles of the world, even Satan, empower you to trust God’s word and wait in faithfulness? Be specific. Key Verse 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Comments are closed.
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