Job 42 – In God, the end is always far more glorious

In Job 42 we come to the end of the book, and our angst over suffering is over as much as Job’s. The first six verses written in poetry form were the repenting words of Job to God. He admitted that he was not wise and had spoken out of assumption, and as he acknowledged the greatness of God. He admitted how ignorant he was and the knowledge of God now so affected him. No one who has truly seen the greatness of God and connect with him can remain unmoved. So, Job was deeply moved to repentance. In his own words, “Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”   

The genre of verses 7-17 changed. Like Job 1 and 2, these ten verses came in the form of prose. God then addressed the three friends of Job in verses 7-9. Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar were told of God’s displeasure with them for they did not speak as accurately concerning God as Job did. So, they were instructed to go before Job with seven bulls and seven rams and offer up burnt offering to God for their wrongs. Job was then to intercede for them so that they could be forgiven. They went as God had instructed and Job’s prayer was accepted. Notice that Elihu was not chastised. We conclude from the silence that his words were more acceptable to God than those of the other three friends of Job.

Verses 10-17 describe Job’s restoration. God made him richer than before. His blessing was doubled. He had plenty of livestock. Verse 12 tells us that he “…had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.” On top of that he had seven sons and three daughters. The daughters were exceptionally beautiful and were specially mentioned. Their names were Jemima meaning dove, and Kezia meaning perfume, and Keren-happuch which literally mean “horn of eye-paint” like mascara. Job treated them all equally and apportioned them inheritance as he had given his sons. Job lived for another 140 years before he died in his old age.

Thus, the book of Job has ended. Here are some takeaways: Firstly, God, as always, is the concerned, loving and sovereign Lord, who is in total control of mankind. Secondly, this book refutes the philosophy that suffering is a result of one’s past sin. This is farthest from the truth. However, it must be said that we need to keep short account with God. The longer we fail to repent, we will insidiously slip further apart from God, the lover of our soul. Thirdly, we learn that suffering is one of the ways God uses to teach and hone our character. We pick up more lessons during difficult time rather than peaceful time. The least we learnt in suffering is a glimpse of God’s greatness, and the reality of death. It will teach us to number our days aright and learn to make our days count. Finally, we should never allow suffering to embitter us and make us rebel against the Lord. Suffering should drive us closer to God to make us better. We must trust that God knows everything that we are going through even though we may be puzzled by what’s happening. In God we are being changed from one degree of glory to another. He will teach us line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little there a little, until we come to the fullness of Him who fills us and is in us all. Praise His name!