Job 42: A Fresh Vision of God
Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren–happuch.
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
So Job died, being old and full of days.
Job 42 marks the culmination of Job's arduous journey, a journey marked by immense suffering, profound questioning, and ultimately, a transformative encounter with God. This chapter reveals Job's humbled response to God's self-revelation, the restoration of his fortunes, and a powerful message about the nature of suffering, repentance, and God's sovereignty.
Job's Repentance and Renewed Appreciation (42:1-6)
Job's initial response to suffering was marked by confusion and a desire for understanding. He questioned God's justice, but in Job 42:1-6, we witness a significant shift. Overwhelmed by God's holiness and glory, Job confesses his limitations and acknowledges God's absolute power: "I know that you can do anything, and no plan of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).
He recognizes that he spoke of things he did not understand, things "too wondrous" for him (Job 42:3). This isn't a repentance for specific sins, as Job's friends had insisted, but a sorrowful acknowledgment of his presumption in questioning God's sovereignty. He had heard of God, but now, through this profound experience, his eyes have seen Him (Job 42:5). This direct encounter leads to genuine repentance: "Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6).
This passage highlights a crucial point: suffering, while painful, can lead to a deeper, more intimate knowledge of God. Sometimes, God allows us to endure trials to grant us a fresh vision of Himself, one that surpasses anything we could have experienced otherwise. It's not about getting our "stuff" back; it's about gaining Him.
God's Rebuke and Job's Intercession (42:7-9)
God then turns His attention to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, rebuking them for not speaking "what is right" about Him, as His servant Job had (Job 42:7). This is a startling reversal. The friends, in their attempt to defend God, had misrepresented Him by arguing that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. This is a dangerous oversimplification and a mischaracterization of God's justice and mercy.
The Lord commands them to offer a burnt offering and instructs Job to pray for them (Job 42:8). The very man they condemned as a sinner becomes their intercessor. This underscores the theme of mediation found earlier in the book (Job 9:33) and foreshadows the role of Christ as our ultimate mediator. God accepts Job's prayer, demonstrating His grace and willingness to forgive those who humbly seek Him.
This section serves as a warning to those who teach about God. James 3:1 reminds us that teachers will be judged more strictly, emphasizing the gravity of accurately representing God's character and will.
Restoration and Blessing (42:10-17)
In a display of divine grace, the Lord restores Job's fortunes "when he had prayed for his friends" (Job 42:10). God not only restores what was lost but doubles it. He is blessed with even more possessions, a new family, and the comfort of his relatives and friends (Job 42:11-17).
It's important to note that the text explicitly states that his family and acquaintances comforted him concerning "all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). This clarifies that even though Satan was the agent of Job's suffering, it ultimately passed through the hands of a sovereign and all-powerful God. This doesn't diminish the reality of evil, but it affirms God's ultimate control and purpose, even in the midst of suffering.
Job's story reminds us that while we may not always understand the "why" behind our suffering, God's presence and character are the ultimate source of hope and comfort. He may not always restore what we have lost in the way we expect, but He promises to be with us, to refine us, and to reveal Himself to us in deeper and more meaningful ways. Job lived 140 years after his suffering and saw four generations of his descendants (Job 42:16-17).
Ultimately, the book of Job is not about answering the question of why bad things happen to good people. Instead, it's about revealing the character of God – His sovereignty, His wisdom, His justice, and His unwavering love. It's about trusting Him, even when we don't understand, and seeking a fresh vision of His glory in the midst of our trials. Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him (Job 13:15).
Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren–happuch.
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
So Job died, being old and full of days.
Job 42 marks the culmination of Job's arduous journey, a journey marked by immense suffering, profound questioning, and ultimately, a transformative encounter with God. This chapter reveals Job's humbled response to God's self-revelation, the restoration of his fortunes, and a powerful message about the nature of suffering, repentance, and God's sovereignty.
Job's Repentance and Renewed Appreciation (42:1-6)
Job's initial response to suffering was marked by confusion and a desire for understanding. He questioned God's justice, but in Job 42:1-6, we witness a significant shift. Overwhelmed by God's holiness and glory, Job confesses his limitations and acknowledges God's absolute power: "I know that you can do anything, and no plan of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).
He recognizes that he spoke of things he did not understand, things "too wondrous" for him (Job 42:3). This isn't a repentance for specific sins, as Job's friends had insisted, but a sorrowful acknowledgment of his presumption in questioning God's sovereignty. He had heard of God, but now, through this profound experience, his eyes have seen Him (Job 42:5). This direct encounter leads to genuine repentance: "Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6).
This passage highlights a crucial point: suffering, while painful, can lead to a deeper, more intimate knowledge of God. Sometimes, God allows us to endure trials to grant us a fresh vision of Himself, one that surpasses anything we could have experienced otherwise. It's not about getting our "stuff" back; it's about gaining Him.
God's Rebuke and Job's Intercession (42:7-9)
God then turns His attention to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, rebuking them for not speaking "what is right" about Him, as His servant Job had (Job 42:7). This is a startling reversal. The friends, in their attempt to defend God, had misrepresented Him by arguing that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. This is a dangerous oversimplification and a mischaracterization of God's justice and mercy.
The Lord commands them to offer a burnt offering and instructs Job to pray for them (Job 42:8). The very man they condemned as a sinner becomes their intercessor. This underscores the theme of mediation found earlier in the book (Job 9:33) and foreshadows the role of Christ as our ultimate mediator. God accepts Job's prayer, demonstrating His grace and willingness to forgive those who humbly seek Him.
This section serves as a warning to those who teach about God. James 3:1 reminds us that teachers will be judged more strictly, emphasizing the gravity of accurately representing God's character and will.
Restoration and Blessing (42:10-17)
In a display of divine grace, the Lord restores Job's fortunes "when he had prayed for his friends" (Job 42:10). God not only restores what was lost but doubles it. He is blessed with even more possessions, a new family, and the comfort of his relatives and friends (Job 42:11-17).
It's important to note that the text explicitly states that his family and acquaintances comforted him concerning "all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). This clarifies that even though Satan was the agent of Job's suffering, it ultimately passed through the hands of a sovereign and all-powerful God. This doesn't diminish the reality of evil, but it affirms God's ultimate control and purpose, even in the midst of suffering.
Job's story reminds us that while we may not always understand the "why" behind our suffering, God's presence and character are the ultimate source of hope and comfort. He may not always restore what we have lost in the way we expect, but He promises to be with us, to refine us, and to reveal Himself to us in deeper and more meaningful ways. Job lived 140 years after his suffering and saw four generations of his descendants (Job 42:16-17).
Ultimately, the book of Job is not about answering the question of why bad things happen to good people. Instead, it's about revealing the character of God – His sovereignty, His wisdom, His justice, and His unwavering love. It's about trusting Him, even when we don't understand, and seeking a fresh vision of His glory in the midst of our trials. Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him (Job 13:15).