Grace Institute: The Writings : Job Part 5

Job Survey of the Old Testament: The Writings Fall 2006

Epilogue (Chapter 42)

Job's Repentance(42:1-6)

In chapter 42, Job states, “I have declared that which I do not understand” (42:3). He repents of his arrogance for presuming that he could understand why he was in his current state of suffering, let alone demand an explanation from God. The cause of his suffering was beyond his ability to understand. It had nothing to do with righteousness or wickedness, but was part of a grand cosmic design to bring glory to God and glory to Job. Job needed to trust in God's goodness and control, even when he had no way of seeing the ultimate cause of his suffering.

Job's Recompense (42:7-9)

The Lord's rebuke for Job was mild compared to that which he gave to Job's friends. He is angry at their judgment of Job and their presumption of his sin. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, therefore, give an offering to the Lord to atone for their sins while Job prays for them.

Job's Restoration (42:10-17)

Job is then restored. God returns to him his wealth, having twice as much livestock as before. He has ten more children. He lives to be 140 years old and is able to see he is great-great grandsons be born.

While Job is restored, the lesson of the book is not that if we are just patient enough through adversity, that God will restore us to prosperity. There are millions of Christian martyrs who suffered to the point of death without restoration. In fact, Jesus himself suffered the ultimate in tribulation on the cross. He even pleaded with God, asking for the cup to be removed from him (Matthew 26:39), and questioning, “my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

If Jesus experienced pain and suffering, to the point of death, why would we expect anything less? Is a disciple greater than his master (Matthew 10:24)?

We should not expect that we will ever find justice in this world. Just the opposite is true. Jesus tells us to expect suffering and tribulation.

John 16:33 NASB "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Job suffered and grieved. He wrestled with God. He questioned God. And yet he was a righteous man, for in the end he ever gave up faith in the Almighty God. We may not like our suffering. It may wound and torment us. But we must never loose sight that God is sovereign. He can choose for us prosperity or poverty. He can choose for us health or sickness. He can choose for us martyrdom or glory.

We should not expect that the wicked will suffer while the righteous prosper. We should not expect justice in this world. Our hope lies not in justice that this world can offer, but only in that which God will eventually bring about. Just as Job saw that justice comes in the judgment, so also, it is in glory that we will find our hope.

Romans 8:17-18 NASB and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (18) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Bibliography

Kidner, Derek. The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job & Ecclesiastes. An Introduction to Wisdom Literature. Downers Grove IL : Intervarsity Press. 1985.

Smick, Elmer B. “Job.” Expositor's Bible Commentary . Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Grand Rapids MI : Zondervan, 1998.

Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible Book by Book. Grand Rapids MI : Zondervan, 2002.