“…The Lord made him prosperous…” Job 42:10a

Everything in Job’s life doubled: his wealth, his children, and even experiencing another post-suffering life (v.10b). This part of the story teaches us that suffering passes, though having suffered never passes. The trauma and pain may eventually cease, allowing what is learned through the lessons of suffering to become a treasure kept through the rest of one’s life. It’s been said, ‘misfortune never leaves us where it finds us.’

Fifteen times, Job had demanded why God had allowed the catastrophes which claimed the lives of his children, servants, livestock and property.  Job’s “why’s” dissolved away within the fifty-nine “who’s” (referring to God) found in the latter part of the story. By changing the “y” to an “o”, Job’s pain is vanquished in a sea of grace and discovery of God’s character and oversight. That discovery far surpassed all he had once enjoyed and claimed as his.

This really is the message of Job: though bad things do happen to good people; the one true God is good, providing His sufficient grace for navigating the suffering in this world. The “why’s” of life fade into the woodwork when bathed in the light of God’s grace… The One WHO answers all our why’s with His presence, just as He did for Job. When we enter into His presence, we discover that in His presence is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11).  Pain needs no explanation by God, though suffering is soothed in the experience of God’s presence, power and grace.

Once Job had been completely restored, he described how all his family and relatives came out of the woodwork: all his brothers, sisters, and neighbors! Where were they when he needed them? Likely stuck in their world-view… they did not want to get ‘bitten’ by God’s vengeance running over into their lives. They were all crippled by the same erroneous world-view as Job’s friends: thinking bad things only happened to bad people.

Just as Job had experienced God’s grace, so he extended the same to his friends through his prayer, and to his family and neighbors through a large feast in his own home. Grace let’s go of grudges. Through his own acceptance of these family members and friends, Job testified to the grace which covered his own offences toward God. Job’s life points to Christ, Who appeared to His frightened disciples, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” True grace let’s go of others’ past offenses.

This final chapter of Job’s life revealed how he became a man of greater grace: forgiving the severe charges by his own friends; restoring family and community friends; and finally, by including his daughters in the inheritance he would leave behind. In the patriarchal age, daughters received no inheritance unless there were no sons. That tradition was codified when God commanded Moses, “If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.” (Numbers 27:8)

What led Job to break with tradition? Five more sons were delivered into this world. His daughters were likely not counting on an inheritance. However, God’s grace is extended to all, and to Job that meant giving his daughters an equal share in his estate. The issue of equality was settled by God long ago through the life of Job! God’s grace keeps giving… knowing no limits or end. Annie Johnson Flint described it well in her prose:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength as our labors increase, To added afflictions, He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed e’er the day is half-done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again. (from Portraits of Perseverance, by Henry Gariepy; pp. 214-215)

The concluding account of Job’s life may very well have been written by a family member or friend, which simply stated:

“After this, Job lived a hundred and forty-years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.” (vv. 16 – 17)

The writer could have just as easily stated Job died, old and full of grace. (Idea provided by David L. McKenna, The Communicator’s Commentary; 1986; p. 328)

Have a blessed day…