Daily Thought

The final verses of this remarkable book provide a fitting epilogue to all that has gone before, and we find here the happy ending we would hope to reach at the end of any such harrowing account of human suffering.

We are told that all that Job had lost initially, in such tragic circumstances, was restored to him eventually in abundance. One lesson we can appreciate from this is that should God at any time allow radical change to occur in the pattern of our lives, causing suffering and loss, it will be seen in the end as leading to ultimate benefit. It certainly was with Job, for God blessed him latterly with double blessing - all his material possessions of former days were restored to him on a basis of two-for-one! Even in terms of his family this formula held, for Job’s unshakeable belief in a future day of resurrection offered him the prospect of reunion with departed loved-ones, and, with eternity in mind, the knowledge that his sons and daughters had doubled in number.

God delights in giving, for He gives out of love, and His love is limitless. We have need to recognize that material blessings from God are but a small part of His generosity. We should appreciate the magnitude of His giving in that, here and now, He makes available to us those limitless spiritual blessings that are ours ‘in Christ’, Eph. 1. 3. Bear in mind, too, that He promises us rich rewards in a coming day for our faithful service for Him now.

At the conclusion of the story, when God would endorse the claims of His servant Job, He expresses also His displeasure at the conduct of Job’s three friends, for they had offended Him with the folly of their reasoning. So, He commands that they offer burnt offering for His appeasement, with requirement that Job shall pray for them. Job’s prayer would have been one of intercession on behalf of those who had served him ill. Such prayer becomes the believer, for it is after the manner of our Lord. God makes clear that Job’s integrity, and record over past days, would recommend his prayer for them. In such a way did this enduring servant of God emerge from black days of deep testing, to enjoy a bright future of blessing from God.