Chapter 42
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Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:6
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The end of Job’s troubles
Job is humble
v1 Then Job answered God. Job said, v2 ‘I know that you can do anything. Your plans always succeed. v3 You said, “Job, you have spoken about things that you do not know.” I confess that I did not understand these things. These things are wonderful, and I did not know them.’
v4 Job continued, ‘You said to me, “Listen, and I will speak. I have a test for you. And you must answer me.” v5 (But I cannot answer you.) I heard what people said about you. But now, I myself see you. v6 So, I must be humble. I am sorry. And I place dust and ashes on my head. These are a sign to show you that I am sorry.’
Verses 1-3
Job had heard God’s speech. So Job realized his error. He was not an evil man. But he had spoken unwise words about God.
Job was humble. He asked God to forgive him.
Verses 4-6
Job was a servant of God, even before Job began to suffer.
When God spoke, Job had a new experience.
Job learned many things from God’s speech.
And now Job trusted God even more.
God speaks to Eliphaz
v7 After God said these words to Job, God spoke to Eliphaz. Eliphaz belonged to the people called Temanites. God said, ‘I am angry with you. And I am also angry with Bildad and Zophar. Job, who is my servant, said the right things about me. But you did not. v8 So take 7 bulls (male cows) and 7 rams (male sheep). Take them to Job, because Job is my servant. Then, kill the animals and burn them as a gift to me. Then Job, who is my servant, will pray for you. I shall answer his prayer. Then I shall not punish you for your foolish words. Job, who is my servant, said the right things about me.
Verses 7-8
These verses may seem strange to some people. Such people do not know why God was angry with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Job’s friends were sometimes wrong, but sometimes Job was wrong too. So, you might think that they all deserved the same punishment.
The explanation is that Job was a servant of God. In other words, Job had a special task to do. A servant carries out his master’s work. And Job had decided to do God’s work on earth (Job 29:14). So Job was acting on behalf of God.
In 2 Kings 2:23-24, some youths insulted a servant of God called Elisha. This was a terrible thing to do. It was as if they were insulting God himself. Animals called bears came from the wood and attacked those youths.
Eliphaz said that Job was very evil (Job 22:5). This would be a stupid thing to say about any innocent man. But Job was not merely an ordinary man. He was a servant of God. So Eliphaz’s stupid words were insulting God.
God could have punished Job’s friends. But instead, God wanted to forgive them. And God would forgive the friends.
Job prays for his friends
v9 The names of Job’s three friends were:
· Eliphaz, who belonged to the people called Temanites;
· Bildad, who belonged to the people called Shuhites;
· Zophar, who belonged to the people called Naamathites.
They obeyed God. And God answered Job’s prayer.
Verse 9
Job’s friends obeyed God. And God forgave them.
Note that God was not angry with Elihu. Elihu said the right things about God.
God makes Job successful again
v10 After Job prayed for his friends, God made Job successful again. God gave Job double what Job had before his troubles.
v11 And many people visited Job. These people included Job’s brothers and sisters. All his former friends came too. They ate with Job, in Job’s house. They sympathised with Job. And they comforted him about his troubles, which God brought about. Each person gave Job some money and a gold ring.
v12 God was kind to Job for the rest of his life. Job was even more successful than before. Job had:
· 14 000 sheep;
· 6000 camels;
· 1000 pairs of oxen (large farm animals);
· 1000 donkeys (small horses).
v13 Job also had 7 sons and 3 daughters. Job named his daughters: v14 Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch. v15 Job’s daughters were the most beautiful women in the entire country. And Job ordered that his sons should share the family’s wealth with his daughters.
Verse 10
Originally, Job thought that he would be wealthy for his whole life (Job 29:18-20).
Then Job thought that he would die because of his illness (Job 7:21).
In the end, Job was wealthy again.
Our lives often change like this.
We should learn to be content whatever happens (Philippians 4:11-12).
Verse 11
These people avoided Job when he was suffering (Job 19:13-19). But, at the end of Job’s troubles, God allowed these people to help Job. They comforted him.
Job’s long life
v16 Job lived 140 years after these events. He lived so long that he saw the children of his own grandchildren. v17 Job’s life was long and successful. Job was very old when he died.
Keith Simons
Verse 12
Job had twice the number of animals that he had in Job 1:2.
Verses 13-14
And Job had a new family.
Verse 15
Job looked after his daughters carefully. At the time of Job, usually only the sons would share the family’s wealth. Job’s gift to his daughters also shows that he was very wealthy. He had enough money to provide for his daughters as well as his sons.
Job’s long life
v16 Job lived 140 years after these events. He lived so long that he saw the children of his own grandchildren. v17 Job’s life was long and successful. Job was very old when he died.
Verse 16
Job’s life was much longer than people live today.
After the flood, God said that men would not continue to live for more than 120 years (Genesis 6:3). And Psalm 90:10 says that a normal life is 70 or 80 years.
Because of verse 16, some people think that Job lived in very ancient times. If so, the Book of Job may be the oldest book that still exists.
Verse 17
Job was a great man. He was wealthy. He had a large family. And he lived a long life. He achieved many things in his life. All these things seemed important to Job before his troubles began.
But Job learned something new when he suffered his great troubles. He learned that it is more important to be a servant of God than anything else.
