The last Chapter of the Book of Job seems to hurriedly yet neatly tie up one of the most intellectually rich and challenging Books of the Bible. The verses are often ignored or quickly and easily identified as a simple fairy tale-like conclusion. What a mistake! We’d miss the whole point! This is a part of Scripture that we should not let go of until it has fully probed our thinking regarding God’s sovereignty, human suffering, and restoration.
What the closing narrative tells us is that Job is -- at long last -- through both Truth and humble trust -- fully transformed, fully vindicated, and fully restored with double his goods and wealth, blessings over and above what he had in Chapter 1, and a replacement set of children. And his life is more than doubled. Job lives another 140 years which is twice the biblical span of our days (Ps. 90:10).
Would the message of the Book be any different if God had not restored Job? No. God is still sovereign and the whole matter of suffering would still have been at the forefront of our study. It would have still been necessary to consider the questions of “Why vs. Who” and “Good vs. Evil.” The whole notion of human emotions, counseling the troubled, and comforting the hurting would still have been addressed. And we would still have had to put our personal trials in proper perspective alongside the enormity and grandeur of God’s creation.
Henry Morris, a renowned Christian scholar, has said that Biblical Creation is the answer to all human suffering. Do you suppose if you made an appointment with a psychotherapist for help with depression or anxiety, you’d hear that!? Hardly! But as we’ve learned through our study, it is only through our understanding and a profound appreciation of God’s creation and sovereignty that we can put our suffering into perspective and be emotionally and spiritually restored.
On the flip side, the brevity of the conclusion of Job’s story invites questions and even speculation. The Book of Job is unique in that it emphasizes that an inheritance is divided among daughters (as well as sons). Job 42:14 lists the names of Job’s three daughters -- but not the sons. Does Job now question “tradition” and act accordingly in paying tribute to daughters? Does he now see that the security of earthly possessions is irrelevant? What is Job’s spiritual condition as the story wraps up in the closing verses? Does he pray? Does he have joy? Does he continue to worship God? Are these questions even relevant? Yes, questions still ring in our ears. And in my mind, the only remedy for that condition is to read the Book again! And again….
Would the message of the Book be any different if God had not restored Job? No. God is still sovereign and the whole matter of suffering would still have been at the forefront of our study. It would have still been necessary to consider the questions of “Why vs. Who” and “Good vs. Evil.” The whole notion of human emotions, counseling the troubled, and comforting the hurting would still have been addressed. And we would still have had to put our personal trials in proper perspective alongside the enormity and grandeur of God’s creation.
Henry Morris, a renowned Christian scholar, has said that Biblical Creation is the answer to all human suffering. Do you suppose if you made an appointment with a psychotherapist for help with depression or anxiety, you’d hear that!? Hardly! But as we’ve learned through our study, it is only through our understanding and a profound appreciation of God’s creation and sovereignty that we can put our suffering into perspective and be emotionally and spiritually restored.
On the flip side, the brevity of the conclusion of Job’s story invites questions and even speculation. The Book of Job is unique in that it emphasizes that an inheritance is divided among daughters (as well as sons). Job 42:14 lists the names of Job’s three daughters -- but not the sons. Does Job now question “tradition” and act accordingly in paying tribute to daughters? Does he now see that the security of earthly possessions is irrelevant? What is Job’s spiritual condition as the story wraps up in the closing verses? Does he pray? Does he have joy? Does he continue to worship God? Are these questions even relevant? Yes, questions still ring in our ears. And in my mind, the only remedy for that condition is to read the Book again! And again….
- Pastor Mark
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