Job: After the Storm

Job 42:10-17

My wife, Lori, and I were watching an action thriller a few nights ago when the story of Job was referenced. One of the main characters was going through an extremely difficult time, and his friend likened his plight to Job's. The main character responded, “Yeah, but Job never broke. I’m about to.”

Job never broke. Satan accused Job of loving God solely for the blessings he received. The devil speculated that Job would curse God to his face if those blessings were withdrawn (Job 1:11, 2:5). Therefore, Job was tested. He faced overwhelming emotional and physical pain and endured harsh criticism from his friends; nonetheless, he prayed for them. Eventually, Job accused God— a sin for which he later repented. Through all of this, Job’s faith never wavered. The Lord honored Job’s prayer for his three friends and blessed him again.

Job 42:10
And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Let’s slow down here and picture this scene. We are still at the garbage dump. Job remains afflicted and sitting in ashes. God didn’t promise Job healing after he prayed for his friends. As far as Job knew, his suffering would continue. However, Job has been humbled by God and has repented of his pride. He obeys, and when he does, when he prays, the disease leaves Job’s body, and God restores his fortunes. Check this out.

Job 42:11
Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.

My first question is, where had “all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before” been during Job’s time of suffering? Why didn’t they show him sympathy and offer comfort during his pain? We discussed this earlier, but most people don’t know how to interact with someone in pain. They kept their distance, except for Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu. But now they have returned, bringing monetary gifts.

With the resources Job received, he started anew, and God blessed his investments. In fact, “the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). These blessings didn’t appear overnight, but the number of Job’s sheep, camels, oxen, and female donkeys doubled over time. In the following years, Job and his wife welcomed ten children—seven sons and three daughters. Throughout all the land, “there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters” (42:15). He also granted them an inheritance just like his sons, which is significant because, in that era, only sons received inheritances.

Job lived 140 years after his health was restored. Since God gave Job “twice as much as he had before,” many commentators conclude that Job was seventy when the calamities struck, his years doubled afterward, and he died at the age of 210. We know he saw “his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations” (42:16). And Job “died, an old man, and full of days” (42:17).

This passage has several points to consider, and we will explore them further in the coming days. For now, let’s focus on this promise of eternity.

Job had ten children who were tragically killed. God blessed him with ten more children later in his life. However, Job 42:10 states that the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. So why didn’t God bless him with twenty children? That's a valid question. The fact that God gave Job ten children after the tragedy strongly affirms the certainty of eternal life. Job indeed had twenty children—ten in heaven and ten on earth! His first ten children, whom he loved and prayed for, did not cease to exist when “a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people” (1:19). They passed from death to life. Although absent from the body, they were present with the Lord!

As I write this, I have just come from a service where we said “so long for now” to a dear friend. Ann was an incredible woman who lived for Jesus without compromise. Because of her faith in Jesus, we celebrated her life—the life we cherished and the life she now lives with him. I stood before her family and friends and proclaimed that Ann is more alive today than ever before. At her graveside service, we reflected on the truth of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Jesus is coming again and will bring with him the spirits of the believers who have died (1 Thess. 4:13). When he returns, Ann’s body and the bodies of every believer will be raised from their graves. Our resurrected bodies will join our spirits in the air, and we will be fit for heaven!

The great evangelist and pastor, D. L. Moody, wrote this:

Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; gone out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body like unto His own glorious body. I was born of the flesh in 1837. I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.[1]

We will explore additional truths from Job 42:10-17 next time. This passage contains several points we need to discuss. However, today, let's reflect on eternal life. Jesus said,

John 11:25-26
“…I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Well…do you believe it?

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Job 42:10-17. What do you learn about God in these verses?

Talking to God
Are you sure of your eternal destination? If you are his child, thank him for preparing a place for you. Thank him that you have the assurance of one day living eternally in heaven.

Have Questions?
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