Job: Does Repentance Result in Blessing?

Job 42:10-17

Congratulations! We have studied the book of Job together! Way to go! Or, as my friend Tunch Ilkin used to say, “Way to be you!” We have explored forty-two chapters filled with blessings, suffering, and restoration! We have followed a righteous man into emotional despair, where he discovered that God's majesty and mystery are beyond human understanding.

We have completed our journey through Job. Over the next few days, we will reflect on what we have learned. Job conveys many profound theological truths and raises several important theological questions. We will revisit some of those truths and questions.

Here’s the first question I’d like for us to consider:

Does repentance always result in blessing?

Job was blessed. Job suffered. Job sinned. Job repented. Job was doubly blessed. Is that the way it always happens? Let’s think through that.

While Job didn’t sin to bring about his calamities, he did sin during his trials. In his deep sorrow and suffering, Job became proud, bitter, and accusatory toward God, demanding that God step down from his throne and take the witness stand for questioning. God responded from the whirlwind, declaring that Job was out of line. He emphasized that Job was not present at creation and could not control or dominate it (Job 38-41). Job repented, and God “restored the fortunes of Job,” giving him “twice as much as he had before” (42:10).

Is that how it works? Will we receive a double blessing when we “get right” with God? To address this, we must understand two truths.

In the Old Testament, physical blessings were tangible demonstrations of God’s favor. These blessings are prominently highlighted in Genesis through God's covenant with Abraham. He instructed Abraham to go “to the land that I will show you” and promised, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Gen. 12:1-2). Inherent in God’s promise to transform Abraham’s descendants into a great nation was the assurance that he would provide the necessary people, land, and resources. Israel’s patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—enjoyed wealth because God was with them. Israel prospered as a nation during King David’s reign, and its wealth became renowned in Solomon’s time, with silver being as plentiful as stones (see 1 Kgs. 10:14-29). The queen of Sheba, who ruled over modern-day Yemen, had heard of Solomon’s riches and felt compelled to see it for herself.

1 Kings 10:6-9b
And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, ⁷ but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. ⁸ Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁹ Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel!

Did you catch that? When she saw the abundance of wealth, she said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you.” This pagan queen acknowledged that great blessings come from a great God. God’s blessings were a tangible sign of his delight in Solomon. The blessings and double blessings Job received follow that same principle.

Job’s repentance was a profound transformation that occurred within his soul. God’s work in Job’s heart made him “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Initially, his suffering led to pride, but he ultimately repented and acknowledged the Lord’s omnipotence, omniscience, and sovereignty. This change unfolded deeply within his inner being. The tangible blessings that followed were meant to prompt the people to exclaim—like the queen of Sheba—“Blessed be the Lord your God!"

For New Testament believers, some aspects remain unchanged from those of Old Testament believers. Our righteousness continues to come from God. Our love for him, obedience to him, and repentance when we sin occur within the inner person through the power of his Spirit—just like Job. Our relationship with God is still based on grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The Old Testament believer relied on the future work of Jesus, while the New Testament believer relies on the finished work of Jesus. Here is where the difference lies: God’s tangible work in the lives of New Testament believers focuses not on physical blessings but on our spiritual blessings.

The queen of Sheba said to Solomon, “Blessed be the Lord your God who has delighted in you.” The apostle Paul tells us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Eph. 1:3). Paul then elaborates on our spiritual blessings. God chose us, made us holy and blameless, and predestined us to be his children “according to the riches of his grace.” We have an eternal inheritance, having been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance” (see Eph. 1:3-14).

Some steadfast believers may be wealthy, while others may not. Some committed believers may experience healing from illness, whereas others may not. Some who fervently follow Jesus may celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary, while others may not. Some saints may live to be one hundred years old, while others may not. We have learned from Job that all blessings and challenges come from the hand of the all-powerful, sovereign God, who does all things well, even when we don’t understand it.

And... we know that spiritual blessings belong to every follower of Jesus and can never be taken away!

We are:

• Loved by God.
• Chosen by God.
• Graced by God.
• Forgiven by God.
• Children of God.
• Sealed by God.
• Our eternal inheritance is guaranteed by God.

Those blessings will be ours forever. We may experience struggles like the apostle Paul, whose “thorn in the flesh” was never relieved. However, we can always find comfort in God's presence.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Read and reflect on the spiritual blessings God has for you.

Talking to God
Thank God for all your spiritual blessings in Christ.

Have Questions?
Be sure to send your questions to our team. We are happy to assist you as you explore God's Word. Submit your question below, and we'll reply soon. And if you don’t know where you stand with Jesus, we would love to have that conversation with you.