How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness! Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me. Job 29:2-5 NIV
As Job worked through his own pain and suffering, as so many of us do, he struggled to figure out why everything had fallen apart. He longed for the days when God’s intimate friendship blessed his house! He didn’t understand what he had done to bring on such suffering!
Does he not see my ways and count my every step? Job 31:4 NIV
He took the time to think through every area of his life, making sure he hadn’t missed something. He wanted to understand; he wanted a godly perspective!
If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit— let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless— if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled, then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted. Job 31:5-8 NIV
He made 12 more statements along the lines of, “If I had done this, then I would understand why this is happening.” Job was years ahead of Paul’s new testament teaching regarding the concept of sowing and reaping! He totally understood that sinful actions result in unpleasant consequences, but Job had searched himself diligently. He simply was not reaping what he had sown. He was confused.
Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler. Job 31:35-37 NIV
And God, in his mercy did just that; He answered Job!
Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? Job 38:2-13 NIV
God continued to pose question after question to Job, drawing a stark contrast between His limitless power as the creator and ruler of the world and Job’s humanity. See Job 38-39,
The Lord said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him! Then Job answered the Lord: I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?” Job 40:1-9 NIV
God continued his discourse to Job, giving him examples in creation that demonstrate his amazing power. See Job 40-41,
Earlier in the book, we read of times when Job spoke in a similar manor of God’s power to his friends. God brought Job back to the very truth that caused him to live a righteous life in the first place, helping Job understand and regain his center of gravity. Though he was suffering, God was still God and Job was still a man, dependent upon God for every breath!
Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6 NIV
I love the way God helped Job regain a proper perspective! Job left the discussion humbled and refocused!
After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Job 42:7-8 NIV
After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. Job 42:10-12a NIV
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years. Job 42:16-17 NIV