Job’s Reaction.
Job finally found his voice again… “O Lord, I know that You can do all things! I’ve listened to all these things that You can do, and I’m an utter fool! Please forgive me!” This is what the Lord delights to hear from each of His people, an utter dependence on Him…. It is only when we come to an end of ourselves that God can work for us! He will never despise or turn away from a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 34:18; 51:17). Now that Job had stopped justifying himself, he was in a position where God could work on, and for, him. But he first had to prove himself, that he had no more bitterness for his friends who at least had come to visit him in the time of trial!
They were required to offer a sacrifice for their part in this whole affair, and Job had to pray for them when a natural reaction would be one of revenge. The whole matter was cleared up in the right way and with the right attitudes, and then God was able to bless Job to the fullest. All that he had lost was now restored to him…his health, his reputation and relationships, his wealth, and even another family that was as much joy to him as his first! His daughters were the most beautiful girls in the land!
Before we leave the story of Job, let’s think for a moment about Mrs. Job. We tend to downgrade her for telling Job he might as well curse God and die. But she too had suffered loss in this ….she had lost her income, her wealth, her family….all were gone. Then there were those men that came and sat around saying nothing to comfort Job at all. No wonder she felt like she did!
Would we be any different? Both she and Job must have been relatively young when all this happened, maybe in their mid thirties as they had another ten children. Before we condemn her for her hasty comment, let’s put ourselves in her shoes and imagine how we would have felt!
It’s all in our attitude…towards God and those around us. We have to be right in both directions before God can fully bless us. We cannot be right towards God and be bitter against someone else at the same time. It doesn’t work! If we are bitter at all, we are NOT right before God. Bitterness is not becoming for a believer, no matter what the rights and wrongs are! That was the difference in the attitudes of Job and his wife. Job could say “though He slay me, yet will I praise Him!” while she said, “Curse Him and die!” What are our attitudes to our disappointments?
It wasn’t until Job was able to pray for his friends, that God was able to bless Him! This reminds us that we are told to pray for those who are mean to us, and for those who persecute us. We are not to hold any resentments or bad feelings toward ANYONE! If we do, we are to confess it as a sin, and then we know that God will forgive us, and cleanse us from this unrighteousness. Then we are to act in a loving and friendly manner towards them, in obedience to God’s Word. (Job 42:1-17)