AT the close all is reversed. The strife has ceased; Job and his friends are all humbled in the dust before the Lord. Instead of justifying himself and finding fault with God Job is before Him as his Justifier, “in dust and ashes.” Instead of contending with his friends, he prays for them. And they who sat in judgment on Job and vexed him, take the place of being offenders against God and look to him to entreat for them. Instead of their human reasonings they offer up the burnt offering, that which was all for God—precious type of Christ.
“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job,... also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. “Then there came to him all his kinsfolk to comfort him. They ought never to have deserted him. Nevertheless they were part of the sunshine that brightened his latter days. “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.” He had twice as many sheep, camels, oxen and she asses. This was all earthly blessing however, and carries us on to the earthly blessing of Israel in the millennial day.
“He had also seven sons and three daughters.” It has been said that he had only the same number of sons and daughters, but since he had offered sacrifices and prayed for them, then in the sight of God he did have double the number.
“And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job.” Their names are full of meaning and evidently had something to do with the way in which God had blessed Job. Jemima means “handsome as the day;” Kezia, or Cassia, was used in the holy anointing oil and will perfume the garments of Christ as King in the coming day (Ps. 45:8); and Karen-happuch means “child of beauty or splendid, “And their father gave them inheritance among their brethren” — which was not the usual custom. The same expression used for the daughters of Job is used by the bridegroom in Song of Songs, when he speaks of bride as his “fair one,” and this figurative of the way the Lord view those whom He has redeemed at Calvary’s cross. They are precious in sight, and He has provided an inheritance for them which fadeth not away.
“So Job died, being old and full days"—an expression used concerning those men of old who died in faith, such as Abraham, Isaac and David. They walked by faith before the Lord and were accepted by Him for their faith. How different it was with Balaam, the false prophet (Numb. 22-24) who said, “Let me die the death of righteous and let my last end be 1ike his.” But he did not want to live the life of the righteous, and so he got his answer later: “I shall behold Him but not nigh.” The Lord could not accept him for he had sold himself for a reward. But the divine record of Job is that he was a man of faith, and he died in faith.
“Ye have heard of the patience Job, and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy,” James tells us (5:11). Again, “Happy is the man whom God correcteth.” Job 5:17. So may we in courage and press on.
“Hush then, impatient spirit,
Though the billows o’er thee roll;
‘Tis His loved ones whom He chastens
Love is fashioning the soul.”
ML-10/09/1960