Job 42

CHAPTER 42

Job (42:1–6)

1–3 God's speech has ended. Now finally Job answers. And he begins by acknowledging the supremacy of God: “... no plan of yours can be thwarted” (verse 2). Then Job accepts God's earlier rebuke that he had obscured (darkened) God's counsel (Job 38:2): “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand” (verse 3).

4–6 Then, in one of the great moments of the book, Job says to God: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (verse 5). Job had “seen” God through the eyes of faith. Therefore he was able to accept God's plan for his life—even if it included suffering.

Many of us know about God, can talk about Him, write about Him. But not all of us have “seen” God; we have not encountered God personally. God remains a concept, an abstraction; this was the case with Job's three friends. They had theories about God, but no true knowledge of Him.

When one encounters God personally, all theories, all arguments, become irrelevant. That person, like Job, not only receives a deeper knowledge of God, but he receives a deeper knowledge of himself. In the presence of a holy God, one recognizes one's sinfulness—one's sinful nature, which Job also shared. And Job responded—as all of us must—with repentance: “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (verse 6). Job had already been humbled (see Job 40:4–5); now to his humility Job adds repentance.

What did Job need to repent of? First, he needed to repent of his sinful inclinations, his sinful nature, his self-centeredness, his desire to be vindicated. This is the most basic form of repentance, and it is equally required of all human beings.

But more important, Job had something specific to repent of: his rash words to God. He had dis credited God's justice; he had condemned God in order to justify himself (see Job 40:8). For this, Job needed to repent.

But Job did not need to repent of the imaginary sins his three friends had accused him of committing. Because, as we know from Chapters 1 and 2, Job's suffering was not the result of sin; in this regard, Job was blameless and upright (Job 1:8).

Epilogue (42:7–17)

7–9 The writer of the book of Job next informs us that God rebuked Job's three friends: “. . . you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” (verse 7).

What did God mean? We know that some of what Job said was not right (Job 40:8). One difference between Job and his three friends was that Job spoke to God directly, while the three friends just talked about God theoretically. Second, the friends were arrogant and judgmental; they were more interested in proving their theories than they were in helping their suffering friend. And third, they spoke assuredly of things they didn't know: they presumed to know why Job was suffering; they presumed to know God's mind and God's way (Isaiah 55:8–9; Romans 11:33–34). For all these reasons, God rebuked the three friends.

In a marvelous reversal of roles, the three friends had to go to Job and ask him to pray for them and to offer sacrifices for them. Job agreed to do so; he showed love to those who had so cruelly spoken against him (Matthew5:43–44).In doing so,Job proved once again that he was a blameless and upright man.

10–17 After this act of forgiveness on Job's part, God restored to him his prosperity—twofold. No longer was there any reason for Job's suffering to continue: Satan had been defeated, and Job had repented⁸⁴ and had forgiven his persecutors. God never allows us to suffer without reason. We may not learn the reason in this life, but like Job we can learn to trust God even in our suffering. God does know best, and He always works for the good of those who place their faith in Him⁸⁵ (Romans 8:28).

Before we leave this profound book, several comments should be made. The book of Job provides an important piece of Old Testament theology. If one reads the early Old Testament books superficially, one can get the impression that in this life the righteous always prosper and the wicked always suffer (Leviticus Chapter 26). The book of Job shows us that this is not always the case. However, we must say that it is usually the case; the book of Job does not contradict Leviticus Chapter 26. It merely teaches us that there are many things about God's ways that we cannot understand or fit into a “black-and-white” formula.

A second thing to note is that even though Job never found a reason for his suffering, he did find a Friend. This is perhaps the most important message in the book of Job. Through his suffering, Job came to understand that God was indeed his Friend—and this understanding came to Job even before his prosperity returned. It came when God first began to speak out of the storm (Job 38:1): the Almighty God of the universe cared enough for Job to come and speak with him. And He cares as much for each one of us. And He has proved it by sending to us His own Son. With the assurance of having such a Friend, we will be able to rise above our suffering.

Finally, let us reflect on the man Job himself. In one sense, Job represents all of us; he is an “everyman.” All those who fear God will at one time or another experience something of what Job experienced. This is why the book of Job is so important; it speaks to all of us, especially in times of suffering.

But in another sense, Job was a unique historical individual. Once a godly and prosperous man, Job proceeded to lose his wealth, his health, his children, the support of his wife, and the sympathy of his friends. Worst of all, he lost his sense of fellowship with God. In all of this loss, he had no earthly support. He was not an Israelite; he was outside the covenant community; he had neither the law nor the covenant promises that God gave to His chosen people. Yet Job, in spite of all this, held on to his faith in God. Can we imagine a man of greater faith in all of Scripture—save Jesus Christ Himself?

Indeed, we can look upon Job as a forerunner of Christ. Job didn't suffer because he was an evil man but because he was a righteous man. Only a righteous man could have served God's purpose in defeating Satan. And that is why only a righteous man—the most righteous Man—could have defeated Satan by dying on the cross for our sins.

In the book of Job, God spoke out of the storm. But in our time, God has spoken through something far better—through Someone far greater. In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1–2). Job lived long before the coming of Jesus, yet he said concerning God: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). Can we, who have the Spirit of Jesus, say any less?

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¹ For a discussion of the “Original Sin” of Adam and Eve, see Genesis 3:1–24 and comment; General Article: The Fall into Sin.

² Notice the role of Satan. Satan is both a tempter (Genesis 3:1–6; Matthew 4:1–11) and an accuser (Revelation 12:10). The name Satan means “accuser.” Satan's whole purpose is to destroy the fellowship that is meant to exist between God and humans. He does this, first of all, by accusing us before God; he accused Job of being righteous only because of the blessings God gave him. Second, he tries to destroy our fellowship with God by tempting us to sin; he tempted Job to curse God by bringing great suffering upon him. Suffering is not simply a matter between God and man; there is a third party—Satan—who is also involved. And this is one of the reasons suffering is sometimes inexplicable to humans: there is something going on in the spiritual realms of which we have no knowledge.

³ The book of Job is the first of the poetical books in the Old Testament. For a discussion of Hebrew poetry (the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew), see Psalms: Introduction.

⁴ God is the ultimate cause of everything that happens in the universe. However, He may use secondary agents to accomplish His will, just as He used Satan as an agent to inflict suffering on Job.
     The only thing that God does not cause is our sin; we are responsible for that. The results of our sin, however, are under His control.

⁵ In Hebrew, the personal name of Israel's God is “Yahweh.” In the English text of the Bible (NIV), this is translated “LORD,” using small capitals.

⁶ For further discussion concerning what it means to “fear God,” see footnote to comment on Genesis 20:8–13; Deuteronomy 6:1–3; Proverbs 1:7 and comments.

⁷ In verse 5, the Hebrew word for purified is the same as that used for consecrated in Exodus 19:14. For further discussion of consecration, see Exodus 29:1–9 and comment; Word List: Consecration.

⁸ God already knew where Satan had come from and what he had been doing; God merely wanted Satan to admit it.

⁹ Notice that the writer pictures God and Satan having a conversation, much as humans would. This is an example of anthropomorphism, that is, the picturing of God in human terms. For further discussion of anthropomorphism, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.

¹⁰ On the cross, Christ destroyed Satan's power over believers. Through the Holy Spirit, we too can overcome Satan. Satan may still be the prince of this world (John 12:31); but as for believers, the one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

¹¹ Although these words are spoken by Job, the writer has used his own word for God here: the LORD. The writer has done this in order to show that the God Job worshiped was indeed the God of Israel.

¹² In verse 3, God says to Satan: “. . . you incited me against [Job] to ruin him without any reason.” God cannot be “incited” or stirred up to do something against His will; furthermore, it was God who had first challenged Satan to “consider” Job. God had planned all along to use Satan to test Job; thus He allowed Himself to be incited to ruin Job “without any reason”—that is, without Job having done anything to deserve it.

¹³ Under Israelite law, the punishment for cursing or blaspheming God was death (Leviticus 24:15–16).

¹⁴ Unlike Job, the three friends never actually talk to God; they only talk about Him. They never express their feelings; they only express opinions.

¹⁵ Job wasn't the only one who cursed the day of his birth; the prophet Jeremiah did also (Jeremiah 20:14–18). Furthermore, Job wasn't the only one of God's servants who wished himself dead; at one point in their lives both Moses and Elijah asked God to let them die (Numbers 11:14–15; 1 Kings 19:3–4).

¹⁶ In verse 8, those who curse days are soothsayers; it was believed that they could prevent something good (like a birth) from happening on a particular day. Of course, it was too late for that; Job had already been born!
     Also in verse 8, Job refers to Leviathan, a mythical sea monster who could have “swallowed up” the day of his birth. Here again, Job is speaking in figurative language. For further discussion of Leviathan, see footnote to comment on Job 41:1–11.

¹⁷ For a discussion of the Old Testament concept of death and the afterlife, see Psalms 6:4–5; 16:9–11 and comments; Word List: Grave; General Article: What Happens After Death?

¹⁸ When speaking with a fellow believer who is suffering, the most important thing is to show love. But depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to give counsel and reproof; this is also part of showing love. If we speak with gentleness and humility, our words will be accepted.
     These same principles apply to our relations with non-believers as well. By our love, we will be able to point them to a heavenly Father who loves them also.

¹⁹ While Eliphaz argued mainly from experience, Bildad based his arguments on tradition, on conventional wisdom (Job Chapter 8). As for Zophar, he just delivered his arguments bluntly, telling Job he needed to repent and get right with God! (Job Chapter 11).

²⁰ If Eliphaz is speaking in verses 7–11 of a final, eternal “perishing” or punishment, then his observations are correct. But if he is speaking of punishment only during this lifetime, then he is not correct; in this life, many upright people do suffer calamity, and many evildoers escape it.

²¹ Our earthly body is sometimes described as a tent, a temporary dwelling (2 Corinthians 5:1,4; 2Peter 1:13). Once the tent cords are pulled up (verse 21), the tent collapses.

²² In verses 4–5, Eliphaz mentions several kinds of calamity, but ignores the fact that Job has already experienced much worse!

²³ Notice, in verses 18–19, the deliberate repetition in Hebrew poetry. In verse 19, the numbers six and seven are not meant to be taken literally; this is a poetic way of saying “many.”

²⁴ The word integrity means “character”; it is what a person is on the inside. It includes honesty, sincerity, and purity. Job's integrity was more important to him than anything else; like Job, we too must value our integrity above all earthly blessings.

²⁵ In verse 9, Job is speaking on the basis of common observation; he is not making a statement about life after death. In Hebrew, the word for grave is “Sheol.” For a discussion of the Old Testament concept of death and the afterlife, see Word List: Grave; General Article: What Happens After Death?

²⁶ It is all right to complain to God, but it is not all right to complain about God. We can understand Job's words, but we cannot justify them.

²⁷ Earlier Eliphaz had appealed to experience and to a special divine revelation (Job 4:12–21).

²⁸ Both papyrus and reeds grow in marshy areas and require much water to survive.

²⁹ In verse 9, Job calls God the Maker of the Bear and Orion and the Pleiades; these were constellations of stars well known in Job's time. In verse 13, Job says that even the mythical sea monster Rahab is afraid of God.

³⁰ Job is sure God has found him guilty because of the suffering he is enduring; only a guilty person would ever be given such punishment. But Job does not know what he is guilty of.

³¹ It is important to note that Job, perhaps without being fully aware of it, is revealing a profound spiritual truth here. No human being can stand before God and say, “I am innocent.” Yes, we may be innocent of many particular sins, but overall we are still sinners in God's sight.
     This is why Job says to God, “I know you will not hold me innocent” (verse 28). Job thought God was being unjust; but we know that Job—in common with all human beings—had secret sins, sins of attitude that he was not even aware of. Job was innocent of the supposed sins his three friends were sure he was guilty of; but he was not innocent of the sins God knew he was guilty of.

³² In verse 5, Zophar says, “Oh, how I wish that God would speak.” Zophar was very sure that God would take his side and speak against Job. But when God finally did speak, He spoke against Zophar! (Job 42:7–9). Let us not be quick to assume that God will take our position, or, like Zophar, we may find ourselves unpleasantly surprised.

³³ Job has become a laughingstock, though earlier he had called upon God and he answered (verse 4); here Job is referring to the period of his former prosperity described in the beginning of the book (Job 1:1–5), when he used to call upon God and God would answer by blessing him.

³⁴ Let not the wise and powerful—counselors, judges, kings and priests (verses 17–19)—glory in their wisdom and power. All they have and all they do is made possible by the enabling wisdom and power of God (verse 13).

³⁵ In ancient times, the soles of prisoners and slaves were branded with a hot iron as a means of identification.

³⁶ In verse 35, Eliphaz ends with a true statement about the wicked, the godless: They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. Trouble is first conceived in the mind and heart. It begins as an evil desire, an evil thought; then it soon gives birth to sinful acts (see James 1:13–15).

³⁷ Job is not completely wrong in saying that God was “attacking” him; indeed, God allowed the attacks to take place. Likewise, when we ourselves are assailed by enemies, illnesses, and other difficult circumstances, we need to see God's hand in them. It is not helpful to us to lash out at other humans or to lash out at our “bad luck.” It is God with whom we have to deal. And we need to ask, just as Job needed to ask: “God, what is your purpose behind my difficulties? Show me what I must do, and give me the strength to do it.”

³⁸ Job did not possess the Holy Spirit in the way we do today; Christians have spiritual resources that Job didn't have. Therefore, we ought to judge ourselves by a higher standard. Jesus taught us to deny ourselves and take up our cross (Mark 8:34). Truly, Job was “bearing a cross,” but he didn't have Jesus by his side.

³⁹ In verse 5, Job quotes a proverb that warns against denouncing one's friends (as the three friends had been doing to him); such slanderers—or their children—will suffer the consequences.

⁴⁰ Verses 8–9 are difficult to understand. Job may be saying: “Upright and innocent men will take my side against my three ungodly counselors; in doing so, these upright men will maintain their righteousness.” Or Job may be speaking sarcastically, in which case he is calling his three friends “upright” and “innocent” men who are aroused against the ungodly—namely, Job.

⁴¹ In the grave, Job's body will undergo decomposition and be covered with maggots; in Job's mind, the maggots will represent his father and mother (verse 14).

⁴² Notice that those (like Bildad) who are inclined to be severe with others will commonly insist that it is they who have been treated severely!

⁴³ In verse 13, Bildad says that death's firstborn will devour the limbs of the wicked. In ancient times, death was represented as a king, a ruler of the underworld; “death's firstborn,” then, would be the offspring of such a ruler.

⁴⁴ Truly knowing God doesn't mean just knowing about Him in an intellectual sense; it means knowing and relating to God personally. For further discussion on the subject of knowing God, see Exodus 6:2–5 and comment.

⁴⁵ To “redeem” someone (like a slave or criminal) means to pay a price to purchase that person's freedom or acquittal. Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, purchased our acquittal by offering His own life in place of ours. For further discussion of redemption, see Exodus 13:11–16; Ruth 2:19–20 and comments; Word List: Redemption.

⁴⁶ The Hebrew word for Redeemer is “goel,” an important word in Old Testament theology. It has two meanings. First, it means an avenger of blood (Numbers 35:16–21)—that is, someone who will obtain justice for a murdered kinsman by killing the murderer. Second, it means a deliverer who will purchase a kinsman's lost property (or lost freedom) and thus restore him to his rightful inheritance. If the kinsman has died, then his heirs receive the inheritance. The best Old Testament example of a kinsman redeemer is Boaz; his story is found in the book of Ruth.
     Job saw himself as a “murder victim.” He looked to a Redeemer who would both avenge him and also deliver him and restore to him his name and honor.

⁴⁷ The teaching about a bodily resurrection after death is not well developed in the Old Testament, but the belief in some kind of afterlife is expressed in many Old Testament passages, prominent among them being verses 25–27. Clearly the Holy Spirit inspired Job to speak these words.
     The fullest teaching about the resurrection of the body is found in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15.

⁴⁸ The first cycle of speeches is covered in Chapters 4–14; the second cycle is covered in Chapters 15–21.

⁴⁹ The dark and the flood (verse 11) are poetic figures of speech representing trouble and suffering.

⁵⁰ Notice that in verses 21–30 Eliphaz describes the blessings that come from submitting to God, while earlier in verses 15–20 he talked about the punishments that come from not submitting. Both approaches are equally valid; we need to remind people that in God's universe there are both rewards and punishments, blessings and curses (Leviticus 26:3–39; Deuteronomy 30:11–20). If the positive (reward) approach doesn't produce a response, maybe the negative (punishment) approach will!

⁵¹ The light also stands for God's law, against which evildoers rebel.

⁵² In verses 18–25, Job describes in figurative language what happens to wicked people. Many of them don't amount to anything; they are like foam on the surface of water (verse 18); they go childless, and their bodies are eaten by worms (verse 20); for a time they may feel established and secure (verses 22–23), but in the end they are cut off like heads of grain—a figure symbolizing judgment (verse 24).

⁵³ In verse 6, note once again the repetitive nature of Hebrew poetry. There is no essential difference between a man who is a maggot, and a son of man who is a worm; both lines of the verse state the same thing. Throughout the book of Job, most of the poetic stanzas have consisted of two lines, the second of which repeats the thought of the first line or adds to it. For further discussion of Hebrew poetry, see Psalms: Introduction.

⁵⁴ We must never try to exalt God by demeaning His creation; to demean man is to demean God.

⁵⁵ In verse 12, Rahab is a mythical sea monster (Job 9:13). In verse 13, the gliding serpent is Leviathan, another mythical sea monster (Job 3:8).

⁵⁶ In the Old Testament, to accuse someone falsely was a serious crime. The accuser was given the same punishment that would have been given to the accused had the accusation been true (Deuteronomy 19:16–19). For what it means to be cut off, see Leviticus 7:19–21 and comment.

⁵⁷ Note, in verses 16–19, that the riches heaped up by the wicked end up in the hands of the righteous. Even the big houses of the wicked are no more permanent than a cocoon or a watchman's hut (verse 18). These verses remind us of Jesus' parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21.

⁵⁸ For a discussion of wisdom, see Proverbs 1:2–7 and comment.

⁵⁹ In verse 22, Job is imagining that the dead may have gained some understanding that they didn't have in life (see Luke 16:19–31).

⁶⁰ For further discussion of the fear of the Lord, see footnote to comment on Genesis 20:8–13; Deuteronomy 6:1–3 and comment.

⁶¹ Such language offends our modern ears. Why does Job spend so much time denouncing the fathers of his mockers? He does it in order to dramatize how far he has fallen: now even the sons of vagabonds are mocking him (verse 9). This kind of poetic overstatement was a common rhetorical device in the ancient Middle East.

⁶² Job made a covenant with [his] eyes (verse 1). Sin begins in the eye-in the heart. So to avoid committing this sin of lust, Job had to control his eyes-to keep his eyes bound by a “covenant” promise not to look lustfully at women (see Matthew 5:28).

⁶³ In verse 7, Job says: “. . . if my heart has been led by my eyes. . .” He is referring here to the sin of covetousness. First we see something with our eyes, and then we long for it in our heart. The Apostle John calls covetousness the “lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16). The tenth commandment forbids us to covet (see Exodus 20:17 and comment).

⁶⁴ All sins against other people are also sins against God, because He has commanded us to love others, not to harm them.

⁶⁵ For further discussion on the subject of idolatry, see Exodus 20:3–6; 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 4:28 and comments.

⁶⁶ Gloating over enemies is condemned both by Moses and by Jesus (see Exodus 23:4–5; Matthew 5:43–44). Inhospitality also is condemned; instead, we are to show hospitality to all (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9).

⁶⁷In fairness to Job, we must add that not only was he righteous in his own eyes (verse 1) but he was also righteous—blameless and upright—in God's eyes (Job 1:8).
     No person—not even someone like Job—can claim to be righteous in and of himself. But through faith in the One who was completely righteous, Jesus Christ, we too can be considered “righteous” in God's eyes—not through any righteousness of our own, but through the righteousness of Him who died to save us from our sins (see Romans 3:21–24).

⁶⁸ God can speak through the young as well as the old; He can speak to us through our children. Paul wrote to Timothy: Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young (1 Timothy 4:12).

⁶⁹ The Spirit of God was active in the creation of the earth and continues to be active in maintaining God's creation (Genesis 1:2); also, man was originally taken from clay (verse 6)—that is, from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7).

⁷⁰ Earlier Job had expressed the desire for a mediator to stand between him and God (Job 9:32–35; 16:18–21). Here Elihu takes that idea one step further: through the mediator, sinful man can be redeemed (verse 28) by the paying of a ransom (verse 24). For further discussion on the subject of redemption, see Exodus 13:11–16; Ruth 2:19–20 and comments; Word List: Redemption.

⁷¹ It is important to keep in mind that Elihu does not draw a clear distinction between physical life on earth and life after death. He is most likely thinking only of life on earth when he speaks of Job being renewed and restored (verses 25–26). The Old Testament does not provide clear teaching about the afterlife. As Christians, however, we know that we receive new spiritual life when we believe in Christ and that that life will last forever. We also know that after death we shall receive a new spiritual body which will never die.

⁷² The you in verse 16 is singular.

⁷³ Job had asked earlier for such a hearing before God in order to proclaim his innocence (see Job 24:1; 31:35–37).

⁷⁴ In verse 14, Elihu says that the wicked will die among the male prostitutes of the shrines. Ritual prostitution, both male and female, was one of the most shameful features of Canaanite worship (1 Kings 14:24).

⁷⁵ In verse 1, the writer of the book of Job uses the covenant name of Israel's God. In their speeches, Job and his counselors used the general word for God because they were non-Israelites (see Job: Introduction).

⁷⁶ Sometimes God does give us answers to our questions, but He is not obliged to. Our faith must rest in God Himself and not in answers.

⁷⁷ In verse 23, God says He reserves the hail for times of trouble. Sometimes He uses hail as a weapon to punish the enemies of His people (see Joshua 10:11; Isaiah 28:2).

⁷⁸ In verse 31, God mentions Pleiades and Orion, two constellations of stars known to people in the ancient Middle East (Job 9:9).

⁷⁹ The Hebrew word for unworthy (verse 4) can also mean “small and insignificant.” Certainly this is how Job felt after he saw how small he was and how little he knew compared with God.
     In verse 5, Job says: “I spoke once . . . twice. . .” The “once” and “twice” are not meant to be taken literally; this is a Hebrew figure of speech meaning “more than once.”

⁸⁰ Job had said: “God has wronged me” (Job 19:6). Statements like this are what constituted Job's sin against God.

⁸¹ God's arm symbolizes His power.

⁸² The use of the behemoth and the leviathan as symbols is found elsewhere in the Old Testament and also in Revelation Chapters 12–13, where the words “beast” and “dragon” are used. Indeed, in Revelation 12:9, John writes: The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. The behemoth and leviathan, then, are essentially the same symbol—the symbol of Satan. For further discussion, see comment on Job 41:1–11 and footnote to comment.

⁸³ Like the behemoth (Job 40:15), the leviathan described in Chapter 41 is best understood as an actual creature—though its description is highly figurative. It later entered popular mythology as the sea monster Leviathan (see Job 3:8). For further discussion of the leviathan, see comment on Job 40:15 and footnote to comment.

⁸⁴ Job had humbled himself and repented before God; therefore, the time had come for him to be restored, to be exalted (see James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).

⁸⁵ Job experienced God's “good” in this life. But far more important is the “good” that God has in store for us after this life. Even though a believer can see no end to suffering on earth, he or she can still count on an end to suffering in heaven (Revelation 21:4)—plus eternal fellowship with God.