Bible Commentaries
Job 42

Verses 1-6

JOB - CHAPTER 42

JOB’S SELF-EVALUATION

Verses 1-6:

Direct Repentance to God

Verses 1, 2 recount Job’s response to the extended rhetoric questions from the Almighty, Jehovah God, Job ch. 38-41. He began by acknowledging that he knew or realized that God knew everything, that He was omniscient, that nothing could be told Him that He did not already know, or withheld from Him knowledge of it, and that He could "do every thing," Genesis 18:14 in and with His omnipotent power over nature, contrasted with Job and man’s feebleness, which God had proved to him, Job 38:2; Job 40:15; Job 41:34. He added that "no thought" could be withheld or concealed from the Lord, so that He was competent and just in all His acts of judgment, Job 40:8-14; Job 17:11; James 1:13; James 1:17.

Verse 3 asks who it was that had hidden counsel without knowledge. He then asserts that it was he who had uttered things that he had not understood, was therefore guilty of pride, presumption, and lying. He added that he had rashly denied that the Lord had any fixed plan in governing human affairs, simply because God’s plan in governing man and the whole universe was "too wonderful" for him to comprehend, Psalms 40:5; Psalms 131:1; Psalms 139:6.

Verse 4 appeals to Jehovah to give heed to Job, adding "I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me," as he had foolishly done, without knowledge, Job 13:22. God alone could really demand, not Job. Therefore he quotes God’s words, Job 38:3; Job 40:7.

He was acknowledging that he had been presumptuous in his demand, rather than a pleading suppliant in prayer, as he should have.

Verse 5 continues his confession that he had heard of God by the hearing (sound) of the ear, in a formal way, Romans 10:17. But he added, "now mine eyes seeth thee," comprehensively, with understanding, as set forth Numbers 12:8-9; Isaiah 6:1; Ephesians 1:17-18. He had heard about and believed or trusted in God before, but not in the deep sense of spiritual wisdom that he did now.

Verse 6 bursts forth with a confession that having seen himself as a foolish presumptuous man, who spoke with pride beyond his knowledge, he now was anxious to repent in dust and ashes, abhorring himself, before the holy and just God, much as Isaiah felt in the holy presence of Him, Isaiah 6:1-8. Job repented and retracted the rash speeches he had made against God, abhorring himself for having made them, v. 3, 4; Zechariah 8:14.

Job Exonerated and Honored

Verses 7-17

Verses 7-17:

Verse 7 relates that after Job repented of his wrong attitude toward God regarding his suffering, he was then declared to have spoken "that which was right" toward the Lord. Then the Lord spoke a direct reprimand to Eliphaz the Temanite, that His wrath was kindled, ready to burn in direct judgment against both him and his two friends who had "parroted," or mimicked him in speaking wicked, false, or untrue things against Job. This they had done by lying, claiming they were speaking for God, in saying things He had not approved. They charged that Job was afflicted because he was a lying thief, who had gotten gain by mistreating the poor and stealing his wealth from widows.

They further charged him with being a sneaking hypocrite who suffered because of great sins of immoral nature that he should confess to have his afflictions removed. God told Eliphaz that he, Bildad and Zophar had lied on both Him, in claiming that their words were from the Lord, and against Job, see Job 13:7; Job 13:10.

Verse 8 declares that God called on Eliphaz to take to himself to escape God’s "kindled wrath," seven bullocks and seven rams, and go directly to God’s servant, Job, and offer up for him and his two lying prophet friends a burnt offering, in penitent’ acknowledgment of their sins, as later prescribed by the Laws of Moses, Numbers 23:1; 1 Chronicles 15:21; Ezekiel 14:23; Matthew 5:24.

This sacrifice was made in patriarch days, before the law was given, Genesis 20:17; This foreshadowed the true mediator, Jesus Christ, for the sins of all men, 1 Timothy 2:5. The Lord added that His servant Job, as an advocate would pray for (you all), for "him I will accept," as a just and perfect or mature patriarch man, James 5:16; 1 John 5:16; Job 22:30. The person must first be accepted, before his offering and work are acceptable, Genesis 4:4. Job interceded for his fake-friends, his enemies, after he had made things personally right with God, even as our Lord directed his church to do, Matthew 5:44, as Stephen did.

Verse 9 asserts that then, when directed, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, Job’s three tormenting friends from afar, did in accord with what the Lord in His wrath commanded them to do, Job 2:11. It is certified that the Lord also accepted Job, as he made intercession for his tormenting enemies, a foreshadow of what Jesus Christ later ordained for us, Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Acts 16:24; Acts 16:28; Acts 16:30-31.

Verse 10 relates that the Lord returned or restored the captivity, or removed the affliction from Job, and indemnified or repaid him for all that he had lost, "when he prayed for his friends." He also gave to Job twice as much as he had before his affliction, Isaiah 40:2; Ezekiel 16:53; Psalms 14:7. This seems to be an earnest assurance of the restoration of man’s body, in the resurrection, as a vindication of ones trust in the Lord, without regards to human sufferings, Hosea 6:11; Job 1:9-12; Romans 8:11. Note: Job’s recompense followed his praying for his enemies, even as our Lord did, in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12. For the "testimony of Jesus is the spirit (dynamics) of prophecy," Revelation 19:10.

Verse 11 relates that then, when his afflictions were gone, and his health was restored, there came to him "all his brethren, and all his sisters," and his former acquaintances before. And they ate bread or communed socially with him in his house, without fear, Job 19:13. His once estranged relatives and acquaintances returned, when his health and prosperity were returned by the Lord. Proverbs 14:10; Proverbs 19:6-7.

But the Lord does not desert the poor and the afflicted, tho earthly friends may. Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24. They "ate bread" again, in token of friendship, Psalms 41:9. And they comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had sent, permitted Satan to inflict upon him, Job 2:5. Everyone also gave him a "piece of money" and an "earring of gold." Presents are given in visiting a man of the East, after a calamity, especially to a man of rank, as Job had been, 2 Chronicles 32:23. The gold earring was given both as a treasured ornament and because of its value, as most gold was held in some form of ornaments, before it was minted. It was usually worn in the nose or ear, Genesis 35:4; Isaiah 3:21.

Verse 12 adds that the Lord blessed the latter end (days of life) of Job more than his beginning, with double-prosperity, Job 8:7; James 5:11. For he had, by increase, come to have 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen; and a thousand (1,000) she asses, Job 1:2-3. All were beasts of wealth and useful in the East.

Verse 13 adds further that he also had (thereafter) seven sons and three daughters, perhaps by a second wife, as his former unfaithful wife, who bitterly asked him to "curse God and die," is never mentioned after Job 19:17, see also Job 29:9-10.

Verse 14 states the name of the first (daughter) was Jemima which means "daylight," or hope, after his night calamity. The name of the second was Kezia or Cassia, an Aromatic herb, instead of stench from his sores and ulcers. And the name of the third daughter was Kerenhappuch which means "horn of stibiurn," a paint females used to dye their eyelids, instead of Job’s horn defiled in the dust, Job 14:15. The names also signify the beauty of his daughters In his Divine restoration, blessings, as suggested Genesis 4:25; Genesis 5:29.

Verse 15 relates that in all the land of Job’s Arabic domain there existed no women fairer than the daughters of Job. It is added that their father also gave them "an inheritance among their brethren," an unusual favor to daughters in the East, either among the Arabs or Jews. Under the Law, which was given later, daughters inherited properties, only if the father had no sons, Numbers 27:8; it was a proof of wealth and unanimity, or family unity.

Verse 16 states that Job lived after this, his restoration from the afflictions, for a time of 140 years and saw his sons and son’s sons, even four generations. The (LXX) Septuagint Indicates Job lived 170 years after his calamity and 10 children were born, v.13; and 240 years in all. This would make him 70 years of age at the time his calamity struck him, Job Ch. 1, taking the lives of all members of his first family.

Man’s life gradually shortened after the days of Terah, of Abraham’s lineage, who lived to be 205 years old, until in the days of David the normal span was considered to be 70 years, Psalms 90:10. That Job saw his sons and his son’s sons, even four generations, even for four generations, is evidence of Divine favor, Genesis 1:23; Psalms 128:6; Proverbs 17:6. Where it is declared that "children’s children are the crown of old men." See also Job 5:26; Proverbs 3:16.

Verse 17 concludes that Job died, being old and full of days, broken in body, Genesis 25:8; Genesis 35:24; Job 5:26; Psalms 91:16. Thus ends the story of the triumph of "trust in God," over the afflictions of the godly and the innocent, whatever those sufferings may be in this life, Job 2:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Proverbs 3:3-5; Galatians 6:9; 2 Timothy 4:7-8. May each child of God accept human suffering in resignation to the will of God, without question as Job did, in life and in death. For victory comes to each one day, and restored prosperity, whether here or hereafter, Revelation 2:10; Revelation 22:12.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CARPET

(A beautiful parable in two parts)

By Anson G. Chester

Part I

Let us take to our heart a lesson; No lesson can braver be, From the ways of the tapestry weavers, On the other side of the sea.

Above their heads the pattern hangs, They study it with care, And while their fingers deftly move, Their eyes are fastened there.

They tell this curious thing besides

Of the patient, plodding weaver:

He works on the wrong side evermore, But works for the right side ever.

It is only when the weaver stops,

And the web is loosed and turned, That he sees his real handiwork, That his marvelous skill has learned.

Ah! The sight of its delicate beauty, it pays for all its cost, No rarer, daintier work than his, Was ever done by the frost.

Then the master bringeth him golden hire, And giveth him praise as well, And how happy the heart of the weaver is, No tongue but his own can tell.

Part II

The years of man are the looms of God, Let down from the place of the sun, Wherein we all are weaving, Till the mystic web is done.

Weaving blindly, but weaving surely, Each for himself his fate, We may not see how the right side looks, We can only weave and wait.

But looking above for the pattern, No weaver hath need to fear, Only let him look into Heaven, The Perfect Pattern is there.

It he keeps the face of the Saviour Forever and always in sight, His toll shall be sweeter than honey, And his weaving sure to be right.

And when his task is ended, And the web is turned and shown, He shall hear the voice of the Master, It will say to him, "Well, done!"

And the white-winged angels of Heaven, To bear him thence shall come down; And God shall give for his hire -Not golden coin, but a Crown.

1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9; Revelation 2:10.