Job

Job 42: God corrects and graciously restores

Begin in prayer

Before we read the end of Job, please ask God for humble repentance and trust in His compassion.

Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Exodus 34:8-9

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Teach us to confess what is wrong and receive Your mercy with gratitude. Help us see Jesus, the living Priest whose sacrifice and intercession bring sinners mercy. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Job confesses God’s unrestrained purpose and admits speaking about things he did not understand. He says to God, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” He abhors himself and repents in dust and ashes. God rebukes the three friends and commands seven bulls and seven rams as burnt offerings, with Job praying for them. The LORD accepts Job and restores him as he prays for his friends, and his family comforts him and gives him gifts. God doubles his livestock and gives seven sons and three daughters, with the daughters receiving an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lives 140 years, sees four generations and dies old and full of days.

As you read Job 42, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God’s purpose cannot be restrained, and He corrects Job, rebukes the friends and graciously restores him.

Job acknowledges God’s unrestrained purpose and admits that he spoke about things beyond his understanding. His abhorrence and repentance answer God’s correction, not the hidden crimes his friends invented. God’s wrath burns against the friends for speaking wrongly about Him, while He calls Job His servant. This vindication does not erase Job’s repentance or make every earlier accusation against God true. The commanded sacrifices and Job’s accepted prayer display mercy toward the men who wronged him. Restoration comes from the LORD as Job prays, rather than being a payment earned by prayer. Job had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but now his eye sees Him, and therefore he repents. New children and renewed abundance are real gifts without erasing the deaths and grief recorded at the beginning. The closing long life is Job’s particular blessing, not a contract that every sufferer will receive the same.

How does Job 42 show us that God’s purpose cannot be restrained, and He corrects Job, rebukes the friends and graciously restores him?

God’s purpose humbles Job into repentance.

Job now acknowledges what he did not understand. He says that he had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but now his eye sees Him. He abhors himself and repents in dust and ashes. God’s correction leads him beyond defending himself through accusations against his Maker.

God corrects the friends and accepts prayer for them.

The LORD condemns their speech and commands seven bulls and seven rams as burnt offerings. Job must pray for them, and God says He will accept him. God appoints offerings and Job’s prayer so He will not deal with them according to their folly.

Restoration is God’s generous gift.

The LORD doubles Job’s livestock and gives him seven sons and three daughters. His daughters receive an inheritance among their brothers. Job lives another 140 years and dies old and full of days, without making these gifts every believer’s promised outcome.

Memorise

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.

Job 42:2

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what must I confess as I come to Jesus for mercy instead of defending myself?

Job says, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” Seeing God, he abhors himself and repents in dust and ashes. Then God accepts Job’s prayer for the friends who wronged him.

Jesus, the Son, has made God known (John 1 verse 18). He died in the place of His people and carried their sins under God’s judgment. His work is finished, and nothing needs to be added to it. God raised Him from the dead, and He lives to pray for everyone who comes to God through Him (Hebrews 7 verse 25).

Turn from your sins and believe in Jesus. Everyone who comes to God through Him is forgiven and accepted. Bring Him what you need to confess, and trust Him to bring you to God.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God corrects and shows mercy, while Job’s restoration never promises every sufferer the same earthly gifts. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for unrestrained purpose, correction and compassionate mercy, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,

Ephesians 1:3-6

Father, thank You for purposes no one can restrain and mercy no sinner can earn. Forgive our proud defenses and the harm our words have done. Please turn us to faith in Jesus, the living Priest whose sacrifice is sufficient. Help us confess, forgive and pray for others as we trust You this week. In Jesus' name, Amen.