Submitting to God

Job has been making judgments with partial data and limited understanding. Here in the climax, Job realizes he has spoken about things that simply transcend his ability to understand (v 3).

Even though Job is not given all the “answers” he does see the living God, which is more than enough for him. Crucially, Job realizes that God is so holy and transcendent that all questions fade away in his presence. Job cannot understand, but he knows God does. Job is not sinless, but God is. Job is helpless in the face of evil, but God is so great that he even overrides evil to accomplish his purposes. This cannot be learned through human observation: it is only learned in a personal encounter with God.

The book ends with Job living under the hand of God and being blessed with twice the prosperity he had before. But the point is hardly the material blessing he receives. The point is that Job was in the hand of God before, during, and after his suffering. Satan was purposing to harm and destroy, but God was working all things together for good (compare Romans 8:28).

We cannot always expect that after a trial, God will enrich us materially. Yet we can know that God will bless us richly through every trial of our lives, because of the blessings that are ours through Jesus Christ (compare Romans 8:32). We are under the hand of God, and his hands bear the scars of Calvary’s nails. As much as Job suffered, Christ suffered more. No matter what we go through in this world, we can have confidence that in the end, the blessings we receive will be more than worth it all. Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Respond in Prayer

Lord, you are rich and bless us richly. Give us grace so that even when we go through painful trials, we can trust you. Strengthen us so we can worship at all times. Reveal yourself to us and comfort us with your great presence. Thank you for Christ’s cross. Amen.

Steve West