Today started with what Elihu had predicted and the voice of the Lord went to Job in a storm and whirlwind. Job had previously said, “Let the Almighty answer me,” and now he was receiving the Lord’s answer.
God stated that Job’s complaining and raging against him were unjustified from limited understanding. The answer of God was to ply Job with rhetorical questions, to each of which Job would plead ignorance.
God said nothing about Job’s suffering, nor did he address Job’s problem about divine justice. Job didn’t get a verdict of justice as he was hoping, but God did not humiliate or condemn him as the counselors had hoped.
God continued to speak of all the things he had done. Inanimate creation testifies to God’s sovereignty and power; the earth, the sea, the sun, the netherworld, light and darkness, the weather, and the constellations. When the earth was created, the angels were there to sing the praises of the creator, but Job was not.
God continued talking about all the different animals. Animate creation testifies to God’s sovereignty, power, and loving care; the lion, the raven, the mountain goat, the wild donkey, the wild ox, the ostrich, the horse, the hawk, and the eagle.
God also spoke of huge beasts, continuing the animal theme. Behemoth referred to a large land animal that was one of God’s creatures and not a mythical being. Leviathon was a large marine animal, perhaps a crocodile, and was possibly more terrifying than the behemoth.
Both of these large creatures were mentioned to show that they were mighty, but still not as mighty as God; and were under the control of a sovereign God.
Job finally spoke and saw that God and his purpose were supreme. He said,
Up to this point, Job and his three friends and Elihu had only heard of God, but now Job had seen God with the eyes of faith and spiritual understanding. He could therefore accept God’s plan for his life. Job added repentance for the presumptuous words he had spoken to God.
Despite Job’s mistakes in word and attitude while he suffered, he was commended and the counselors were rebuked. Job spoke to God, while the counselors only spoke arrogantly of God and the knowledge they thought they had.
The counselors were to take seven bulls and seven rams to Job and offer them as a burnt offering for themselves. Then Job would pray for them, and God would accept his prayer for their follies.
Then the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he prayed for his friends. He was given twice as much as he had before. His family and all who had known him before went to him, and they ate bread together in his house.
They showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. Each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring.
The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters, and none in the land were as beautiful as his daughters. They received an inheritance among their brothers.
After this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. Job died an old man, and full of days.