11 June Job 42

In Job 42, Job repents for questioning God and acknowledges His sovereignty. God restores Job's fortunes, blessing him with greater wealth, a new family, and a long life, while rebuking Job's friends for their incorrect counsel.

But now my eyes have seen you

One of the most profound moments in the book of Job occurs when God speaks directly to him, reminding him of His sovereignty and power. In response, Job declares, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5, NIV). Through his suffering, Job gained a deeper understanding of God's nature and a greater appreciation for His presence in his life. Job's trials led him to a new level of intimacy with God, shifting from a theoretical knowledge of God to an experiential one.

Earlier, in his suffering, Job had felt utterly helpless and hopeless, asking, “What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?” (Job 6:11, NIV). He felt powerless, questioning how he could help himself after his success had been taken away (Job 6:13). Yet, after enduring great loss, Job was restored and received twice as much as he had before, a testimony of how God uses adversity to refine and deepen our relationship with Him.

Paul echoes this transformation in 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT): “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me—and not without results.” Like Job, Paul understood that God's grace was the source of his strength and transformation.

Job’s experience teaches us that when we understand the good things in our lives as gifts from God, we are better prepared to accept both the blessings and the trials He allows. In Job 1:21 (AMP), Job declared, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord,” showing his submission to God’s will.

In Job 42:1-6 (NLT), we witness Job's repentance and humility before God: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about…” Job acknowledges that he spoke without understanding, and his encounter with God humbles him deeply.

Job’s longing for God’s presence is fulfilled in Job 42, just as in Job 19:25-27 (NLT), where he prophesies, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last… I will see him for myself.” Job had longed to see God, and his faith was rewarded with a direct encounter.

As Job sought God, so must we seek Him with all our hearts. The Scriptures urge us to seek God's presence continually: “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God” (1 Chronicles 22:19, ESV), “Seek the Lord while he may be found” (Isaiah 55:6, ESV), and “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”(Psalm 105:4, ESV).

May we, like Job, come to know God not just through hearing, but through experiencing His presence and holiness. And in doing so, may our hearts be forever transformed.