Day 15: Job 40-42

In yesterday’s study, we saw that God came on the scene! That was so exciting to me. Afterall, it’s always exciting whenever we see God come on the scene. In today’s reading, Job replies very briefly to God. I imagine him with this emoji: 😳

He basically acknowledges that he was running his mouth about things he doesn’t understand, so he decides to keep his mouth shut now.

Job was described as righteous. He glorified and honored God and offered sacrifices. However, God points out that Job was a bit prideful and entitled. He valued the good things he did a little too much. It’s almost as if he felt like God owed him something because he did good things. But remember, “being a good person” isn’t what makes us righteous.

But we are all like an unclean thing,

And all our righteousnesses are like [a]filthy rags;

We all fade as a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind,

Have taken us away.

Isaiah 64:6

For those of us post-New Testament, we are made righteous by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Yes, we should be “good people”, but we cannot boast in that nor can we think that’s enough. It is always about the LORD.

So, Job repents and humbles himself. He realizes it is not about him. He is no longer building himself up, nor is he beating himself up. This is humility. Recognizing that it is not about us.

After Job repents, God moves on to rebuke Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar! He corrects them and tells them that they have not spoken correctly about Him. They claimed to be delivering the word of God to Job and to have been visited by spirits. However, it wasn’t the spirit of God, so either they were lying, or they were visited by evil spirits who deceived them. 

This is why we have to use discernment when people want to “give us a word”. This always reminds us of the importance of getting to know God for ourselves through the study of Scripture. If someone does try to sell us lies about the LORD, we will be able to spot it because we know Him.

God instructs Job’s friends to apologize, and He tells Job to pray for them. This makes me think about how a good parent handles disagreements among their children. It also emphasizes the importance of making the sacrifice to pray for those who do us wrong. There are a variety of verses that tell us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute and spitefully use us. We see that Job obeyed God, humbled himself, and prayed for his heartless friends, and when he did, God blessed him. (see chapter 42)

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 

Matthew 5:44

We also see how God humbles, purifies, and restores. In Job’s case, God restored Job’s relationships and everything else in his life. I’ll note that even his marriage was restored. This is apparent in the fact that he had more children. In Job 2:9, she told her husband to curse God and die. In Job 19:17, we see Job’s breath was repulsive to his wife. It appears that what was left of Job’s family had rejected him. God restores marriages. He restores family. Nothing is beyond His repair!

He also gave Job a double portion! That just speaks volumes about God’s character. He is merciful, forgiving, loving, kind, and generous. He wants to bless His children, but He also wants to purify us and ensure we are in rightstanding with Him. He wants a relationship with us, and He desires that our perception of Him is correct.

Chapter 42 is when the females are mentioned in the genealogy list. Not only are they listed instead of the males, but they also receive an inheritance alongside the males. Job demonstrates humility and generosity in doing something so unheard of in those days.

Side Note: I think there is a mention of dinosaurs in chapters 40 and 41. Did you catch it?

Today’s study was so rich and fun! Be sure to see the photos of my notes in my Bible for more details!

This is a grace-filled space—come as you are. If you’d like, comment below to share what stood out to you; your words may bless another sister. You can also connect with us in our GroupMe Bible Study chat (link in your email).

Resources Used:

ESV Single Column Journaling Bible (Original, Black): Holy Bible, English Standard Version

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda

The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible

Bible Hub: https://biblehub.com/

Crayola Silly Scents Twistables Colored Pencils, 12 count

BIC Xtra Strong Mechanical Pencils with Erasers, Thick Point (0.9mm), 24-Count

Mr. Pen- Sticky Index Tabs, 480 Pcs, Colorful Sticky Tabs for Notebooks

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This supports the ministry!

Note: I'm sharing my personal study notes, which means they may contain doctrinal or technical errors. Extend grace as we learn together, and be sure to study the Word for yourself.

By: LaRissa J

toddlermomdiaries.com