Job 42:10

Job 42:10

Thoughts from Jack Affeldt

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“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

Job 42:10

QOP- Behind the Scenes
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In the preceding chapters of this book, Job lost his children, his livestock, and his health. Several friends visited Job and offered their explanations as to why Job has suffered such misfortune. They reasoned that Job’s suffering was punishment for his sins. God, however, condemned the judgements of these friends, telling them, “My anger burns against you…for you have not spoken of me what is right” (Job 42:7).

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At the end of God’s address to the men, God commanded Job’s friends to go prepare a sacrifice, adding, “And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly” (Job 42:8). The Enduring Word commentary notes, “We can imagine that they were quite surprised by this. They no doubt thought that God was in agreement with them all along.”

Slide

In this instruction, God humbled Job’s friends and also set the stage for restoration of the relationship between Job and his friends as well as the restoration of Job’s many losses. G. Campbell Morgan described the situation like this: “They had attempted to restore Job by philosophy. They had failed. He was now to restore them by prayer. The bands of his own captivity were broken, moreover, in the activity of prayer on behalf of others.”

QOP- Make it Real
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The Lord’s restoration of Job’s losses coincided with his intercession for his friends. God said that he would accept Job’s prayer on his friends’ behalf; they were beneficiaries of Job’s faithful prayer. But Job himself also benefitted from his obedient prayer for his friends.

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Commenting on this passage from Job, Matthew Henry wrote, “The tide thus turned, his troubles began to ebb as fast as they had flowed, just then when he was praying for his friends, praying over his sacrifice which he offered for them. Mercy did not return when he was disputing with his friends, no, not though he had right on his side, but when he was praying for them…We are really doing our business when we are praying for our friends, if we pray in a right manner, for in those prayers there is not only faith, but love. Christ has taught us to pray with and for others in teaching us to say, Our Father; and, in seeking mercy for others, we may find mercy ourselves.”

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In our study of prayer these past several weeks, we’ve seen that prayer is a way of agreeing with and partnering with God. Rather than seeking to conform God’s will to ours, we submit our will and our very selves to be transformed by Him. And so, when we pray in faith and love for others, we invite God to work not only in their lives, but in ours as well.

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Intercessory prayer is not reserved for the spiritual elite; it is something all Christians are called to do. Paul, for example, often wrote about his prayers for those in the churches he planted and visited, but he also asked these believers to pray for him. Is prayer for others routinely part of your conversations with God? Such prayer strengthens your relationship with God as well as your relationship with those you pray for. Have you ever felt God move in your own heart as you have prayed for it to be on Earth, in the lives of those around you, as it is in Heaven?

QOP- End in Prayer
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Father in Heaven,

You are sovereign over all creation, yet You hear me and choose to use me in your work. Please help me to be a faithful follower by being a faithful friend. Holy Spirit, please stir in me a confidence that my prayers are not only received, but welcomed and desired! Fill me with Your vision for the community around me as I pray for it to be on Earth as it is in Heaven today.

In Your holy name,

Amen.

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“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” 

Job 42:10

Behind the Scenes

In the preceding chapters of this book, Job lost his children, his livestock, and his health. Several friends visited Job and offered their explanations as to why Job has suffered such misfortune. They reasoned that Job’s suffering was punishment for his sins. God, however, condemned the judgements of these friends, telling them, “My anger burns against you…for you have not spoken of me what is right” (Job 42:7). 

At the end of God’s address to the men, God commanded Job’s friends to go prepare a sacrifice, adding, “And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly” (Job 42:8). The Enduring Word commentary notes, “We can imagine that they were quite surprised by this. They no doubt thought that God was in agreement with them all along.” 

In this instruction, God humbled Job’s friends and also set the stage for restoration of the relationship between Job and his friends as well as the restoration of Job’s many losses. G. Campbell Morgan described the situation like this: “They had attempted to restore Job by philosophy. They had failed. He was now to restore them by prayer. The bands of his own captivity were broken, moreover, in the activity of prayer on behalf of others.”  

Make It Real

The Lord’s restoration of Job’s losses coincided with his intercession for his friends. God said that he would accept Job’s prayer on his friends’ behalf; they were beneficiaries of Job’s faithful prayer. But Job himself also benefitted from his obedient prayer for his friends.  

Commenting on this passage from Job, Matthew Henry wrote, “The tide thus turned, his troubles began to ebb as fast as they had flowed, just then when he was praying for his friends, praying over his sacrifice which he offered for them. Mercy did not return when he was disputing with his friends, no, not though he had right on his side, but when he was praying for them…We are really doing our business when we are praying for our friends, if we pray in a right manner, for in those prayers there is not only faith, but love. Christ has taught us to pray with and for others in teaching us to say, Our Father; and, in seeking mercy for others, we may find mercy ourselves.”  

In our study of prayer these past several weeks, we’ve seen that prayer is a way of agreeing with and partnering with God. Rather than seeking to conform God’s will to ours, we submit our will and our very selves to be transformed by Him. And so, when we pray in faith and love for others, we invite God to work not only in their lives, but in ours as well.  

Intercessory prayer is not reserved for the spiritual elite; it is something all Christians are called to do. Paul, for example, often wrote about his prayers for those in the churches he planted and visited, but he also asked these believers to pray for him. Is prayer for others routinely part of your conversations with God? Such prayer strengthens your relationship with God as well as your relationship with those you pray for. Have you ever felt God move in your own heart as you have prayed for it to be on Earth, in the lives of those around you, as it is in Heaven? 

Hailey Schroeder

Hailey Schroeder

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Father in Heaven,  

You are sovereign over all creation, yet You hear me and choose to use me in your work. Please help me to be a faithful follower by being a faithful friend. Holy Spirit, please stir in me a confidence that my prayers are not only received, but welcomed and desired! Fill me with Your vision for the community around me as I pray for it to be on Earth as it is in Heaven today.  

In Your holy name,  

Amen. 

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