Job 42:7-9

VII. RECONCILIATION AND RENEWAL (Job 42:7-17)

A.

ELIPHAZ MAKES A GREAT BURNT-OFFERING AND JOB INTERCEDES FOR HIS FRIENDS. (Job 42:7-9)

TEXT 42:7-9

7 And it was so, that, after Jehovah had spoken these words unto Job, Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8 Now therefore, take unto you seven bollocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept, that I deal not with you after your folly; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as Jehovah commanded them: and Jehovah accepted Job.

COMMENT 42:7-9

Job 42:7Now Yahweh turns to Eliphaz and declares that He is disturbed that they have all along misrepresented Him.[406] They have distorted the will of God in their counsel to Job. Yet they uttered each word as though it had been directly authorized by Him1 Samuel 23:23. Job himself had accused them of lying in order to defend GodJob 13:4; Job 13:7-11. Job is surely vindicated now. God has not only broken His silence; He has condemned Job's adversaries. The integrity of God's impatient protester has now been rewarded. He has also judged pious hypocrites, even those who pretend to speak for Him. What a lesson we must all learn! Twentieth century man needs as never before to know Job's creator-redeemer. God in His mercy has bathed this tormented soul in the healing oils of love and forgiveness. My servant, so acclaimed in the beginning and in the end, has survived the temptations of suffering and pain. He has indeed been in the furnace of affliction.

[406] See I. G. Williams, You Have Not Spoken Truth of Me, Mystery and Irony in Job, Zeitschriftfur alttestamentlische Wissenschaft, 1971, pp. 231-255.

Job 42:8This is an enormous sacrificeNumbers 23:1 ff, indicating a grave matter. Vicarious atonement is imperative for wholenessLeviticus 4:1 ff. Intercessory prayer is a mighty force throughout the scripturesGenesis 18:23 ff; Exodus 8:30; Exodus 32:11 ff; Deuteronomy 9:20; Isaiah 53:12; Jeremiah 37:3; and Amos 7:2 ff. Yahweh tells them to go to Job because, literally, his face I will lift up, i.e., acceptJob 13:8. As Job is the offended party, he must intercedeJob 22:30. The intercession is for their folly (Heb. nebalah)Genesis 34:7; Deuteronomy 22:21; Joshua 7:15; and Jeremiah 29:23.

Job 42:9Note that Elihu is not mentioned, in spite of the extensive materials in the Elihu speechesChapter s 32-37. Yahweh forgave them because of Job's sacrifice and intercessory prayer on their behalf. His vicarious suffering approaches our Lord's redemptive suffering as the Suffering ServantIsaiah 52:13, Isaiah 53:12; Philippians 2:5 ff. But suffering alone is not redemptive, as Dostoevsky assumed; only the suffering of our incarnate Lord and Master can redeem the fallen universeRomans 8; Revelation 21.