Psalms 8:1 and 31:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures, swimming with Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:1-5), Micah’s woe (Micah 7), and the end of Job’s captivity (Job 42:10).

Job 42:10 ¶ And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Later, the Spirit refers to this as “the latter end of Job” (Job 42:12), saying Job was blessed at the end of his ordeal “more than the beginning” of Job. The blessedness of his latter end to his beginning can be seen in the description of his wealth and honor in the beginning (Job 1:3) with the Spirit’s description of his wealth and honor at the end (Job 42:10, 12). All his wealth was restored twofold. He had seven sons and three daughters at the beginning; these were all killed in the wind that blew down the house where they were dining (Job 19). The blessing was double all he had before, but in the end, he is said to have seven sons, not fourteen, and three daughters, not six. The children who died were in paradise, waiting for the resurrection. Job received double for all his trouble.

Along the still waters, I reflected on what the Spirit, through James, testified concerning Job: “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11).

James refers to the “end of Job” as the “end of the LORD.”

We understand that the expression “the end” in the story of Job refers to the turning of his “captivity” (Job 42:10). It refers to when his ordeal was finished, his misguided friends were reproved,  his riches and honor were restored, Satan was rebuked, and the “hedge” that was removed once again protected Job from Satan’s mischief (Job 1:10).

The fact that the Spirit calls this the “end of the LORD” tells me that the LORD was with Job throughout the trial, that He endured this with His servant, that He walked with Job through his valley of death.

I thought about God’s silence until the end. His friends kept silent for 7 days. According to Job, God remained with him in his sufferings, silent, for months (Job 7:3). He knew what would come from his mouth, for He knew what was in his heart (Luke 6:45; see Proverbs 24:12). He waited, and listened. He also heard the “comfort” of his friends. He weighed their words and found that Job spoke honestly and truly concerning Him, but his friends did not (Job 42:7-8).

The LORD is with us in our trials, and will stay with us to the end. He might appear aloof, silent, and careless about your troubles, but that is not true: He is with you alway, even to the end (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5), and He cares (1 Peter 5:7). When you come to the end of your trial, you will see Him and know Him better than before (Job 42:1-6). Indeed, you “shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His cross, I rejoiced to know He is with me, and will be with me to the end, that my burdens are His, and my end is His end! With Job, we may say: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26).

I heard Him speak: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At the table, I asked Him: when we arrive, and he assesses our work, will he add 20 to the servant who faithfully produced 10? I imagined Him smiling and saying, Sure, but only if he would prefer a paltry double portion to his inheritance of all things (Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 3:21; 8:6).

He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy sidled up then took their place behind me as we walked into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏