Job’s End

The last chapter of the book of Job, compared with the first chapter, gives several striking incidents of the Lord’s character in restoring grace.
There is not only grace, but the largeness of that grace in reference to Job, and much that was connected with his history.
The testimony of the Holy Ghost in James is, “Take, my brethren, the Prophets, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 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.”
Job had desired that his words were engraven in a rock, that generations might learn from his testimony: but the Lord had a manner of unfolding his grace, in connection with Job’s trial, that Job at the time had little idea of.
In all that was seen at the beginning connected with affliction and loss to Job, ―the Lord takes occasion to unfold His purposes of restoring grace.
Thus it was, there was no description of sorrow or loss that Job met at the beginning, but has a corresponding description, with a rich provision of joy in the end, through the tender mercy of the Lord.
The very particular mention of each kind of affliction, only expresses more plainly the pity of the Lord in every minute particular of His servant’s trial; and exhibits the largeness of the Lord’s heart, in his purposes in restoration.
Did he at the beginning lose seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses; ―then he had in the end fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand she asses.
The restoration was not only complete to satisfy the servant’s heart with fullness of joy, but it was more; it was double on all his loss; it was the expression of the Lord’s tender mercy. Had he met the grief of countenance charged against him―his own familiar friends standing aloof from his love―this also the blessed Lord turns to account in restoring joy.
Then there is in the seven sons and three daughters, the complete filling up of all his former sorrows, in measures of fullness of joy and blessing.
The names of his three daughters: ―first, Jemima (handsome as the day); second, Kezia (cassia); third, Keren-happuch (child of beauty); answer the purposes of the Lord’s restoring grace, and giving to his servant the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness, ―and beauty for ashes.
The blotting out of the legal spirit in the three friends, and reference to atonement by blood, and intercession; and the channel of blessing into which Job is led, in the place of self-abasement, to enjoy the Lord in His light, gives the key to restoring joy.