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Job 42:12
12 So the LORD [Yahovah] blessed [barak] the latter end ['achariyth]
of Job ['Iyowb] more than his beginning [re'shiyth]: for he had fourteen ['arba`][`asar] thousand ['eleph] sheep [tso'n], and six [shesh] thousand ['eleph] camels [gamal], and a thousand ['eleph]
yoke [tsemed] of oxen [baqar], and a thousand ['eleph]
she asses ['athown]. KJV-Interlinear
12 And the Lord blessed the
latter days of Job more than his beginning, and he had 14,000 sheep, and 6,000
camels, and 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. NASB
Now your first thought here is probably, 'If I be good
and pray and eat my vegetables everyday, then God will be kind to me and give
me a thousand camels!!!'
Just how far would you walk for a camel?
And now you probably think that, that is a bit of
humor.Hummm?
Well it is, . and it isn't.
Back in chapter one, we read that Job was the greatest
man in the region.He was one of whom
God would brag and was proud.
Job was a type, an illustration, an example of our
Lord, Jesus Christ, in that Christ came into this world, a land foreign from
heaven, suffered for us all, and then returned to heaven with an infinitely
greater blessing than he had before. That is, by our observation, of the before
and after, of His work on the Cross.
There are many lessons in this verse.
First, the doubling of the herds and flocks is
symbolic of Gods work and not of Jobs unique effort in business.His wealth grew because God willed it to
grow, not because of Jobs exceptional business abilities.
By mentioning his wealth, we can presume that his
standing in the community and in the region was restored back to its original
state, if not better, than before.
Likewise, since we know of Jobs character, and of how
he deals with people, then Job recognized that God gave him this great wealth
in order to help others, not just for his own pleasures.Job would have offered more loans at fair
interest rates (not usurious ones), he would have employed more people, both in
his household, and in the fields.
Of course, Job would have a higher standard of living
as a result of his wealth.That is only
natural. But God does not just give us things, for our selfish use and
possession.
When God created the earth, He placed reservoirs of
natural resources here on this planet, for our use.When God prospers someone, that is just
another form of reservoir of resources for charity, employment or financing, or
research, or innovation and so forth.
Some folks recognize this principle and pursue
legitimate and honest investment of their God given wealth.And some folks pursue greed as though they
did not have enough.
All wealth and prosperity comes from God and from no
other source.No one has the right to
claim their own superior abilities in acquiring whatever it is that they
possess.
And of course there will be those who will try to
destroy this principle of life.Persons
charging high interest rates and fees that are based on pure greed, governments
that assess tax rates that are beyond reason, inheritance laws that destroy
estates, people in general who selfishly refuse to support, to help, or give to
others, and so forth.
God provides wealth, and that is a very good goal for
anyone. Wealth is a reservoir for growth and stability in a life and in an
economy.Even if it gets abused by
selfish people, it is their sin which is bad, not the wealth.
Now this principle of blessing does not mean that we
will all become masters of camels, but it does mean that all adherences to Bible
doctrine will be blessed with blessings that far exceed anything which we can
gain on our own.
Pursue the world and you are only as good as the
jungle is good to you.Eventually all
jungle citizens lose.
Pursue God, Christ, doctrine and your spiritual life,
and your life will end up successful, even if you do not receive it until you
arrive in heaven.
Our ultimate goal is not earthly success in this life,
but spiritual success for eternity.We
may have to suffer to some extent, now, during our life here in this world, but
all suffering ends when you lean on and place your life in Gods hands.
Now, how far are you willing to go for your vast herds
of real blessings?
Now is the time to post a prayer.
End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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