Monday, June 30, 2008

Job 42:13

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Job 42:13


13 He had also seven [shib`anah] sons [ben] and three [shalowsh] daughters [bath]. KJV-Interlinear


13 And he had seven sons and three daughters. NASB


Job originally had seven sons and three daughters, prior to his suffering. We were never told their names, but only that they had regular parties and that Job had to hold regular confessional offering sacrifices in their behalf so as to keep them in good graces with the Lord (so to speak).

Then the disaster struck and all of the children were killed in one swift storm. Job lost his children along with nearly all of his assets on that single and fateful day. Shortly thereafter, his health turned south, and that is how he spent many weeks in suffering.

Job had his wife, but she too was not a happy camper with Job. Her best wishes for Job were that he simply curse God and then die. But despite his shortcomings and her bitter feelings, Jobs wife, who is never named, did not leave him, nor did she abandon him.

She hung in there, complete with her sadness over her family loss, the loss of her social status, and the loss of her lifestyle to which she had become accustomed. As Job was sneered at by family and friends, so too, she probably felt that same ostracism because she was his wife. She could have easily bailed out on him. But she did not.

But then came the whirlwind and everything changed.

God spoke. Jobs health was restored. Jobs family and friends came back. The restoration of their prosperity began. And all seemed to be getting better.

Without children, and starting life over, Job and his wife were reconciled and they had ten more children. Now common sense dictates that they got along pretty well.

Three is the number of deity and seven is the number of perfection or completeness. Job and his wife's life was made complete as symbolized by the number of their children - seven sons and three daughters. In everything they had, God was a part, and God was the foundation of their life - both of their lives.

Though they began life in prosperity, and that was interrupted, so now they will end their life, fully restored to the position they were in prior to the suffering, but of course much better off.