Fathers in the Bible: Job, A Praying Father

Job was a man who greatly loved God and his family.  The name Job means persecuted or hated.

“In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.”  {Job 1:1}

“The country he lived in was the land of Uz, in the eastern part of Arabia, which lay towards Chaldea, near Euphrates, probably not far from Ur of the Chaldees, whence Abraham was called.”  {Matthew Henry Commentary}

“This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”  {Job 1:2}

“As to his character, he was perfect and upright, feared God and eschewed evil.”  {All the Men of the Bible}

“He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants.”  {Job 1:3}

“As to his possessions, he was a wealthy landowner, having seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she asses and a large household.”  {All the Men of the Bible}

“He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.”  {Job 1:4}

He was the richest, most well known and renowned man of his time.  His greatest riches was in his family.

“He had a numerous family. He was eminent for religion, and yet not a hermit, not a recluse, but the father and master of a family. It was an instance of his prosperity that his house was filled with children, which are a heritage of the Lord, and his reward.”  {Matthew Henry Commentary}

“His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. “  {Job 1:4}

“When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.”  {Job 1:5}

The chapter then tells us Satan is roaming the earth and desires to test Job.  The Lord allows it, as long as he does not lay a hand on Job himself.”  {Job 1:6-12}  Later, the Lord allows Job to be touched, but his life to be spared. {Job 2:6}

“One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house…”  {Job 1:13}

“ It was a comfort to this good man, 1. To see his children grown up and settled in the world. All his sons were in houses of their own, probably married, and to each of them he had given a competent portion to set up with. Those that had been olive-plants round his table were removed to tables of their own. 2. To see them thrive in their affairs, and able to feast one another, as well as to feed themselves. Good parents desire, promote, and rejoice in, their children’s wealth and prosperity as their own.” {Matthew Henry Commentary}

“While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!””  {Job 1:18-19}

“His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; and, to conclude the tragedy, news if brought him, at the same time, that they were killed and buried in the ruins of the house in which they were feasting, and all the servants that waited on them, except one that came express with the tidings of it, Job 1:18, 19. This was the greatest of Job’s losses, and which could not but go nearest him; and therefore the devil reserved it for the last.” {Matthew Henry Commentary}

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”   {Job 1:20-21}

“Our children are pieces of ourselves; it is very hard to part with them, and touches a good man in as tender a part as any. But to part with them all at once, and for them to be all cut off in a moment, who had been so many years his cares and hopes, went to the quick indeed.” {Matthew Henry Commentary}

The pain Job felt is something we can’t imagine unless one has lost a child. But, to lose multiple children is an even greater heartbreak. 

“As to his patience, the Bible presents him as our model. Faith was strained but Job emerged victorious “  {All the Men of the Bible}

“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.”  {Job 42:12}

The Lord blessed him even more than he had in the past.

“And he also had seven sons and three daughters.”   {Job 42:13}

His daughters were named:

Jemimah—means little dove

Keziah—means sweet scented spice

Keren-Happuch—means horn of antimony. Antimony is a substance which they used as eye shadow in Biblical times. A hollowed animal horn was used to store the substance.  The name Keren means glorious dignity or ray of light.

“Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.”  {Job 42:15}

Job loved his daughters as much as his father. He blessed them and gave them an inheritance along with his brothers.

“After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.”   {Job 42:16}

Job was a praying father.

“Hence we have in Job the picture of a righteous man suffering because it pleased the Lord, for a wise purpose, to bruise him. God reversed the verdict of the men who rejected him and numbered him among the transgressors.” {All the Men of the Bible}

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