Sunday: Happily Ever After
Oftentimes children’s stories end with the line, “And they lived happily ever after.” In some languages, it’s almost a cliché. The whole idea is that whatever the drama-a kidnapped princess, a nasty wolf, an evil king-the hero and perhaps his new wife triumph in the end.
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
That’s how the book of Job ends, at least at first glance. After all the trials and calamities that befell him, Job ends on what could be described only as a relatively positive note.
Read Job 42:10-17, the final verses of the entire book. What do they tell us about how Job ended his days?
No question: were you to ask someone about a book of the Bible that ended well for the main character, a book that had a “happily ever after” ending, many would name the book of Job.
After all, look at all that Job had as the story closes. Family and friends, who weren’t around during the trials (with the exception of Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, Elihu, and Job’s wife), come, and they comfort him. They were generous, too, giving him money. As the story ended, Job had twice as much as he had at the beginning of the story, at least in terms of material wealth (compare Job 42:12 with Job 1:3). He had ten children, seven sons and three daughters, to replace the seven sons and three daughters who died (see Job 1:2, Job 1:18-19), and in all the land no women were “found so fair as the daughters of Job” (Job 42:15), something not said about his first ones. And this man who had been so sure that death was right before him, lived on another 140 years. “So Job died, being old and full of days” (Job 42:17). The phrase “full of days” in Hebrew (sometimes translated, interestingly enough, “full of years”) is used to describe the last days of Abraham (Gen. 25:8), Isaac (Gen. 35:29), and David (1 Chron. 29:28). It gives the idea of someone in a relatively good and happy place at the time of a decidedly unhappy event: death.
We all like stories with happy endings, don’t we? What are some stories with happy endings that you know of? What lessons can we take from them?
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It seems that once Job became socially acceptable again, all of his family and acquaintances etc. came to Job and offered him their condolences and kindness. They are all bringing gifts too, and those many visitors meant a rapid re-accumulation of wealth.
Job's earlier abandonment by almost all of those that knew him, is strikingly described in chapter 19. But what a turn-around we have at the end of the story!
Job 19:13-19
"He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth [but to no avail]. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward [i.e. closest] friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me."
I suspect that this description was no exaggeration.
Some stories that I can think of are; David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lions den, and the story of joseph. To me these stories had a happy ending. But this story I left for last, because it is not yet completed;the story of us Christians of today, we were promised everlasting life. I know that despite all of our hardship on earth, we will prevail.
Another point that was underscored in this lesson, is the power of praying for others, intercessory habits if you please. When we pray to help others, we receive help. So I am encouraging everyone who proclaims to be a Christian, to not only pray for yourselves, but for others even more than yourself.
Stewart, you are right.Most of the friends and relatives will only associate with you in prosperity when they also gain from you, but, in times of adversity, friends are few. There is one friend who sticks closer in adversity than any other friend, He's a friend who declares the end from the beginning, a Friend who brings restoration and order. God trains His soldiers on the mountain of affliction to become good soldiers of the cross as He did to Job.The story of Job is a true reflection of God's justice in the light of human suffering.
After we have learnt how to mingle with people and attend to their needs this quarter's Sabbath school is going to give us insight and even answers to certain questions people ask. This is an opportunity for us to reach them bring them to the savior.
Job's experience for me is a reminder that although no man is an island, there are times or will be times that we will have to stand alone with God as our only source of strength. As the songwiter cleary put it 'the arm of flesh will fail you'. However, let us like Job look forward in faith to the real 'happy ending'.
This shows that through our adversity, if we remain faithful to God, our lives will be restored.
With the rise in crime and accidents and diseases we hear less frequently that people are dying of old age or full of years. However, we should live so connected to Christ that even if we die tragically we will still have a happy ending.
It is better for us to even live uncomfortably and have a happy ending with Christ than die in luxury without the hope of eternal life. Mark 8:37, Matt.16:26
Job is my personal hero. The story of Job demonstrates that we can achieve financial success and prosperity in the latter half of our life rather than in our earlier years. The Western modern culture is so infatuated and glorifies those who achieve financial, career success at a early age...how many times do we see characters like Job publicized in the mass media??....vs. all the celebrities, et.al who are in their 20\'s and 30\'s....
Most of the world glorifies wealth and success at any age and some people think it's a defining mark of God's approval.
You can replace the money and animals, but there's no replacing his children. God allowed the devil to take 10 kids away from Job. Giving him 10 more doesn't ever take that pain away. This could never be a happy ending in my eyes. But it says a lot for Job that he remained faithful. I can't imagine being tested like that.
I agree with that. Job and his wife had the sadness of the loss of their first lot of children for the rest of their lives. Also, Job's wife had to give birth ten more times. The trauma that this couple went through surely impacted them to the core. I can imagine that that they were very careful when raising their second group of children to be Christ centered, and that their beautiful daughters were caring and not spoiled and proud.
Job 19:17 KJV. "My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated [her] for the children's sake of mine own body."
Job's breath [his mind/spirit] were strange [foreign and offensive] to his wife.
Even though their children were now dead (they had died together when the house they were in collapsed), Job seems to have spoken with his wife about their former united commitment to them -- and about the grief they both felt at their loss. With respect to their love for their children, and with respect to all the sorrow that they had experienced at their deaths, Job made an appeal to his wife to show him kindness... but this appeal seems to have been in vain.
Job "intreated" his wife to stand together with him, in view of all the [former] joys and [present] sorrows which they had experienced as the united heads of the family. But this was not to be. It appears that she distanced herself from him, and I actually wonder whether Job's wife stayed with him through the ordeal. Is it possible that it might have been a second marriage that produced the subsequent children?
It interests me that so much attention is afterwards focused on Job's 3 daughters. (Job 42:13-15 KJV.) These daughters are named in Scripture, whereas his 7 new sons are not named. The rare beauty of those daughters is also commented on. And the fact that Job took the unusual step of including his daughters in his inheritance, suggests to me that they were exceptional people - physically exceptional, and exceptional in every other way. I wonder whether a new element (a new wife) might have been introduced into the picture, and whether Job's special regard (favoritism?) for his new daughters might have resulted from a new element such as this - namely, a new wife.
Happily ever after is the result of happily living today. God WILL take care of 'what ye SHALL eat, what ye SHALL drink.. what ye SHALL put on'. Your life is important , much much more important to God. God in His wisdom enshrined in love, gave us a more workable and fitting counsel for all classes of humanity, 'Take no thought of the morrow: for the morrow shall take SHALL take things of itself' Matt 6:25-34. We find unrevokable joy in God, if we 'die' in Him 'daily' 1Cor 15:31. May God bless your day today.
God's desire is for His children to be happy. True happiness is found in knowing God. Job knew God so despite his circumstances, he trusted God. We too like Job will be tested, we too like Job can be victorious and live happily ever after.
The only comparison by application to us and the book of Job is the conversation between God and Satan. Job 2:1-7. Even though Job 1-1, and Job 2:3 describe his character as blameless and upright, we by comparison
are similar to trials, temptations and sources that God allowed Satan to test Job with. God is our only Salvation, because of His love for weak sinful mortals that we are. Our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Psalms 46;1.
No such thing as a self righteous do it yourself kit.
The author in Saturdays and Sundays lesson stresses on the unhappy ending of Job. Meaning, the death of Job was a sad event. Job being full of years when he died is not a sad event. Compare this to the death of a young person.
Pierson, I believe you misunderstood. The author says that the book of Job seems to end on a "happily ever after" note, but he suggests that even having another ten children and more possessions cannot replace the children he lost, and it cannot make up for the suffering he endured. (The author does not say that the death of Job was a sad event.)
What do you think? Would you be happier if you lost all your friends an relatives as long as you found more friends and new relatives?