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Day 30 – Repentance Job 42 We’ve all heard confession is good for the soul. Not just the soul but it gives you a clean feeling from head to toe, and when we feel clean, our whole attitude changes from negative to positive. Repentance does that to a person. When we repent of what we did wrong, we admit our mistakes and promise to live a better life, making a complete one-hundred-eighty degree change in our lives. As soon as God finished with all his questions, Job repented of his presumption to speak about things he didn’t know regarding God, and God accepted his prayer of repentance. Then God made himself known to his three friends and told them the words they spoke about him were not right and they needed to bring a sacrifice to Job and he would pray for them, and then God would forgive them. Were Job’s three friends evil? It has been put forth they were because they continued to harass Job into making a confession of guilt for which Job was not guilty, and God told them he wasn’t guilty of any wrongdoing, but in the instance of Job’s plight they were guilty. They judged by appearance and did not give the benefit of doubt that Job might be telling the truth, and believed the lies Satan told them regarding Job. However, if you paid close attention to what Job’s three friends said, they also knew God. Therefore, God did not judge them any further than their words declared against Job, and told them he would forgive them if they brought seven bullocks each to Job for the sacrifice of repentance and Job would pray for them, and God would accept Job’s prayers on their behalf. As Christians, we too can go before God and repent of our sins and God will forgive us. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV) Just as Job prayed for his three friends when they brought their sacrificial offerings to him for repentance, Jesus prayed for us, that God would forgive us and bring us into right standing before him. Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (KJV) Before we accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, we were no better than Job’s friends. We too were in need of forgiveness and salvation. However, when we confessed our sins and accepted him, God forgave us in the same way God forgave Job’s friends, and brought them back into right standing with him so they could once again have fellowship with him. One of the lessons we need to take from Job’s life, and that of his friends, is that we are not to make accusations without knowing all the facts. We are to seek God, and not go with every wind of doctrine presented to us as being from God. However, we are to seek God’s face to determine the matter. John 7:15 And the Jews marveled, saying, How knows this man letters, having never learned? 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Job’s friends knew the truth regarding God, and had made many allusions to that fact in the twists and turns Satan spoke in their ears to try to persuade Job to confess to sins he did not commit. Without knowing it, they were following a strange doctrine, and needed to be brought back to the truth. God gave them that opportunity when he told them to bring a sacrificial offering for their sin. Job would pray for them, and they would be clean from their folly. And God blessed the latter end of Job’s life, more than the beginning. God gave Job double what he had, including children. Job had ten children at the beginning and another ten at the end so that his life was full, and he lived to see his grandchildren to the fourth generation. When we live our lives according to the grace and love of God through Christ Jesus, we too will live full lives. Let’s pray: Father, forgive my wayward tongue when it presumes a matter and I have not looked past what my eyes see. Bring me back to a right standing with you when I repent of my sin, so that I too might benefit from all the blessings you have for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 19 March 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux All scripture is King James Version, edited by me into common English. Image courtesy of Pixabay