Thought for the Month - May 2020

"Old and full of days" by Barry Adair
(Job done)

I do love the expression "old and full of days". It conjures up distant memories of my very old and my very content Grandfather. 'Pop', as we called him, was in his mid-80s and had been a farmer all his days. From my distant memories, he had short white hair and a weather-beaten, heavily lined face. Mind you, at times his eyes were as bright and mischievous as his 7-year-old grandson!

I came across this expression again just recently and it prompted me to check out one of the Bible characters behind it. And as usual, I thought I’d jot down what I found as our 'Thought for the Month'.

"Old and full of days" was the expression used of an interesting Bible character called Job. We learn about him in the Bible book called, funnily enough, "Job". Now, if you read the Bible in a year, but read it in chronological order (based on when Bible events occurred), you will be reading from the book of Job in the very first week, along with the first chapters in Genesis. This is because it is believed that Job lived even before the days of Abraham. If you remember the story, Job suffered an "annus horribilis" (to quote Queen Elizabeth II). In fact, with the present coronavirus pandemic, we will all know something of a ‘horrible year’. On saying that, in the space of a short time Job lost all his children, his wealth, his health and the support of his wife and friends! Even the loss of one of these would put most of us over the edge. But to lose all was truly horrific!

The expressions "the patience of Job" and "Job's comforters" come from the story of Job and specifically about his time of extreme suffering and the response of his so-called friends to his condition. I think it's fair to say that the sufferings of Job are well known but I think much less are aware of how the story ends. And it is how the story ends that I want to think about this month.

Someone has summed up the book of Job as having "a happy beginning, a terrible middle and a glorious ending". Not that the book of Job uses many words on its ending mind you. In fact, from the 42 chapters in the book of Job, only the last 7 verses summarise the end of the story. But what an ending! The Bible records that God blessed the latter days of Job more than the beginning. And if you remember, Job was initially a very wealthy man with a large family.

The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold (Job 42:10)

From the last few verses in the book of Job we are told that Job had double the number of sheep, double the number of camels, double the number of oxen and double the number of donkeys at the end of his life. And over these 140 extra years (double a normal life-span!) he had another seven sons and another three daughters. Incidentally, the reason that even the numbers of sons and daughters was increased twofold was that his other 7 sons and 3 daughters were safe in heaven!

The end of a matter is better than its beginning… (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

And then in the very last verse of the very last chapter of Job we are simply told that Job died, being old and full of days. What a life he had led! And what a testimony to leave behind! I love how Matthew Henry sums up the last days of Job –

The last days of a good man sometimes prove his best, his last works his best works, his last comforts his best comforts; for his path, like that of the morning light, shines more and more unto the perfect day.

So, Job died, being old and full of days. He stayed true to his Maker and His Maker stayed true to him. And, of course, Job knew that physical death wasn’t the end. He knew that he’d be re-united with his sons and daughters who had gone on before. And He knew that He would be with the God who he had faithfully served, even through a period of horrendous suffering! Job is one of my Bible heroes. And some day I hope to sit down and have a chat with him. He may have been old and full of days at his death but today he is as alive as he ever was. May we all learn from his faithfulness, his holiness and his wonderful devotion to his God through thick and thin!

He [Job] said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21, addition mine)

So Job died, being old and full of days. (Job 42:17)

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

Until next month (DV)…

(All Bible quotations are from the NASB, unless stated)

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