The Lord spoke to Job from the whirlwind. Once He had finished speaking, Job said, “I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:3). Job repented for the foolish things he had said. But the Lord wasn’t done speaking. For He took Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to the woodshed: “for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right” (Job 42:7-8). They were commanded to offer sacrifices for their unwise counsel.
Four times God called Job “my servant.” Job was God’s servant before he suffered, while he suffered, and after he suffered (Job 1:8; 2:3, 42:7-9). It takes a special type of person to stay faithful to the Lord during the seasons of blessing and peace. But it takes an extraordinary type of person to endure suffering and still walk with God. That’s why the Lord could boldly declare Job as His servant.
The story of Job is remarkable. What makes it even more marvelous is the ending. The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10). The miserable comforters who had the audacity to think that Job was some miscreant deserving of punishment now had to rely on his prayers! Job praying for his friends despite how they spoke of him is another admirable trait of God’s servant.
Brothers and sisters, it would do us all some good to frequently read through Job’s story to remind ourselves what it looks like to truly be a servant of God. For he was blessed, he suffered terribly, he was mistreated, he repented, prayed for his accusers, and was doubly blessed at the conclusion. Life as God’s servant may not be easy, but it’s certainly worth it in the end.