Double Blessing

At the beginning of the book of Job, a portfolio snapshot of Job’s wealth was given:

Job 1:2-3 ESV
There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.

Some important things to mention:

◦ The first thing listed in Job’s wealth portfolio was his children. Nothing is more important in this life than our children, who are given to us by the Lord.
◦ Job’s wealth was recorded in sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, and servants rather than coinage due to the time period when Job lived. Money was a later invention.
◦ Later verses in Job teach us that Satan could never touch Job or his possession due to the hedge of protection the Lord had around him (Job 1:9-10).

As we all now know, Job lost all of his possessions through the trials God allowed Satan to put him through, including his children. All was not lost though. Job endures his hardships without ever turning his back on God, and God rewards his faithfulness.

At the end of the book, we learn Job receives double of all he lost:

Job 42:12-13 ESV
And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. [13] He had also seven sons and three daughters.

Now if you’re like me, you’re confused at my statement that Job got double of everything. Every number is doubled, but the number of children is not. He had ten, lost ten, and received ten more. This is what I missed initially, unlike donkeys or camels, children who trust in the redeemer of all mankind as Job and his family did, have the hope of eternal life. Job has 20 kids now, which is the double of 10. While the first 10 were no longer living on Earth, their souls were awaiting their father in paradise. After Jesus’s death on the cross and his resurrection, Job and all 20 of his children would have gone to Heaven, if they maintained their faith throughout their lives.

What a fantastic reminder to keep our faith in Jesus and steer our children in the right direction: toward the cross!