"And the Lord restored Job's losses when…."

Todays passage is a bit longer than usual.  I've highlighted what I want to focus on.

Job 42:7-14(NKJV)

7And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. 

8Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had accepted Job. 

10And the Lord £restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

11Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

12Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 

13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 

The first thing that stands out to me is that God seems to indicate here that He sometimes refuses to hear the prayers of those who are not in God's good graces.  God tells them that they need to have Job pray for them.  He is in essence telling them that they need not bother praying because it will do no good. 

Now Job had gone through a lot for God.  God was pleased with Job.  But look when God finally restored Job's losses.  After Job prayed for his friends.  That tells me that even in times of personal trouble God wants to see our focus on others. 

The next thing I find interesting is the phrase "for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him.".  It seems to me that I was taught that God doesn't actively bring adversity on to His people.  He will sometimes let Satan attack but God doesn't do it directly.  According to this verse, apparently sometimes He does.

And finally look how God rewarded Job for all that Job had gone through.  God rewarded Job with material wealth and more family.  In fact God rewarded Job with more wealth then Job had accumulated up to that point in his life.

The lesson I draw from that is don't let modern day Christians make you feel ashamed of your wealth.  If you are actively seeking God's will in your life and living the life God gave you then your wealth is simply part of the blessings that God has given you.  Use it for good but it is totally OK to enjoy it as well!