The book of Job tells how Job, a wealthy and righteous man in the sight of God, endured great suffering and remained faithful to God. Job 1-2 records Job’s loss and ends with the arrival of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, three friends who had come to see Job in his distress. After spending seven days in silence, each of these three began accusing Job of living sinfully before God. They believed only those living in sin suffer, and only those righteous in God’s sight prosper. But Job, whom God counted righteous, was suffering anyway.
Nonetheless, the three continued sternly reprimanding Job for sins he had not committed. Job 19:23-29 records how, in his frustration, Job looks to the final judgment, when all will be raised to meet God and be held accountable for their life. At that time, the truth would be known about Job, and these three would be forced to accept it. Consider what Job said so long ago (beginning in Job 19:26):
“Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me! “If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’ “Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves, For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, So that you may know there is judgment.”
Job is one of the earliest accounts contained within the Scriptures, and even there, the final judgment was known to mankind. We will all stand before the judgment seat of God, and we will receive the results of the choices we have made (2 Corinthians 5:10).
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