Doubling Down on Job

I saw this tidbit somewhere not long ago (don't recall exactly where) and thought I'd share it simply because its the kind of thing that delights me.

In the book of Job, we find in chapter 1 that this man for whom the book is named, was wealthy.  Wealthy to the tune of 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 hundred female donkeys (Job 1:3).  Job was also blessed with 7 sons and 3 daughters (Job 1:2)  Of course you remember the chain of events recorded in the book (if not, let this serve as a spoiler alert).  Job loses everything, including not only his possessions but his health, ...and his children die.

But if you skip to the end of the book, you will find that Job was blessed by God to receive double of all his former possessions (14000 sheep, 6000 camels, etc.- Job 42:12 )) plus another 7 sons and 3 daughters. (Job 42:13).  So, the question then becomes, why double of everything else but only the same number of children as before his trials?  And here is the whole point of this post.  Job DID receive double the children, for the first 7 sons and 3 daughters did not perish, but only departed this earth before their father to be reunited with him in eternity!

The Bible is full of gems like this that are so easy for us to overlook, but God continually blesses his people by sending faithful men to study and expound not only great foundational truths, but even the little nuggets of gold.