“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” Zechariah 9:12
The book of Job opens with a list of his worldly possessions: “He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys” (Job 1:3) and closes with another asset inventory. “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys” (Job 42:12).
God allowed Job’s material possessions to be taken and then he restored to Job twice as much as he lost. It reminds me of Exodus 22 (verses 4, 7 and 9) where God commands his people who steal to pay back double. I’m not suggesting God stole from Job—how can God steal when he owns everything—however, God likes to play by his own rules. He allowed Job to be robbed of his possessions so he restored double.
In Isaiah we read the prophesies stating that God’s people will be taken into exile and lose their inheritance yet on their return God promises them a double blessing: “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours” (Isaiah 61:7). The next verse reads. “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing” (Isaiah 61:8).
Justice is such a strong attribute of God that if we’re faithful he will repay double regardless of how the loss was incurred. Whether like Job it was through no fault of our own or whether it was through disobedience like the Israelites.
