OT Promise 271: Increase

Job 8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

Bildad is speaking here, and he is quite certain that this suffering has come upon Job because of some sin and that if he were perfect then evil would not come. This is one of those times when the friends have not spoken of the Lord what is right. But we know from other Scriptures that what he speaks in this verse is a promise of God.

The promise is that our faith, our wisdom, our knowledge, our understanding, our walk with God, the kingdom in us, and our love and good works starts out small but it will greatly increase. This is in reality a fact of life and a life principle of the created universe. Everything, at least every living thing, starts small and then greatly increases. It applies to everything that we learn about or learn to do. Our Lord applies this truth to our spiritual life to encourage us and give us hope. We grow in grace. Our faith increases. The kingdom gets larger. We actually do become better people. Love, joy, and peace take root and grow out and deeper.

Faith begins as a mustard seed and grows up to become a small tree. Just as every living thing begins as a small seed and grows, take heart, your spiritual life does the same. “Your latter end greatly increases.” God will finished what He started in you. Your inward man is being renewed every day. We do not always see the growth of any plant or animal from day to day, but we know it grows. So also it is with our faith and life that lives in the inner man. It grows and its end is greatly increased. And we can’t even get a clue regarding what wonderful things the Lord has in store for us. Because we believe this promise we want to keep feeding the life that God gave us.