Job 29:13 “The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.”

Here we have a blessing that contrasts with all other blessings, the blessing of a perishing man. Now, how should the first part of this verse be understood? Is it that Job received the blessing the perishing man should have received, or is it that the perishing man blessed Job with a blessing only he could have given? A careful look to the context unmistakably leads us to the second interpretation, which is, the perishing man was the one blessing and Job was the one being blessed.

Another pertinent question is: Was the perishing man perishing when he blessed Job? At the light of the context the only tenable answer is: No! He had been already rescued from perdition. For instance, a few verses later Job says: “I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth” (Job 29:17). Here the victim was obviously perishing, but since Job had rescued him that person was no longer perishing. It is precisely that deliverance that caused the perishing man to bless Job. Out of overwhelming gratefulness he pronounced a blessing on the one who had rescued him.

All this gives birth to a third question: Have we experienced the blessing of a perishing man? Did we break the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth?

A few things about the blessing of a perishing man

At the light of the Scriptures we can say that the blessing of a perishing man is the most valuable blessing God can receive, and it is so because He had to give His only begotten Son to trigger it. Therefore, ever since the perishing fathers were rescued from the maw of the destroyer, warm blessings have been poured on God our Savior and on the Lamb. Forever and ever, heaven will be filled with these glorious blessings and God’s throne will be saturated with their praises and worship. For instance, we read:

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” ¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” ¹³ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:8–13)

Here the blessing is triggered by a twofold accomplishment:

“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9,10)

Here we see where the blessing of the perishing men originated. In this passage it is directed to the Lamb who had delivered them.

Something else about the blessing of a perishing man

This blessing, which can be bestowed upon God, can also be directed to human rescuers. That is precisely what we have read in the Book of Job:

“The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.” (Job 29:13)

The apostle Paul and others have also experienced the blessing of the perishing men. They were their joy and crown (Philippians 4:1), as well as their glory and hope (1 Thessalonians 2:19,20). In brief, the blessing of a perishing man is the greatest blessing a Christian can receive. It is actually greater than the blessing of salvation, for as Jesus says: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

All this should inspire our heart and compel us to rescue the victims from the devil’s teeth.

One last thing about the blessing of the perishing man

Actually, the blessing of a perishing man amounts to the blessing of the begotten. I think most of you will agree that—as far as we humans are concerned—our children’s blessings rank among the most moving blessings we can receive. They stand out and contrast with all other blessings. The same is true spiritually. As the Scriptures declare, we can beget spiritual children:

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.  For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:14,15)

Since it is so, these children will have the potential to bless us with a blessing standing among the most precious blessings we will ever receive, and engender in us exuberant rejoicing. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. ⁶ He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5,6)

Yes, this is the blessing of a perishing man, and it shall not be taken from those to whom it is due. Of this we can be certain.

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