Job 42:5 - Job's Encounter with God.

Job 42:5 (NLT) I had only heard about you before, but now I have 
seen you with my own eyes.  

The most important lesson of the book of Job is found in this 
text. In this statement Job reveals the transition from a religious 
experience shaped by tradition to an experience based on personal communion 
with God. According to the tradition in which he had been reared, the 
righteous were not supposed to suffer. From his youth up Job had heard 
that God would deliver the righteous from all evil in this present 
life. But when he met suffering he was thrown into confusion, because 
it was contrary to what he had heard about God. His confusion was 
augmented by the attitude of his friends. Now Job has seen God. He knows 
that God possesses infinite power and graciousness, and he also knows 
that, even though he may suffer, he is God's child. God has made no 
attempt to explain to him why he suffers, but he is convinced that, 
whatever the reason, he need have no misgivings. 
Job's experience has taught him the meaning of faith. His vision 
of God has enabled him to surrender to the divine will. His 
commitment to God is now unaffected by his circumstances. He no longer 
expects temporal blessings as an evidence of Heaven's favor. His 
relationship to God is now on a firmer, more dependable basis than before. 
Job finds a solution to his problems when he discovers that God is 
not limited by the traditions men have developed concerning Him. 
This broader understanding that Job reveals when he says, "Now mine 
eye seeth thee," is akin to the experience of faith that is 
emphasized so strongly throughout the Scriptures, especially in the Gospel 
of John and the epistles to the Romans and the Galatians (John 
1:12-17; Rom. 8:1-8; Gal. 4:3-7). [SDA Bible Commentary] 

In his time, Job was the most righteous person on earth. He was 
so godly that the Lord took pleasure in pointing him out to Satan 
(Job 1:8). Yet, despite his love for God and his diligent obedience 
to His commands, even Job had not fully come to know God. The 
blessings God had given to Job had not revealed everything about God's 
character. There were characteristics that Job would come to realize only 
through adversity. So the Lord allowed Satan to test Job through 
suffering. 
Although Job lost everything he had, even his seven children, 
Job discovered that God was still with him. Though he faced the most 
difficult and bewildering tribulations imaginable, Job came to understand 
that God was infinitely wiser than he (Job 42:1-4). As Job endured 
the insensitivity of his friends, he learned that God is the only 
One who is absolutely trustworthy. Job learned much about God 
through his anguish. Finally, he confessed that at first he had only 
heard about God, but now, through his suffering, he had come to see 
God (Job 42:5). 
When you are in the midst of your trials, your Lord will reveal 
His character to you in ways you never knew. You will experience His 
strong and comforting presence. Like Job, you will learn that your Lord 
will remain, even when everyone else abandons you. You will see God 
more clearly as He takes you through the dark times. Then you will 
experience God in ways you had previously only heard about from others. 
[Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby]