Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. 4 His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.
Uz was the great grandson of Noah. Genesis 10:22-23 The land where Uz settled later became known as the territory of Edom. Lamentations 4:21 During the time of Job, the land of Uz was very fruitful, well watered everywhere. Genesis 13:10 We can think of Job as a gentile patriarch living approximately 4,000 years ago. Like Abraham he was very wealthy, having been blessed by God with flocks and family. Job was faithful to God, fearing God and turning away from evil. v.1 We also see that Job followed the sacrificial system that God had laid out for Adam and all of his descendants. Genesis 4:4, Hebrews 11:4 Job offered burnt offerings to the Lord to make atonement for sins. Although Israel had not yet become a nation and the Levitical Law had not yet been given, we now know that these offerings looked forward to and were fulfilled in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
Job’s faithful sacrifices prefigured the sacrifice of Christ on a wooden cross. By his shed blood and broken body Christ would, one day, stand in Job’s place taking the punishment that he and his children deserved. As John the Baptist announced: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29
By his death he [broke] the power of him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and freed those who all their lives were held captive in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15
Job 1:6 Now on the day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan also came among them. 7 Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
The Hebrew term, bene ’elohim, translated in the English as the Sons of God, refers to spiritual beings who are a part of Yahweh’s divine council. These beings sit in Yahweh’s council, confer with him, and assist in carrying out his decrees. God is sovereign but, just as loving parents seek to include their children in decision-making, and just as God desires us, his earthly children to bring our petitions to him in prayer, Yahweh invites these divine beings into his heavenly council to join him in decision-making.
The heavens praise your wonders, Yahweh, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with Yahweh? Who is like Yahweh among the Sons of God? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him. Who is like you, Yahweh God of the heavenly host? You, Yahweh, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Psalm 89:5-7
God presides in the great assembly; He renders judgment among the gods. Psalm 82:1
We first met Satan after creation in the Garden of Eden. You were in Eden, the garden of God. You were anointed as a guardian cherub. Ezekiel 28:12 However, rather than guarding the garden Satan had diabolical plans, saying:
I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly…I will make myself like the Most High. Isaiah 14:13-14
God had created mankind in his image to reflect the glory of God. Adam and Eve were placed on the earth as immortal vice-regents to shepherd and guard God’s marvelous creation. As image bearers we were crowned with glory and honor and counted among the participants in God’s divine council.
What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?
You made them a little lower than the Elohim; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet. Hebrews 2:6-9, Psalm 8:5
As part of his diabolical plan to steal, kill, and destroy, John 10:10, usurping God, and ruling over the divine council, Satan tempted our first parents, Adam and Eve to sin against God and in so doing, join him in rebelling against Yahweh. Adam’s actions, Genesis 3, introduced sin, misery, and death into the perfect creation that they were meant to shepherd.
The creation was subjected to frustration…in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage and decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Romans 8:20-21
In fact, we are so tainted with sin and so comfortable in our rebellion, that we readily justify our actions making excuses for our sins and blaming others. We have little idea of the beauty and goodness that we have broken and destroyed. And just like Satan tempted our first parents, we are told that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 That is just what he had been doing before coming into Yahweh’s council, going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. v.7
Upon seeing Satan, Yahweh throws down the gauntlet, challenging him with a question.
Job 1:8 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”
Why would God point out his faithful servant, Job, to Satan?
Satan, also known in the Scriptures as the Accuser, Zechariah 3:1, is always bringing accusations, pointing out to God the sins and moral failings of God’s image bearers. Skipping way ahead in the Biblical story we read:
Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Revelation 12:10
Prior to Satan’s expulsion from heaven, he had stood in the council of God pointing out our sins and accusing us of unfaithfulness. However, Christ has taken those accusations of Satan, our sins, upon himself on the cross so they no longer haunt us.
True to form Satan refuses to accept God’s assessment that Job is blameless and upright, turning away from evil. v.8 Instead Satan brings an accusation against Job. He challenges God saying that the only reason Job is faithful is because God has blessed Job, God has rewarded him well for his faithfulness. Job serves God only out of self-interest. Remove those blessings and he will renounce you to your face. v.11
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”
12 Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.
God is absolutely sovereign over all things. No one can compromise God’s decree nevertheless he grants Satan permission to put Job to the test. Notice however, Satan is strictly limited by God. The assurance that we must learn from this is that even in the most terrible circumstances that befall us we can always be confident that God is in control.
Job 1:13 It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 that a messenger came to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
18 While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Job was devastated. His wealth disappeared overnight and his children, the children that he loved and prayed for, were taken in death.
How would you respond? Would you ask:
Is God good?
Is God all-powerful?
If God is both good and all-powerful why do we experience suffering in the world?
Why would you ever want to serve and worship a God who allowed such suffering?
Can you answer these questions for yourself?
How do you respond when others ask these questions?
Are you willing to serve God purely out of love and reverence despite the circumstances of life?
Would you serve God for nothing? v.9
Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. 21 He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.” 22 In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
Rather than rejecting God as Satan had planned, Job’s first response is heartfelt sorrow and genuine worship. Job tore his robe, shaved his head and fell down to the ground and worshiped v.20, blessing Yahweh’s name saying: Yahweh gave and Yahweh has taken away. v.21 Job understood the grace of God. All that Job had was a gift of God’s grace. True worship recalibrates and centers our lives on God’s truth in this violent and chaotic world. True worship keeps us on the right path. Psalm 119:105
Job 2:1 Again, on the day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. 2 Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
3 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.”
4 Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.”
6 Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.”
Thwarted but not about to give up Satan again challenges God. To paraphrase, saying, “Taking Job’s family and his wealth is one thing but if you take his health he will renounce you to your face.” You can have thousands of problems in life until you have a health problem. Then you only have one problem overshadowing all else.
Job 2:7 So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head. 8 He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.
Satan took Job’s health inflicting him with a painful disease. He was devastated and his wife, having lost her precious children and seeing her husband afflicted, was bereft. And as if Satan’s hand on Job wasn’t enough, just like Satan had twisted God’s words in the Garden of Eden, in her despair Job’s wife twists God’s words. While God had praised Job as a man of integrity Job 2:3, Job’s wife challenges him to stop clinging to his integrity Job 2:9, tempting him to renounce God and die. But Job could not be convinced to curse God. In all this Job didn’t sin…v.10
Many people have read the book of Job looking to answer the question:
Why is there suffering?
But that is not the subject of the book.
The main question that Job addresses is:
Will you continue to serve and worship God in the midst of suffering?
Would you serve and worship God even if it seemed, from all outward appearances, that he had abandoned you?
Despite our fickle feelings God’s sovereignty brings us great comfort even in the midst of suffering. There are no accidents in the universe. God is in control of both the good, with which he blesses us, and the evil, which he allows. Satan had no power to operate outside of God’s authority. Satan has no independent authority of his own. No one can touch God’s people without God’s permission.
In these opening chapters we see God’s sovereignty at work. God was vindicated. Job had not sinned and in defeat Satan had been proven wrong. Though God’s victory had been costly to Job he understood that all he had was by the grace of God. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? v.10 By his grace God gives us great gifts but conversely, to accomplish his purposes, God has the right to also take away what he has given.
In the introduction to Job we have been given the backstory but Job did not know about God’s challenge to Satan.
How was Job to make sense of his suffering and grief?
Job’s fears, feelings, raw emotions, bitter laments, frustrations, and unanswered questions, are all the same feelings that Christians and non-Christians alike all experience to some degree in our lives today.
Job 2:11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
Hearing about Job’s calamity, three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came to sympathize and comfort him. v.11 They mourned with him for seven days. They sat with Job in silence. After seven days Job finally broke the silence by speaking, pouring out his heart, expressing his anguish to God.