Job 1:1-22
Prologue
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.
Job's First Test
6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
In the first section of Job we learn he is both a good and wealthy man...Wealth in the earliest of times was measured by the size of your flocks and animals... Job had seven thousand sheep, five hundred oxen, and five hundred donkeys...He also had a large number of servants to help him manage this large amount of animals...We are told he was the greatest man of the East...The East refers to the region east of Canaan...And he believed in God...
Job had a large family...He had seven sons and three daughters...Job was a good man who feared God and he shunned evil...Job would make sure his sons and daughters were purified, when they hosted a feast...This purification process made sure his sons and daughters were pure and qualify them for holy acts...This process showed a fear and respect for God...In the mornings Job would sacrifice burnt offerings to God, in case any of his children had cursed God in their hearts...Job would do this every morning...
One day God and satan get into a conversation and God asks satan about His servant Job, and that he is blameless and upright...Satan said it is not hard being Job when you (God) have put a hedge around him and protect and comfort him...God allows satan to do some harmful things to Job...We are not told why God initiates this conversation...
First satan allows the Sabeans to attack the servants and the donkeys and oxen they watch over are all taken...The Sabeans kill all the servants, except one, and take all the oxen and donkeys...Second satan kills all the sheep and the shepherds guarding Job's sheep...Third satan allows the Chaldeans to raid the camels and again the servants protecting the camels all die but one, and only one servant lives...Next satan causes a storm over the oldest son's house and all of Job's children are killed...All this bad news is brought by Job's messengers...As soon as one of these messengers were about to finish, another messenger would come while the previous messenger was still speaking (here then come another one with more bad news)...What a horrible day for Job and his wife...All of Job's ten children are dead and all of his wealth gone...
Job falls to the ground and says "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart...The LORD gave the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised...Job did not sin by charging God with any wrongdoing...Job was no hypocrite and continues to pray to God...
We struggle with the fact that Job's ten children had to die and all his wealth now gone...We also struggle with the fact that God allows some to seemingly live long and prosperous lives, while blameless and upright people like Job have severe tragedies...What seems unfair here on earth will be made right in eternity...Our problems will be resolved and these mysteries and questions of "why" will be answered...