Controversy between the Lord and Satan
OVERVIEW
Job’s exemplary life of service for God is placed in the furnace of testing. In a heavenly drama (unknown to Job but revealed to the reader), Satan accuses Job of serving God for material reward. By divine permission, Satan tests Job by removing all that he holds dear: his family, wealth, health, and prestige. Yet through it all Job maintains his steadfast worship of God, though nagging questions remain.
MY DAILY WALK
There is someone who takes great delight in pointing an accusing finger at your life. One of his titles is the devil (1 Peter 5:8), which means “adversary.” (Some of his other names are equally revealing—see Matthew 12:24; 13:19; Luke 10:18; John 8:44; Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 9:11; 12:10; 20:2.)
Now that you know something about your enemy, you’ll want to know how you—like Job—can stand firm against his fiery attacks. Job, who experienced the worst Satan could hurl against him, maintained an attitude of confident trust in his sovereign God.
Did that mean that Job deserved the treatment he received (Job 2:3), or that all of Job’s questions were answered (3:11-12, 23)? The answer in both cases is no. But even though Job’s misery came unexplained and undeserved, Job demonstrated in the midst of it an unshakable confidence in the One who held his life in his very hands. It wasn’t what he knew but whom he knew that gave him strength to stand against any trial.
OF ALL THE DEVIL’S TOOLS FOR MAKING US MISERABLE, DISCOURAGEMENT IS HIS FINEST AND MOST FREQUENTLY USED.
INSIGHT
A Name from Ancient Times | Job 1:1
The name Job (Hebrew, ’iyyob) appears in extra-biblical texts as early as 2000 B.C., indicating that Job may be the oldest book of the Bible.
INSIGHT
A Time to Mourn | Job 2:13
Job’s friends sat with him without saying a word for seven days (2:13)—the typical time of mourning for a loved one who had died. You can find another example of intense, seven-day grief in Genesis 50:10.
Prologue
1There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2He had seven sons and three daughters. 3He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.
4Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. 5When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
Job’s First Test
6One day the members of the heavenly court* came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan,* came with them. 7“Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan.
Satan answered the LORD, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
8Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
9Satan replied to the LORD, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
12“All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.
13One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
16While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
17While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
18While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
20Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The LORD gave me what I had,
and the LORD has taken it away.
Praise the name of the LORD!”
22In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.