Job 1 A Faithful Man

Job is a faithful man. More faithful to the Lord than any man, at that time. Satan and God try his faith and his faithfulness.

I wondered about skipping over this story, being that it is written in detail already. But I felt in my spirit that this is something that still needs included in bible stories. Another reason I thought about skipping over it is that I don’t really understand why God allowed this in Job’s life.

As I was praying about this, I heard in my spirit; “Don’t try and explain it. Simply tell the story.” So, that is what I’m going to do. IF the Spirit brings things out to me, I will be MORE than grateful to share it. With that said, let’s join Job’s story and see where the Spirit takes us.

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Job is a faithful man. From as far back as he can remember, he has always loved the Lord and done all he could to live a life pleasing to him. He is not perfect, but is quick to repent when he missteps. He has no law or code to follow that tells him everything he should do or not do. But his spirit within himself is a good guide. He listens well to that still small voice.

He has done well in life, on this path. He has seven sons and three daughters. They have all grown up under his watchful hand and heart. They know well the stories of the Lord God of creation. He prays that they stay on the right path; the one walked out in front of them.

Job also has amassed great wealth in livestock. He owns “7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants” (Job 1:3). This makes Job the richest man in all the east.

Job is careful with all he has; including his children. He diligently cares for his animals and hires the best servants to tend them. For his children, he watches over their lives and sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. He also prays for them daily.

Job’s children are grown and have homes and lives of their own. They are very close to one another though and spend time at one another’s homes regularly. They rotate between homes for special feasts; usually on special occasions. And ALL of the siblings are invited to these meals. Job is invited as well, but seldom attends. What he does do is consecrate them at the end of every feast.

He wants to make certain that his children are right with God at all times. After their feasting, he offers sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1:5b). This is a constant fear that Job lives with and works to prevent coming true.

While Job is going about his life and his children are going about theirs, things are happening in Heaven that directly impact them. One morning in Heaven, the angels of God are bringing him reports from the earth below. Not that God doesn’t know ALL that is happening, but He likes hearing an account of what is happening in even the angel’s interactions. You could say that, He is keeping them accountable. There have been problems in the past. He doesn’t want a repeat.

Satan comes to stand before the Lord on this particular day. He is vile and vulgar, but he is holding his tongue in the Lord’s presence. Satan has been boasting about ruining God’s perfect creation since the moment Adam and Eve fell. God has one He wants to hold up to Satan’s inspection. One who is more righteous than any other man. But He is waiting for the right opening.

“Satan, I see you have ‘graced us’ with your presence today. ‘From where have you come?’ (Job 1:7a).”

Satan rocks back on his heels, shrugs his shoulders and answers the Lord.  “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it” (Job 1:7b).

God nods knowingly. “It’s time” He tells Himself. Leaning forward on His throne He looks at Satan. “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8).

Satan snuffs and shakes his head. With accusation dripping on every word, Satan answers. “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face” (Job 1:9-11).

God knows the truth, but Satan needs a lesson. He needs to see what ‘faithfulness is. And Job is just the man to teach him. “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand” (Job 1:12).

Satin gets a twinkle in his eye and rubs his hands together. He looks at God one last time before heading out to do his worst to get Job to curse God.

As soon as this ‘challenge’ is thrown down, Satan gets to work. “I’m going to break him all at one. Things are going to crumble around him so fast that he won’t have a moment to breathe. No time to adjust to the losses” Satan tells his demons.

Satan waits for the right moment. It has to be done during a time when he can take out ALL that Job owns or has at once.

Job’s oldest son calls his brothers and sisters to his home for a feast. “We are celebrating my birthday and the abundant harvest.”

All Job’s children assemble together. By this time, they have stopped inviting their father. Not that they don’t want him to come, but he always begs off. There is laughter, good spirited teasing, plenty of food, and plenty to drink.

While Job’s children are enjoying their time together, life on Job’s estate is about to change. In one of Job’s fields, there are four yokes of oxen plowing the field. Several of his donkeys are in the field with them. Their ‘privilege’ is to eat any weeds that are turned up.

Everything is proceeding nicely and the servants are making good time preparing the field for planting. While the group of servants are focused on their tasks, a raiding party slips in. They are Sabeans and they want the animals. Being that the servants are not willing to hand them over, the Sabeans capture them. After the servants are subdued, they are dispatched one and two at a time by slitting their throats. The Sabeans don’t stop at just the plowing oxen. They take both herds; donkeys and oxen.

One servant escaped this fate of his fellow servants. He is not with the others when the Sabeans come. He hides until they leave. He feels bad about doing this, but someone has to inform their master about what happened here today.

Once he is safe, the servant makes his way to his master’s home. In another part of Job’s lands, his sheep are grazing and several servants are watching over the herd. As the men are moving through the flock, checking on the nursing mothers, a huge fireball plumets to earth. It strikes so quickly that there isn’t time for man or sheep to run. ALL are consumed; except one man.

As the fireball moves past him, he feels the heat and hears the roar of it. When it strikes the ground, it knocks him off his feet. The only reason he wasn’t with the others is that he was preparing the watering hole for the sheep to come and drink.

After surveying the damage, he too heads for his master’s home. While he is on his way, another part of Job’s estate is under attack. His camels are in the field near their stalls. A half dozen servants are tending to them. One is in the barn, mucking it out. In the woods, just out of sight is a band of Chaldeans.

“You take the left flank, you the right, and we will come up the middle. Take out all the servants so that no one will know it was us.”

Each leader has two dozen men under him, ready to take the herd of camels. The two outer groups quietly move into place. The signal of a mirror flash sets the three groups in motion. They come charging from the woods on three sides. There isn’t time to get the animals to safety or to take up arms against the Chaldeans.

Almost as quick as it started, the raid is over. Job’s servants lie dead, on the ground. The one mucking out the stalls goes unnoticed. He waits until the raiders leave with the camels before he sets out for his master’s home.

While these three men are making their way, independently and unaware of each other’s mission, another tragedy is about to befall the life of Job.

Job’s eldest son’s home is in a valley. It is lush and green, but it occasionally boasts of gusty winds. Today, Satan stirs those wind gusts into hurricane force winds. His house cannot stand against such an onslaught. It crumbles beneath the pressure, killing everyone within the house, except one servant. He was closest to the window and is able to claw his way out of the rubble using that opening.

He too runs to his master’s home.

Job is on his front steps, sitting and enjoying the breeze before going out to check on his stock when the first servant arrives. His face is red with exhaustion. He runs straight to his master and falls at his feet. Through heavy heaving breaths he tells Job of the tragedy he witnessed.

“The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 1:14-15).

Job puts his hand out to comfort the man when another of his servants falls at his feet. He too is exhausted from running. He pours out his story without any prompting.

“The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 1:16).

Job is frozen in confusion. But he has no time to process what he is hearing. Another servant falls at his feet. Between heaving breaths, he tells his story.

“The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 1:17).

Job looks up as a fourth servant stumbles towards him. He is covered in dust, his face is red and tear stained, and his garments are torn. He falls at Job’s feet beside the other three servants. His story tumbles past his lips.

“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 18-19).

Job pushes himself up from his seat, using all his strength. Anguish pours out of him is great mourning cries. He tears his robe in a release of his pent-up pain. And then he does something that surprises more than just the servants and his wife who are looking on.

Job falls to the ground and worships the Lord. Even after ALL that has been taken from him, he cries out to the Lord. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

Satan, who has been watching as each servant brings Job another disaster, stumbles as Job calls out to the Lord. In his mind he is screaming; “You are supposed to CURSE God! ALL THIS and STILL you hold to Him? You are beyond stupid! I’ll get you to curse Him if it is the last thing I do” promises Satan.

(to be continued)

I have NO idea why God allowed Satan to do this to Job. I don’t know if I will ever understand it. Maybe it was because Job was living in fear instead of trusting his children to make their own choices. While thinking about how I would react in his shoes, I was reminded of the song, I’ll Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns. If I can’t trust God in the rain, I will NOT survive. It’s not really the song that I’m searching for, but I can’t find the one I want. In that song it speaks of someone asking if I will still praise God when things go bad. The song says that when I praise in the good times, it builds me up for the hard times. I have given up looking but my hart holds fast to that understanding. How can I praise God for the blessings if I fight against Him in the hard times.

Father God, THANK YOU for not holding me up for an example to Satan! I don’t need his attention! I am content to be ‘off his radar’ for life. I have hard seasons too, but they pale in comparison to Job’s. But I want to be like Job in turning to You FIRST and FULLY in any season. Thank You for growing my faith in the good times and in the lessons that I face. Without You I would be LOST.