Bible Commentaries
Job 1

John Brown

Job 1

A Heavenly Meeting About a Good Man

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Job is the first of the poetical books which consist of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations.

1. But don't expect it to be "rhythmic" because it is written in Hebrew parallelism.

a) Meaning the author will state something, then illustrate it by saying it again in another way. But, not necessarily with rhyme nor rhythm like western poetry.

B. We do not know who wrote the book of Job nor exactly the time Job was written!

1. Some think the writer was Elihu. One of Job's friends because he uses the first- person, personal pronoun "I" as the author would have done in Job_32:16-17 - but that alone is not conclusive!

(1) Other guesses have been Moses, Solomon, and Job himself!

(2) There is no mention, in the entire book of Job, of the Mosaic Law or any of the events of the book of Exodus!

(a) So, one would assume it was written before Exodus.

C. We know that Job lived in a land called Uz, but we do not know exactly where Uz (was)!

1. We will talk more about that as we commentabout verse

D. There are indicators that give us an idea of the "time" Job lived in.

1. Job lived at least 170 -180 years which we will see when we get the Chapter 42.

a) This was not uncommon before the flood, during the time of the patriarchs.

2. Job acted as the high priest of his family and there is no mention of any other priesthood!

3. Gen_36:10 tells us that Eliphaz, one of Jobs friends, was Esau's son.

a) That being the case, Job and Jacob knew each other!

E. Most scholars will tell you the theme of Job addresses the age-old question, "Why do the righteous suffer if God is a loving God?"

1. The book surely addresses that question, but I think that perhaps the theme is about "REPENTANCE."

a) Let's take a look!

II. TEXT

A. Job_1:1 (NKJV) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

1. Uz sounds like a pace out of a fairy tale, but it was a real city.

a) Gen_10:22-23 tells us that Uz was the grandson of Shem.

(1) That would make him the great grandson of Noah.

b) The Historian Josephus tells us that Uz was the founding father of Damascus located in the Syrian desert!

(1) By the way, that was the same desert the Lord sent Paul into for his "post-graduate" work

(2) The Lord still sends many who are called into His service into the desert for training!!!!!

2. Job was "blameless" and "upright" meaning that he was honest and straight forward with the Lord and performed the necessary sacrifices to atone for his sins.

a) Job had a healthy concept of the Lord and as a result, was a man who knew the consequences of sin and avoided it at all costs!

b) In fact, he may have been too good at it all!

(1) You know we can let a wonderful thing like living for the Lord slip into ritual very easy.

B. Job_1:2 (NKJV) And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

Job_1:3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

1. Job was a very wealthy man with a large family.He was the Howard Hughes of his day!

a) They lacked for nothing!

C. Job_1:4 (NKJV) And his sons would go and feast [in] [their] houses, each on his [appointed] day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Job_1:5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according] [to] the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

1. I think we may, (and I say may) have a hint here why the Lord decides to call Jobs sons and daughters home.

a) Please notice that this Godly man felt an uneasiness in his heart for his children's relationship with the Lord!

(1) But, he seems to think that his is OK! There is not mention that he was concerned for his own relationship with the Lord

b) Something inside him told him that he must intercede fore the kids because they seemed to be more concerned with partying that keeping right with the Lord!

(1) So, like most of us parents, Job tried to "run interference" between his children and the Lord.

D. Job_1:6 (NKJV) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

Job_1:7 And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."

1. The "scene" changes from earth to heaven and we see God's angels gathering for a meeting with Jehovah!

a) satan is also there to make a report and we know that at least one of his jobs is to accuse those who love the Lord!

(1) Rev_12:9 (NKJV) So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev_12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

(2) 2Co_4:4 tells us that satan is the "god of this world."

And Eph_2:2 tell us that he is "the prince of the power of the air."

(a) So, he has been exercising those rights and roaming the earth looking for someone to accuse, and the Lord's response indicates that he already had his eyes on Job!

E. Job_1:8 (NKJV) Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that [there] [is] none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

Job_1:9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

Job_1:10 "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

1. The Lord give Job credit for being "His" man!

a) satan says, "The only reason Job loves you is because you have a hedge of protection around him and have blessed him and made him rich!"

F. Job_1:11 (NKJV) "But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"

1. I don't know if you catch the implication here but the underlying statement here is that God is not worthy of devotion just because He is God and that He has to "buy" it from Job!!!!

a) Please keep in mind that Job represents those dedicated to the Lord!

b) And the reality is that for many who say that they love the Lord, if you took away the things that are the most dear to them, they would curse the Lord to His face!!

c) But there are others who though they would be devastated, would hang on to the Lord!!

G. Job_1:12 And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has [is] in your power; only do not lay a hand on his [person]." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

1. We learn a couple of things from this verse:

a) #1 Sometimes the Lord will allow our "security blankets" to removed!

b) #2 Nothing can come into our lives unless it passes by the "desk" of God!

(1) It is at theses times in life, we must hand on to Rom_8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.

(2) Suddenly the "scene" changes and we are back on earth, in Job's time.

H. Job_1:13 (NKJV) Now there was a day when his sons and daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house;

Job_1:14 and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

Job_1:15 "when the Sabeans raided [them] and took them away--indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

1. The sons and daughters are spending their day just like they always did - partying! Rom_14:16-17 (NKJV) Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

a) It's is a pretty good bet that they felt they were "safe" because they had a godly father!

b) All of a sudden, Job begins to suffer loss.

I. Job_1:16 (NKJV) While he [was] still speaking, another also came and said, "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!"

1. Before the first man can even finish telling Job what had happened, a second came bearing more of the same bad news.

J. Job_1:17 While he [was] still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

1. Now a third man with continuing bad news.So far, though the losses were great, it is not too close to home!

K. Job_1:18 (NKJV) While he [was] still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

Job_1:19 "and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

1. Now, the loss rips at Job's very soul

a) He lost all 10 of his children in one fell swoop!

b) He could replace his "things" but he could not replace his children!

(1) Yet, look at his reaction to the losses.

L. Job_1:20 (NKJV) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

Job_1:21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Job_1:22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

1. He was every bit as human as you and I.He grieved bitterly but he "bowed down" (worshipped) before the Lord and accepted God's will for his life!!!!

a) He acknowledged that he was "stripped" when he came into the world, and that he would go out the same way - with nothing!

b) Then he acknowledged that it was the Lord that had allowed it all to be taken away and instead of being resentful, blessed Him anyway!

c) And in all of this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

III. CONCLUSION

A. I am humbled and shamed by Job's reaction!

1. I have grumbled and complained over much less than this!