Bible Commentaries
Job 1

Introduction

The Narrative In Job Chapter One

The narrative opens in epic style, there lived. Job is simply introduced as a citizen of Uz. Unfortunately the exact location of Uz remains unknown. The evidence points in two different directions: a southern location in the vicinity of Edom and a northern site northeast of Palestine in the Hauran. The evidence slightly favors the latter location. Many explanations have been offered for the name Job (Heb. ’,yoll or LXX lob). In Job 42:18 the LXX identifies Job as Jobab, an Edomite king (Genesis 36:33 ; 1 Chronicles 1:44; cf. Genesis 10:29), but there appears to be no connection between this Edomite and Job. Some have argued that Job is related to Heb. ’ oyell, "enemy," the name meaning then "the enemy of God. "10 Another explanation identifies the Hebrew name with the Arabic root ’wb, "return, repent," i.e., "the penitent one" (cf. Ewald). If this were its meaning, the name would intimate the outcome of the drama, but such a meaning stands in stark contrast to Job’s stern conviction that he need not repent. Finally, the appearance of this name in numerous texts from the 2nd millennium B.C. casts doubt on the search for an etymological understanding of Job’s name as a literary device. Rather than being a literary invention, Job is the real name of a prepatriarchal hero.

Job 1:1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil."

Uz: Genesis 10:23, Genesis 22:20, Genesis 22:21, Huz, Genesis 36:28, 1 Chronicles 1:17, 1 Chronicles 1:42, Jeremiah 25:20, Lamentations 4:21

Job: Ezekiel 14:14, Ezekiel 14:20, James 5:11

perfect: Job 1:8, Job 2:3, Job 23:11, Job 23:12, Job 31:1-40, Genesis 6:9, Genesis 17:1, 2 Kings 20:3, 2 Chronicles 31:20, 2 Chronicles 31:21, Luke 1:6

one: Genesis 22:12, Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 16:6, 1 Peter 3:11

A patriarch is usually introduced in the biblical text with a full genealogy (e.g., Abraham, Genesis 11:26-29); thus it is noteworthy that Job is introduced without genealogy and without reference to his tribe or clan. There is also no specific reference to the time when Job lived. The author thereby masterfully composes a literary piece in which Job is representative of all who suffer.

Two sets of word pairs characterize Job as a man of untarnished character and devout faith. The first pair, blameless (tam) and upright (yasar), indicates that Job was a person of pure motivation. Heb. tam frequently designates a sacrificial animal as "spotless, without blemish," but when used with a person it means personal integrity, not sinless perfection (Joshua 24:14; Judges 9:16; Judges 9:19). The blameless person is one who walks in close fellowship with God (Genesis 17:1) and who delights in obeying the law (Psalms 119:1). He serves God wholeheartedly. The word uprightl depicts faithful adherence to God’s statutes (cf. 1 Kings 14:8; 1 Kings 15:5) and an honest, compassionate manner in relating to others. Job treated others, including his servants, fairly and justly (Job 31:13-23). Also he zealously showed mercy to the unfortunate.

The second pair of words describes Job’s devout faith. He feared God and shunned evil. The fear of God is an expression found throughout the OT and frequently in the Wisdom literature. It stands for a solid trust in God. One who fears God loves him devoutly. Therefore he approaches God reverently, filled with awe and deeply conscious of God’s contagious love. In daily life he expresses his fear by striving to please God in faithful obedience inspired by love. 16 The Wisdom literature places the highest value on fearing Yahweh, asserting that it is the very foundation for true wisdom (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10). Whoever fears God avoids the very appearance of evil (ra<; cf. Proverbs 16:6 b). He shuns all enticements to wrongdoing (cf. Job 31:1-12) and never places his trust in any other god or thing (Job 31:24-28). The combination of these four character traits and his vast wealth bore witness in his culture that Job excelled in wisdom (cf. Proverbs 3:9-10).

Job’s love for Yahweh and his acts of mercy toward other human beings became legendary. Thus Ezekiel lists him with Noah and Daniel as the most righteous men of all times (Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20).

Job 1:2-3 God richly blessed his faithful servant. The author uses the numbers three, seven, and ten, all symbolic of completeness, to demonstrate that Job’s wealth was staggering. Though he apparently resided in a city, he owned and cultivated land nearby and employed numerous shepherds who tended his flocks at great distances from his home.

God fully displayed his abundant favor on Job by giving Job seven sons and three daughters. This combination symbolized an ideal family. 19 Sons, valued in those days above daughters, are more numerous. In the epilogue the importance of the sons is counterbalanced by the mention of only the daughters’ names. God gave Job a rich heritage.

Job 1:2 "And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters." The number "seven" means spiritually complete. "Three" is a number of the God head. I believe the number of the children of Job indicates a perfect family.

seven sons: Job 13:13, Esther 5:11, Psalms 107:38, Psalms 127:3-5, Psalms 128:3

Job 1:3 "His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east." We see that the blessings of Job were not just limited to having a large family. He was blessed greatly in the size of his farm animals, as well. In fact, we might even say that Job was a very wealthy man. The oxen were spoken of in a manner that we could safely assume they were used as horses are today. The household, spoken of, was, perhaps, speaking of his servants. The fact that he was the greatest of all men of the east, lets us know he was living somewhere in the middle east.

substance: or, cattle, Genesis 12:5, Genesis 13:6, Genesis 34:23, 2 Chronicles 32:29

seven: Job 42:12, Genesis 12:16, Numbers 31:32-34, Judges 6:5, 1 Samuel 25:2, 2 Kings 3:4, Proverbs 10:22

household: or, husbandry, 2 Chronicles 26:10

greatest: Job 29:9, Job 29:10, Job 29:25

men: Heb. sons, Judges 6:3, Judges 7:12, Judges 8:10, 1 Kings 4:30

of the east: Genesis 25:6, Genesis 29:1, Numbers 23:7

Job had enormous herds. He had seven thousand small cattle, i.e., sheep and goats. His holdings included three thousand camels. The camel was a prestigious animal, and such an enormous number symbolizes great status. This large number suggests that Job engaged in caravan trade. To work his farmland he had five hundred yoke of oxen, mentioned in pairs because of their use in plowing. By ancient standards this number of oxen could till a considerable acreage. Five hundred (female) asses, animals of burden, are listed; their giving milk and bearing offspring made them more valuable than the males. As would be expected, Job had a large staff of male and female slaves for the work of his vast estate. In every way Job’s wealth surpassed that of any other sheikh of the East.

Job 1:4-5 As a further witness both to Job’s affluence and to his piety, a family custom is recounted. This custom is presented in a way that lauds Job’s character while setting the stage for the tragic fate that will befall his children.

Each of Job’s sons, in tum, held a seven-day feast at his own house. The brothers extended a special invitation to their sisters, who were presumably unmarried and living with their father. While the language may indicate that there were continuous rounds of feasting, it is more probable that each son periodically held a nonreligious feast, possibly a birthday celebration. This detail witnesses to the closeness and the affluence of Job’s family, not to the fact that Job’s children were given to frivolous living.

Job 1:4 "And his sons went and feasted [in their] houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them." Most scholars believe that the feast, spoken of here, was for a birthday of one of the boys. The statement "their houses" indicates they each had their own house. Each son gave a big feast every time they had a birthday. This was a special occasions to call the sisters to come and feast with them.

sent and called: Psalms 133:1, Hebrews 13:1

Job 1:5 "And it was so, when the days of [their] feasting were gone about, 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 cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually." We know that before the priesthood was established, the father of the family acted as that family’s priest. In this case, Job called the children to him and sanctified {set them apart for God} them after each of the feasts. There was no one particular sin they had committed, but Job wanted to make sure they were right with God at all times. All good parents should be concerned about the spiritual welfare of their children. Today the way we make sure of that, is with our prayers. Everything I see in all of these verses indicates to me, that this is a family who lived very early on in history. The burnt offerings seemed to be an animal for each son. It seemed, that on a very regular basis, Job cleansed his sons and sacrificed for them.

sanctified: Job 41:25, Genesis 35:2, Genesis 35:3, Exodus 19:10, 1 Samuel 16:5, Nehemiah 12:30, John 11:55

rose up: Genesis 22:3, Psalms 5:3, Ecclesiastes 9:10

offered: Job 42:8, Genesis 8:20, Exodus 18:12, Exodus 24:5, Leviticus 1:3-6

according: 1 Kings 18:31, Acts 21:26

It may be: 2 Corinthians 11:2

cursed: Job 1:11, Job 2:9, Leviticus 24:10-16, 1 Kings 21:10, 1 Kings 21:13

in their hearts: Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 4:14, Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:10, Mark 7:21-23, Acts 8:22, 1 Corinthians 4:5

Thus: Job 27:10

continually: Heb. all the days, Luke 1:75, Luke 18:7, Ephesians 6:18

Another noble characteristic of Job portrayed in this picture is his fervent spiritual leadership as head of his family. At the conclusion of each round of feasting he offered burnt offerings, atoning sacrifices, for all his children, just in case any of them had cursed God in their hearts. Before making the sacrifices he sent servants to make sure that his children were ritually cleansed for the solemn occasion of offering up sacrifices for expiation. No doubt his children were present the next day when Job, acting as the priest of his family, sacrificed burnt offerings for them. Since the sacrifices were whole burnt offerings, the entire offering was consumed by fire (cf. Leviticus 1). Nothing was left for either the children or the offerer to eat. Whole burnt offerings atoned for human sin in general, rather than specific transgressions, which were expiated with a sin offering (Leviticus 4:1 to Leviticus 5:6). Job was motivated to present these sacrifices because he was apprehensive that one of his children might have cursed God during the week’s festivities. In no way did he want a hasty curse to fester unexpiated in the conscience of one of his children. It is clear that Job took his role as the family’s priest very seriously, and this ritual of sacrifice was an expression of the entire family’s contrite attitude toward God. As priest of his family he interceded for each member lest any thought disrupt their relationship with God.

At this point it is important to note that the sin of cursing God is pivotal to the prologue. Whereas Job feared that his children might speak lightly about God, the Satan will argue that Job would certainly curse God should he suffer loss (Job 1:11; Job 2:5). Then Job’s wife will urge him to curse God and die (Job 2:9). With this motif the author focuses on the basis of an individual’s relationship to God. Does a person worship God out of genuine love or primarily for God’s blessing? This is the issue for everyone.

Furthermore, this characterization of Job portrays him as having a pure heart and a dynamic, active faith in God. God confirmed Job’s trust by blessing him abundantly. But Job did not grow overconfident. Scrupulously he offered sacrifices continually, seeking to expiate every possible sin even the incipient thought of denying God-both his own and those of his family. Job lived an exemplary life.

THE FIRST SCENE BEFORE GOD (Job 1:6-12)

The setting for this scene shifts to an assembly before God. While the term one day is indefinite, the Targum identifies the time of the first meeting with New Year’s Day and that of the second session with the Day of Atonement. In the postexilic era it was believed that a preliminary judgment took place on New Year’s Day. In that judgment the names of the upright were recorded in the book of life and the names of the wicked removed. Those whose character was marginal received a grace period until the Day of Atonement; at that time their repentance was accepted or rejected and their fate determined.

Job 1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them." This is not speaking of sons of God in the sense that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. This is actually speaking of angel beings. Notice, that Satan was set out separate from the sons of God. We know that Satan is the accuser of men before the Father. This presenting themselves before the LORD was almost in the sense of giving an account of their doings.

Now: Job 2:1

the sons: Job 38:7, Daniel 3:25, Luke 3:38

came to: Psalms 103:20, Matthew 18:10

Satan: Heb. the adversary, 1 Kings 22:19, 1 Chronicles 21:1, Zechariah 3:1, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:10

came also: John 6:70

among them: Heb. in the midst of them

The sons of God are the celestial beings or angels whom God created as his servants. On this day they came and presented themselves as courtiers to give an accounting of their activities to God. One interpretation of the setting of this scene is a session of the council of God. At its sessions the sons of God reported on their activities and received new orders.

On this occasion the Satan also came among them. Here the Hebrew word hassd(dn has the article, so it functions as a title rather than as a personal name. The Hebrew root means "to oppose at law." On this basis some scholars conjecture that the Satan may be the prosecuting attorney of the heavenly council. If this view is correct, his task on earth was to discover human sins and failures and to bring his findings before the heavenly assembly. But his role in this scene deviates from this explanation. Instead of uncovering disruptive plans, he acts as a troublemaker, a disturber of the kingdom.

Was the Satan one of the sons of God? The majority of scholars assume that he was. Driver-Gray understand the preposition among to indicate that he had a prominent place in this assembly .10 But some recent scholars understand the text to portray the Satan as an intruder. They come to this position either by taking the term also (Heb. gam) to mean "other than" or by understanding the preposition among to indicate someone who is an outsider. This casting seems to put him as a distinct member of the assembly with a role that stands over against that of the other members. But the main function of this assembly here is to provide an open forum in which Yahweh permits the testing of Job. That is, the plan to test Job was not hatched in a secret meeting between Yahweh and the Satan. Rather it was decided openly before the heavenly assembly. In this setting Yahweh’s motivation, based on his complete confidence in Job, was fully known and thus it was above question. This is important, for the author has a doubly difficult task throughout his work: continually to characterize Job as innocent and not to characterize Yahweh as demonic.

Job 1:7 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." Of course, the LORD already knew what Satan had been doing. The questioning of Satan was, possibly, for the benefit of the other angels. We know that the purpose of Satan going through the earth and searching is part of his evil desire to destroy. If he can find anyone who will succumb to him, he will destroy him. This scene focuses on the dialogue between Yahweh and the Satan. Yahweh began by asking the Satan for an accounting of his activities and whereabouts. The Satan responded that he had been roaming through the earth and going to and fro in it. The term roaming suggests that he moved randomly about the earth, perhaps like an emperor’s spy looking for any secret disloyalty to the crown.

Whence: Job 2:2, 2 Kings 5:25

From going: Zechariah 1:10, Zechariah 1:11, Zechariah 6:7, Matthew 12:43, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:12-17, Revelation 20:8

Job 1:8 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" Yahweh then brought Job to the Satan’s attention. Yahweh’s purpose was to demonstrate that a human being could live a blameless, upright life. Proudly Yahweh called Job his servant. With this title Yahweh was acknowledging that Job was a faithful, obedient follower. Moreover, Yahweh affirmedthat Job was truly a righteous man by stating that he was blameless and upright, one who fears God and shuns evil. Yahweh hereby authenticated the opening characterization of Job. Satan was accusing the men of the earth before the LORD all the time. This appears, that he had not brought up Job to the LORD, because he had not been able to find fault with him. There were just a few men in the Bible that God had singled out as being servants true to Him. Noah was another example of that. About the highest praise God could have for man was that in God’s sight, he was perfect and upright. God was proud of Job for his faithfulness. considered: Heb. set thy heart on, Job 2:3, Job 34:14, Ezekiel 40:4

my servant: Numbers 12:7, Numbers 12:8, Psalms 89:20, Isaiah 42:1

none: Numbers 12:3, 1 Kings 4:30, 1 Kings 4:31, 2 Kings 23:25

a perfect: Job 1:1, Job 8:20, Job 9:22, Job 9:23, Psalms 18:23, John 1:47

upright: Job 12:4, Job 17:8, Job 17:9, Job 23:11, Job 23:12, Psalms 84:11

one: Nehemiah 5:15, Psalms 36:1, Proverbs 8:13, Luke 23:39, Luke 23:40

escheweth: Psalms 34:14, Psalms 37:27, Isaiah 1:16

Job 1:9-10 But the Satan questioned God’s praise of Job. He doubted whether any person would fear God for nothing or without reason (Heb. IJinniim; cf. Job 2:3). The Satan’s question insinuated that all good deeds spring from selfish motives. To him this would surely be true in Job’s case, for Yahweh had both protected Job from all harm and blessed him abundantly. In fact, Yahweh had planted a fence of thorn bushes around all that Job owned so that no plague or misfortune could harm Job’s huge herds and productive fields. In addition, Yahweh had so blessed Job that his flocks had multiplied at such a rapid rate that they spread out (Heb. pdra~) over the entire land. Given these facts, how could one believe that Job served God freely out of love?

Job 1:9 "Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?" Satan usually attacks with a question. He asked Eve, in the garden, did God say? It was strange that he would question God. He was actually trying to get God to doubt Job. He tried to say that Job had plenty of reason to follow God. Satan is the essence of selfishness and pride, and he tries to imply that Job was also.

Doth Job: Job 1:21, Job 2:10, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Malachi 1:10, Matthew 16:26, 1 Timothy 4:8, 1 Timothy 6:6

Job 1:10 "Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." This was a true statement. God had blessed Job, his family, and all of his possessions. Job had been faithful to God, and God had blessed him mightily. We read many times in the Bible of the blessings God bestows on righteous men.

Psalms 1:1 "Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

Psalms 1:2 "But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

Psalms 1:3 "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

an hedge: Genesis 15:1, Deuteronomy 33:27, 1 Samuel 25:16, Psalms 5:12, Psalms 34:7, Psalms 80:12, Isaiah 5:2, Isaiah 5:5, Zechariah 2:5, Zechariah 2:8, 1 Peter 1:5

about: Genesis 39:5, Deuteronomy 28:2-6, Psalms 71:21, Psalms 128:1-4

thou hast blessed: Job 42:12, Genesis 26:12, Genesis 30:30, Genesis 49:25, Deuteronomy 7:13, Deuteronomy 33:11, Psalms 90:17, Psalms 107:38, Proverbs 10:22

substance: or, cattle, Genesis 30:43

Job 1:11 "But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Suspicious of Job’s reasons for fearing God, the Satan challenged Yahweh to test Job’s fidelity. Using imperatives as though he were ordering Yahweh, he sought to force Yahweh to test Job. He argued that if Yahweh would stretch out his hand and strike all that Job had, Job would surely curse Yahweh to his face. The self-serving basis of Job’s loyalty would be revealed. Whereas Job continually feared that one of his children might have cursed God in his heart, the Satan projected that Job would become so angry he would curse God to his face, i. e., in open defiance (cf. Job 2:9). Satan was judging Job by his own standards. This would be what Satan would do, if he were in Job’s place. Satan is not righteous. He is the chief of all sinners. He challenged God to take away Job’s possessions. Satan said, that Job would curse God, if he took away everything he had. Satan was saying that Job’s loyalty was just because he was blessed of God.

But put: Job 1:12, Job 2:5, Isaiah 5:25

touch: Job 4:5, Job 19:21, Genesis 26:11, Psalms 105:15, Zechariah 2:8

and he will curse thee: Heb. if he curse thee not, Job 1:5, Job 1:21, Job 2:9, Isaiah 8:21, Malachi 3:13, Malachi 3:14, Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:11, Revelation 16:21

Job 1:12 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD." Confident of his servant Job, Yahweh accepted the Satan’s challenge. He granted the Satan full power over Job’s possessions, but not over Job’s body. Many scholars speak of this transaction between Yahweh and the Satan as a wager. But this is inaccurate, for no sum was set to be handed over to the winner. The single issue at stake was the motivation for Job’s upright behavior and his fear of God. The Satan functions as God’s servant, solely an instrument in the testing. The author holds to a pure monotheism wherein God is ultimately responsible for all that happens. This is a very important Scripture for all believers to see. Satan had no power over Job, except what God allowed him to have. The Christians are under the same protection that Job had been. Satan cannot attack any believer, unless God allows it. We must, also, take note that God limited what He allowed Satan to do to Job. Job’s trial was to prove his loyalty to God. The trials that we have are to make us stronger in the LORD.

Behold: 1 Kings 22:23, Luke 8:32, Luke 22:31, Luke 22:32, John 19:11, 2 Corinthians 12:7

power: Heb. hand, Genesis 16:6, Jeremiah 38:5, John 3:35, John 3:36

only: Job 2:4-6, Psalms 76:10, Isaiah 27:8, 1 Corinthians 10:13

So Satan: Job 2:7, Luke 8:33

This scene and its counterpart in Job 2:1-7 a are essential for the audience to comprehend the spiritual dimensions of Job’s trial. They afford insight into God’s evaluation of Job and his confidence that under the severest testing his servant will prove that this evaluation is weII-founded. Without knowledge of God’s position the dialogue would be meaningless and Job’s stubbornness would be thought the height of self-delusion. In order to make a proper assessment of Job’s complaint the audience must know God’s attitude toward Job and his direction of the events that will befall Job.

JOB’S TRAGIC MISFORTUNE (Job 1:13-22)

Job 1:13 "And there was a day when his sons and his daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:" We discovered in an earlier verse of this lesson, that this was, probably, a birthday party. It was the oldest son’s birthday. This was a time of great joy and merriment. The third scene opens as did the second with the phrase One day. Since no one on earth was aware of the agreement between Yahweh and the Satan, all things at Job’s household continued as usual. The atmosphere was peaceful. Scrupulous Job would have recently offered whole burnt offerings to atone for any possible sin either in his children’s lives or in his life. His sons had joyfully begun a new round of feasting at the home of the eldest. The mention of wine is an artistic touch that pictures the children’s anticipated joy. That is, the tragedy of the coming events stands out more sharply against the background of the children’s excitement at the beginning of a new round of feasting.

when: Job 1:4, Proverbs 27:1, Ecclesiastes 9:12, Luke 12:19, Luke 12:20, Luke 17:27-29, Luke 21:34

Job 1:14-15 A serene mood pervaded Job’s estate. In the fields his servants were busy plowing with the oxen. Nearby the donkeys that had brought the implements and the supplies to the fields were grazing peacefully. Taking advantage of the unsuspecting atmosphere, a marauding band of Sabeansl4 attacked the workers. They rounded up the animals and drove them off. Mercilessly they killed all the servants with the sword. The only servant who escaped ran to Job with a report.

Job 1:14 "And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:" This lends a stronger indication that the feast Job’s children were having, was not a national holiday. Had it been a national holiday, they would not have been plowing the fields.

messenger: 1 Samuel 4:17, 2 Samuel 15:13, Jeremiah 51:31

Job 1:15 "And the Sabeans fell [upon them], and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." The Sabeans were Arabs in the ancient times, supposedly. It became a common name for all Arabs. They had raiding parties to continually plunder the wealth of others. It appears, they came to take what belonged to Job. They killed his servants and took his animals.

Sabeans: Genesis 10:7, Genesis 10:28, Genesis 25:3, Psalms 72:10, Isaiah 45:14, Ezekiel 23:42, Joel 3:8

and I only: Job 1:16, Job 1:17, Job 1:19, 1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 22:21

Job 1:16 "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." Just as the first servant was finishing his report, a second servant entered and recounted another disaster. Job’s flocks were grazing contentedly when the fire of God, i.e., a tremendous bolt of lightning, fell from heaven and lapped up everything in the area, including the flocks and the shepherds. This calamity has an ironic twist: the Satan used God’s fire against God’s servant. The fire of God, here, was, possibly, speaking of lightning. Ordinarily, Satan would not control the lightning, but in this case, God had given him permission to do this. Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" So many people use the Scripture above to prove that Satan had power over the elements. I might remind them to look at the word prince. He may be prince of the power of the air, but the LORD is King of the air, and everything else. The prince rules under the authority of the King.

there came: Genesis 19:24, Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38, 2 Kings 1:10, 2 Kings 1:12, 2 Kings 1:14, Amos 7:4, Revelation 13:13

The fire of God: or, A great fire, Exodus 9:28, 1 Samuel 14:15, *marg.

Job 1:17 "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." Satan was making sure that everything the LORD had given him permission to do, would be done all at once to overwhelm Job. Notice in each instance, only one was left to come and tell of the tragedy that happened. Satan wanted the impact of all of it to come on Job at once. As that servant was finishing his account, a third servant arrived and told Job that Chaldeans,16 divided into three bands, had swooped down on his vast herd of camels. So swift and unexpected was their attack that nothing could be rescued. Again only this servant had escaped to bring word back to Job.

The Chaldeans: Genesis 11:28, Isaiah 23:13, Habakkuk 1:6

fell: Heb. rushed

I only am: Job 1:15, 2 Samuel 1:3

Job 1:18-19 Immediately a fourth servant entered. The atmosphere was tense; the climax was at hand. This servant recounted the worst tragedy. While Job’s sons and daughters were feasting, the east wind ls struck the house of the eldest. The house collapsed, killing all his children. Only this servant had escaped. These four plagues revealed to Job that all the forces of heaven and earth had turned hostile toward him. This idea is borne out by the fact that the causes of destruction alternate between earthly and heavenly forces coming from all four points of the compass: the Sabeans from the south, lightning from a storm out of the west, the Chaldeans from the north, and the treacherous sirocco blowing off the desert to the east. The number four also symbolizes full measure, totality.

Job 1:18 "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:"

there came: Job 6:2, Job 6:3, Job 16:14, Job 19:9, Job 19:10, Job 23:2, Isaiah 28:19, Jeremiah 51:31, Lamentations 1:12, Amos 4:6-11

Thy sons: Job 1:4, Job 1:13, Job 8:4, Job 27:14, Psalms 34:19, Ecclesiastes 9:2

eating: 2 Samuel 13:28

Job 1:19 "And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee." To Job, as well as all parents, his children were the dearest thing he had. To lose them all at once was even more terrible. If anything would cause Job to turn against God, this would be it. This wind was like a cyclone. The "naar" which was translated men, in the Scripture above means people of both gender. The daughters died, too.

a great: Jeremiah 4:11, Jeremiah 4:12, Ephesians 2:2

from: Heb. from aside, etc

it fell: Judges 16:30, 1 Kings 20:30, Matthew 7:27, Luke 13:1-5, Acts 28:4

they are dead: Genesis 37:32, Genesis 37:33, Genesis 42:36, 2 Samuel 18:33

Job 1:20 "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped," Job was not overwhelmed by the loss of his animals. He was not centered on his wealth. The loss of his children was too much for him to not be moved by it. The renting of his clothes, and the shaving of his head, were signs of deep sorrow and mourning. It all had the opposite effect on him as Satan had planned, however. He fell on his face before the Lord and worshipped. In a moment the richest sheikh had been turned into a pauper. Conscious that the whole world had turned against him, Job was stunned. Grieving deeply, he stood up, ripped his robe (Heb. me’fl), an outer garment worn over the tunic, and shaved his head. Then he dropped to the ground and prostrated himself before God. In so doing he acted consciously, according to custom, not impetuously. In this way Job both acknowledged God’s lordship over all his possessions and sought consolation from the Almighty.

rent: Genesis 37:29, Genesis 37:34, Ezra 9:3

mantle: or robe

fell: Deuteronomy 9:18, 2 Samuel 12:16-20, 2 Chronicles 7:3, Matthew 26:39, 1 Peter 5:6

Job 1:21 "And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." These were words that Satan had not wanted to hear. LORD is Jehovah, here. Job realized that everything he had, including his children, were gifts from God. He did not have anything when he was born and was willing to end his life the same way, if that was what the LORD chose. Job realized that this number of tragedies could not have happened had it not been a supernatural act. He was aware that this was allowed by the LORD. Job’s statement, "blessed be the name of the LORD" is the opposite of cursing God. With two aphorisms Job acknowledged God’s sovereignty over his entire life, both for good and for ill. His acknowledgment is expressed with the strongest conviction, for he uses God’s personal nam.e Yahweh three times (Janzen). Job’s resignation to the divine will was exemplary. Having entered the world with nothing, he realized he would not take anything with him in death. Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, so he would return to the earth, the mother of all the living.22 More importantly he professed that the God who had given him all this wealth had the right to take it away, even before his death. Job assumed no inherent right to his possessions. In sorrow as well as in blessing he praised God’s name.

Naked came: Genesis 3:19, Psalms 49:17, Ecclesiastes 5:15, Ecclesiastes 12:7, 1 Timothy 6:7

the Lord gave: Job 2:10, Genesis 30:2, Ecclesiastes 5:19, Lamentations 3:38, James 1:17

taken away: Genesis 45:5, 2 Samuel 16:12, 1 Kings 12:15, Psalms 39:9, Isaiah 42:24, Isaiah 45:7, Amos 3:6, Matthew 20:15, Acts 4:28

blessed: Job 1:11, 1 Samuel 3:18, 2 Kings 20:19, Psalms 34:1, Psalms 89:38-52, Isaiah 24:15, Ephesians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Job 1:22 "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." Death of those very near and dear to you has a tendency to do one of two things. The tragedy will drive you away from God, or make you much closer to God. In this case, it made Job even stronger in his loyalty to God. Satan’s plan had failed.Grieving Job continued to look to God as his source of strength. He did not pursue any course of action to cope with his losses that would blemish his faith in God. He did not charge God with wrong (Heb. tipta), i.e., any unseemly or vengeful act. Mourning in silence, he gave his lips no opportunity to utter an angry curse or a cruel vindictive word. Thereby he honored God’s trust in him and demonstrated the falsity of the Satan’s taunts.

In all this: Job 2:10, James 1:4, James 1:12, 1 Peter 1:7

charged God foolishly: or, attributed folly to God, Job 34:10, Job 34:18, Job 34:19, Job 40:4-8, Romans 9:20

Job 1 Questions

1. What is the book of Job about?

2. There are those who believe the book of Job is nothing more than a ___________.

3. What are two other time tables that people put on Job?

4. This book gives evidence that Satan tries to __________ man.

5. In some of the darkest hours, the battle must be _______ _______.

6. What terrible thing did Job’s wife try to get Job to do?

7. What encouragement were his friends?

8. We may, also, learn from this, that suffering is not always brought on by ______ in our lives.

9. What does the author believe about Job?

10. Where did Job live?

11. He was __________ and ___________, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

12. Is this the same Job as the one spoken of in Genesis?

13. What does "eschewed" mean?

14. Fear of God is the beginning of _________.

15. How many sons and daughters did Job have?

16. How many sheep did he have?

17. The household spoken of was Job’s __________.

18. What do most scholars agree the feast day, of Job 1:4, was speaking about?

19. What did Job do immediately after their feast day?

20. All good parents should be concerned about the ____________ welfare of their children.

21. Who tended to priestly duties, before the time of the priesthood?

22. Who were the sons of God in Job 1:6?

23. Satan is the ___________ of men.

24. What question did God ask Satan?

25. What was the purpose of Satan going through the earth?

26. Quote Job 1:8.

27. Satan was trying to get God to doubt ________ intentions.

28. How did Satan describe the protection around Job?

29. Quote Psalms 1:1-3.

30. Satan was judging Job by his _______ standards.

31. Satan had ______ power of Job, except what God ____________.

32. What terrible news did the first messenger bring to Job?

33. What was the fire of God in Job 1:16?

34. What does the author remind us of about in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 2?

35. Who fell upon the camels, and took them away?

36. What was the worst news of all that one of the messengers brought?

37. When Job heard of the death of his children, what did he do?

38. Quote Job 1:21.

39. What will the death of those very near to us do to us?

40. Did Job sin or accuse God foolishly?

Verse 1

Job 1:1

Job 1

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE SAINTS COME TOGETHER TO WORSHIP?

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION FOR THIS CHAPTER

We have read twenty commentaries on this chapter and find no help in any of them; nor have we seen any other chapter in the whole Bible where we are any more certain that the interpretation of a chapter of God’s Word by current scholars is any more erroneous and absolutely unacceptable than is the case here. Apparently, none of the scholars whose writings we have consulted thus far on Job have been reading the same Bible that we read.

They all say that the scene here is "laid in heaven." Ridiculous! Satan does not have access to heaven. Revelation 12:7-9 declares, regarding Satan and his angels, that, "Their place was found no more in heaven," and that, "Satan was cast down to earth," and this epoch event is revealed as taking place before the creation of Adam. That is why Satan had access to the Garden of Eden. Throughout the period of human history, Satan’s theater of operations has been the earth, where Satan now is, along with his fallen angels, "Reserved in chains (pits) of darkness to the day of judgment" (2 Peter 2:7). See more on this under verse 12, below.

In this light, therefore, how can a score of Biblical scholars write that, "We have here a scene in heaven where Satan questions Job’s motives"? To explain such opinions, we must suppose (1) that they are made by men who never read the New Testament, (or if they had read it, did not understand it), or (2) that they accept this whole chapter of Job as merely a fanciful folk tale, invented by some unknown person as an allegory, or for the purpose of teaching some kind of a lesson. Some commentators, of course, freely admit holding such a position. We reject that notion out of hand.

HOW DO FALSE INTERPRETERS PLACE THIS SCENE IN HEAVEN?

(1) The word "heaven" is not in this chapter. However, it does state that the sons of God were there; and, of course, by falsely interpreting that expression as a reference to angels, advocates of the current error may exclaim, "And, certainly angels are in heaven." That’s how they do it; and it sounds convincing until it is considered that the ordinary meaning of sons of God is simply, men who worship God. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Likewise Hebrews 12:7-8 speaks of all Christians on earth as "sons" of God. Oh yes, but Job used the same expression in Job 38:7 in what is admittedly a reference to angels, not because the expression means angels (for it doesn’t), but because the context requires a different meaning; and that is a condition that does not exist in chapter 1. Are there then two meanings of the expression sons of God? Certainly! There are dozens of words in the Bible that have more than one meaning. Note:

And the captain fell on his knees BEFORE Elijah (1 Kings 1:13).

And Haran died BEFORE ... Terah in Ur (Genesis 10:28).

In the passage in Kings, the word "before" means "in the presence of"; and in the passage from Genesis it means "prior to." We could cite dozens of other examples of the same word standing in the Bible with diverse meanings.

Therefore, the use of the expression "sons of God" in Job 38:7 where the context forces a meaning different from its ordinary denotation, is no excuse whatever for forcing that meaning upon the expression in this chapter.

We are happy indeed to find one scholar who admits the dual meaning of the expression sons of God, and who gave it the proper interpretation in Genesis 6:2. pointing out that there, "The meaning of this phrase is men who worship God, for angels and men alike are, `sons of God,’ as created in his image, to obey and serve him." We have thoroughly researched the meaning of that passage in Genesis, which has no reference whatever to angels. (See my commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1, of the Pentateuchal Series, pp. 102,103.)

When the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, Satan also came among them (Job 1:6). Before Jehovah! Ah, there it is, doesn’t that refer to heaven? No! The words before Jehovah generally refer to what men do on earth. "Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord" (Genesis 10:9). In heaven? Of course not. Where do men usually hunt? This morning at church, the deacon who led the prayer at the Lord’s table began, "Father in heaven, we are assembled in thy presence ... etc."; nobody jumped to the conclusion that all of us had suddenly been transported into glory. That is, unless some of those Bible scholars who think God’s presence is limited to heaven happened to be in the audience.

Note that this assembly of God’s worshippers (that’s what sons of God means) probably included Job; and the presence of Satan should also cause no surprise. There has hardly ever been an assembly of the saints when Satan was absent!

Let it be observed also that Satan’s theater of operations in this passage was restricted absolutely to the earth. That is where Satan went up and down and to and fro, "seeking whom he may devour," (1 Peter 5:8); and, of course, that is his present occupation also.

What is revealed in this chapter is a typical gathering of God’s people, with Satan usually, if not indeed always, present, ever looking for sins and shortcomings of God’s people. Oh no, today we can not see the kind of repartee that took place between God and Satan in this chapter; but, without any doubt, the same thing is going on upon every occasion when the sons of God come before the Lord in worship; and it is the glory of this chapter that the inspired author, whom we believe to have been Moses, pulls aside the curtain of those hidden things that belong to God, enabling us to behold the merciless hatred of our cruel enemy (Satan) as he continually accuses the brethren "before God"; but absolutely not in heaven. Satan is not in heaven, but on earth; and God sees, hears and understands everything Satan does, for everything on earth is done BEFORE THE LORD.

Paul admonished Christians to, "Draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy" (Hebrews 4:16). Of course, "the throne" here is God’s throne, which is in heaven; but Paul did not mean that we must go to heaven in order to pray. We come before God and his throne (in heaven) every time we pray right here on earth!

What an incredibly beneficial revelation is this inspired account! When we suffer unjustly, when life is cruel and merciless in what falls upon God’s saints, when evil men are honored and promoted and the righteous reduced to poverty, disease, and dishonor, our Father in heaven is not to blame; our enemy, Satan, is the hidden cause of it.

Job 1:1

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil."

"There was a man." Yes, Job is historical. See our introduction. We are not dealing with some folk tale.

How blind was that scholar who wrote, "The Book of Job should begin with, "Once upon a time," (like any other fairy tale)! One of the ancestors of Job was a son of Aram and the grandson of Shem (Genesis 10:23); and, from this connection, some believe that. "The land of Uz is that settled by the sons of Aram."

"In the land of Uz." This place is unknown; but, "It lay somewhere east of Canaan near the borders of the desert that separates the eastern and western arms of the Fertile Crescent. It was an area of farms, towns and migrating herds."

"That man was perfect and upright." This cannot mean that he was sinless, but that he was perfect in his generation, as was Noah. Sinless perfection is an attainment that does not lie within the perimeter of mortal man’s ability. Only the blessed Saviour lived and died as a mortal man without sin.

E.M. Zerr:

General remarks: I shall not attempt to discuss all the questions raised as to the exact date when Job lived. The "authorities" do not agree on the subject, but that is not of so much importance to us. The main thing to remember is that he was an actual person and not an imaginary one. In Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20 he is named in connection with Noah and Daniel, and in the same sense. No one who accepts the Bible at all ever denies the actual personality of two of the men mentioned, and hence that of Job should be regarded in the same light. Strong’s lexicon gives us the direct and simple definition, "the patriarch famous for his patience." James refers to him (Ch. 5:11) as a real man, and we have no reason to consider him otherwise. As to his race or nationality I shall quote from Smith’s Bible Dictionary as follows: "Job, the patriarch, from whom one of the books of the Old Testament is named. His residence in the land of Uz marks him as belonging to a branch of the Aramean race, which had settled in the lower part of Mesopotamia (probably to the south or southeast of Palestine, in Idumean [Edomite] Arabia), adjacent to the Sabeans and Chaldeans." According to this, Job’s blood was a mixture of that from Abraham and the other branches of people under the Patriarchal Dispensation. Other points of interest as to Job’s place in the great Book of God, and the central line of thought running through the book, will be noted as we pursue our study.

Job 1:1. The character of Job is the outstanding fact of this verse. Perfect means he was completely righteous before God, and feared or reverenced him. To eschew evil means not only to refrain from doing it but to shun or avoid it.

Verses 2-5

Job 1:2-5

Job 1:2-5

THE GREAT PROSPERITY OF JOB

"And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they went and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so that when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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. Thus did Job continually."

"Each one upon his day" (Job 1:4). It is not known if this means each one upon his birthday, or if it means that they took turn-about in hosting the feasts according to some other assignment of the days.

"Job ... offered burnt offerings" (Job 1:5). The revelation of this verse is extensive. (1) It places the scene in the patriarchal age before the giving of the Law, during which the patriarch was the priest for his family. (2) Job recognized that the seat of human sin is in the heart, as Jesus said (Matthew 15:19). (3) It shows that Job recognized that, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins" (Hebrews 9:22), and (4) that, "Job was mindful of God upon good days as well as evil, and that he faithfully discharged his duty as God’s priest within his family."

E.M. Zerr:

Job 1:2. The story will come back to this verse in the outcome. Let the reader take note of the number and sex of Job’s children at this place.

Job 1:3. The narrative will come back also to this verse, so it will be well to mark it. Substance is from a word that Strong says means "live stock." Household is from ABUDDAH and Strong defines it, "something wrought, i. e. (concretely) service." It is the word for "store of servants" in Genesis 26:14. So Job was blessed with a family of sons and daughters, a possession much prized in Biblical times; an abundance of various animals, and many servants to wait upon him in the enjoyment of his property.

Job 1:4. The sons would hold feasts in their houses, each taking his turn to act as host to the others. To these feasts the sisters were invited. All of this indicates a united and thus a happy family. That was a condition to be considered as a great blessing, for not all families are thus congenial. While a parent would regret to lose a child, however unworthy or unpleasant in disposition, yet the loss of so agreeable a group of children would be felt the more keenly.

Job 1:5. It would be no surprise if the sons should commit some trespass in the course of the festivities, for- getting themselves in the enjoyment of the occasion. On the mere possibility of their doing so, Job would go through with a service of sacrifices in their behalf at the conclusion of each feast. The question naturally arising is, what good would it do for one man to offer sacrifice for another? The answer is in the fact that Job was a father in the Patriarchal Dispensation, in which the head of a house or family group was priest for the group. His acts, therefore, would be a benefit for the members of the group. We are told that "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). Nothing is said about the lives of the sons, because they were all in the Patriarchal Dispensation. Hence the action of Job would benefit his sons. But we should note the devotional spirit of Job in that he did not wait until he was directly called upon to atone for the sins of his sons. It may be was all the motive he needed for making the sacrifice. And nothing would be lost even if no irregular conduct of his sons had been committed. Sacrifices were always in order, whether definitely needed or not, and if no act of the sons had called for the service, the exercise would be accepted as a freewill offering.

Verses 6-12

Job 1:6-12

Job 1:6-12

THAT CONVERSATION BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN

"Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil. Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power: only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah."

See our chapter introduction for the location of this scene, not in heaven, but upon earth when God’s people were assembled for worship.

"Jehovah ... Jehovah ... Jehovah ... Jehovah ... Jehovah ... Jehovah ... Jehovah" (Job 1:6-12). Seven times in six verses, the covenant name of God appears in this passage, thundering the message that the "sons of God" here are those in covenant relationship with the Eternal. Note that [~’Elohiym] (God) is used twice in the preceding paragraph. Are the holy angels within any such covenant relationship? Absolutely, NO! How blind the critics are to this passage! Dummelow noted that the use of the Tetragrammaton here is thought by some, "To be a slip on the part of the author! How could anybody make "a slip" seven times in six verses? Our own opinion is that we have proof here, as Dummelow wrote, that, "The Tetragrammaton (Jehovah) may have been much older than Moses." This writer fully believes that the name Jehovah is indeed much older than Moses. (See my excursus on the Tetragrammaton (Y-H-W-H), beginning on p. 32 of my commentary on Exodus.)

"Satan here has ready access to heaven." See chapter introduction for many reasons why such a comment is erroneous.

"The sons of God ... are divine beings who shared in the nature of divinity." Rowley enunciated the same error, "Sons of God means superhuman, or celestial beings." "To interpret these words thus is to suppose that the very same words in Genesis 6:1-3 teach that angels intermarried with men producing a race of giants, despite the fact that the Christ himself declared that angels "Neither marry nor are given in marriage" (Matthew 22:30). The true meaning of Sons of God is found in Romans 8:14. How are they sons of God? "They are born of God, born of water and the Spirit". In short, they are followers and worshippers of God; and so were those mentioned in Genesis 6:1-3, and in this passage before us. To suppose that the Holy Spirit in this passage was speaking of angels is ridiculous. Did He not know the word angels? If that is what he meant, why did not the Holy Spirit write angels? This student of God’s Word has had his fill, and more, of the speculations of commentators who presume to tell us what the Holy Spirit meant, instead of what he said.

Rawlinson, usually quite accurate, misses it here, stating that, " Job 1:7 teaches that Satan, therefore, is not, like most of his fallen angels, "reserved in chains under darkness to the judgment of the last day (Judges 1:1-6)." However, this very passage teaches that Satan is chained. (See more on the chaining of Satan under Job 1:12). He could not even touch Job, without God’s permission; and, even after the Lord gave him permission to destroy Job’s possessions, he was not allowed to touch the person of Job (Job 1:12).

"Doth Job fear God for naught?" (Job 1:9). Satan’s implication here is that Job’s motive for serving God was purely selfish. Atkinson raises the question, "Why do we serve God? Is it merely for what we can get out of it"? Some of the comments on this are quite inadequate. It is true that genuine faith does not serve God merely for the temporal blessings that most certainly do accompany it, and which Satan himself freely admitted in the next verse. But in spite of this, it is a profound fact that the ultimate reward in heaven, after the present life is ended, is a valid motive for serving God. Christ himself admonished righteousness, saying, "For great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12). Yet, even the hope of heaven is not the highest motive. The Lord revealed that there are three basic motives for serving God, namely, (1) The love of God, (2) the hope of heaven, and (3) the fear of hell. Quite understandably, Satan was careful not to mention the other two motives! But we wonder why so many writers do not mention them.

"Hast thou not made a hedge about him?" (Job 1:10). Oh yes, even the devil admitted in this instance that serving God is certainly rewarded in this life also, at least, in the vast majority of instances; and it would doubtless be true invariably, if mankind had not chosen to become servants of the devil. In this verse, for once, the devil was speaking the truth. How mighty is God’s protection and blessing of the faithful, even in this life; and even though Satan’s interference brought great calamity and grief upon Job, read the rest of the story! "Job did not serve God for something he could gain by it." This is typical of the comments on Job which appear to us as totally inadequate. This comment would have been true if the author of it had said that, "Job did not serve God merely for what he can gain by it in this life." Job had the eye of faith upon the eternal world, confident in the resurrection of the dead and the appearance of the blessed Redeemer (Job 19:25). To leave this consideration out of the Book of Job is to miss the point of it completely.

"In Eden, Satan disparaged God to man; but here he disparages man to God."

"All that he hath is in thy power" (Job 1:12). Some scholars have even taken the position that it was really a very mean and inconsiderate old God who would thus have turned Job over to the devil. Such an attitude is merely the blindness of unbelief. It was not God who gave Satan dominion over Adam and his posterity, making him, in fact, "The god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4); but it was Adam himself. The human family in the person of their great progenitors rejected the benign and glorious government of heaven and willfully became the servants of Satan. Thus Satan’s implied request for power to afflict Job was, in a sense, within his prerogative as mankind’s chosen ruler.

Could not God have prevented it? Indeed, he could have. Why then, did he allow it? "God allowed it; because Job’s sufferings, unknown to him, would stand forever before men and angels, as a trophy of the saving might of God, and an exhibition of that divine wisdom (and faithfulness) which is the archetype and foundation of human wisdom."

"Against himself put forth not thy hand" (Job 1:12). Note also that Satan could not even touch Job’s property without God’s permission. Yes, indeed, Satan is bound. That does not mean that Satan is inactive, but merely that his activity is limited to the earth, where he awaits the judgment; and, even upon earth, he is by no means free to act without God’s permission.

REGARDING THE BINDING OF SATAN

(1) The proof that Satan is bound is resident in the fact of each and every person who is saved by obeying the gospel. "How can one enter into the house (the earth) of the strong man (Satan) and spoil his goods (save a sinner from hell), except he first bind the strong man (Satan)? and then he will spoil his goods" (Matthew 12:29). No person whomsoever would ever be saved if Satan were not bound.

(2) Satan cannot tempt even the weakest child of God beyond that which he is able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:12). This reveals a definite limitation (or binding) of Satan’s activity.

(3) In this passage, Satan was definitely chained (a) to the extent that he had been unable to touch Job in all the days of his prosperity, (b) in the fact that he could never have destroyed Job’s wealth without God’s permission, (c) to the extent that in this first test, he was not permitted to touch the person of Job, and (d) to the extent that, even after God allowed him to afflict Job’s body, in the second test, Satan was, even then, forbidden to take Job’s life. The same limitation of Satan’s hatred of any and all of God’s children is indicated by the fact that Satan was not allowed to sift (test) the apostle Peter without Jesus’ specific permission (Luke 22:31). What is the chain that restrains Satan? It is the Word of God.

(4) It is revealed in Revelation 20:1-3 that Satan is bound "for a thousand years," the same being only another designation of the current dispensation of the love of Christ.

E.M. Zerr:

Job 1:6. Sons of God are the same beings meant in Job 38:7. They were not sons of God as that term is used in the New Testament, or even in the Old Testament as pertaining to God’s earthly servants. The next verse will show that the gathering referred to was not on earth, hence these were not human beings. Moffatt’s version gives us "angels." We do not know what was the purpose of the meeting, other than to give the angels opportunity to present themselves in humble adoration before their Lord and Creator. It would appear that God at various times permitted special gatherings in the celestial region. See an instance in 1 Kings 22:19-24. Neither do we know why Satan was suffered to be present at that gathering, except that it was a link in the chain of events which the Lord was forging for another of his great dramas. We should not be disturbed over the idea of the presence of Satan in the region of the eternal life. Bear in mind that the judgment day has not come yet, and that certain conditions and actions may be tolerated that will not be after the final day. Such an experience as that recorded in 2 Corinthians 12 will never take place after the eternal settlement of things has occurred. And so for wise reasons the Lord suffered Satan to be present in the solemn gathering.

Job 1:7. Whence comest thou? means "from where have you come?" That indicates Satan had been in some place other than the one where this great assembly was being held. The answer stated that Satan had come from . . . the earth, etc. This is what proves that the gathering was not on earth and that the sons of God were angels.

Job 1:8. We may "read between the lines" without speculating. We read (1 Peter 5:8) that the devil walks about as a roaring lion. So between the lines of this verse we can read that Satan had been going up and down in the earth, spying on the servants of God and hoping to get in one of his darts of temptation. In such a tour he would logically meet up with Job, but fail to make any progress against him. The Lord threw this fact as a challenge to Satan.

Job 1:9-11. Satan did not deny the Lord’s claim about the righteousness of Job. But, like many human beings, tried to "explain it away" by giving it a questionable motive. To make it brief, he charged that Job’s service to God was on the basis of a bribe; that he was serving the Lord purely from a selfish purpose, and that if his earthly possessions and interests were taken from him he would curse God.

Job 1:12. The Lord gave Satan the privilege of stripping Job of everything he had outside of his body. Even had this special commission not been given to Satan, we know that he has at times manifested great power. In the universe there are three shades or degrees of power; human, superhuman and infinite. Man has the first, God has the third. Between these extremes we have seen various limited degrees of power, sometimes manifested by men, sometimes by animals and sometimes by the devil. We should always bear in mind, however, that all power comes from God, and that every creature in the universe will possess just the amount of power that God sees fit to let him have. When the magicians in Egypt failed at the plague of lice, they explained that it was because it was "the finger of God" that had brought that plague. That was an admission that the superhuman acts which they had performed were by the power of Satan. And so we nee Satan given the power to damage Job miraculously, with restrictions.

Verses 13-19

Job 1:13-19

Job 1:13-19

RECORD OF THE CALAMITIES THAT BEFELL JOB IN ONE DAY

"And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, that there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them; and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain thy servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house; and behold there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped to tell thee."

The malignant nature of Satan appears vividly in this passage; and it is fully harmonious with all that is written elsewhere in the Holy Scriptures concerning the evil one. (1) His deception of Eve was designed to accomplish her utter destruction, and to drown all of her posterity for ages to come in oceans of blood and tears. (2) Look what happened to the herd of swine (Matthew 8:32). (3) Look what happened to Judas Iscariot. John 13:27 states that, "After the sop, Satan entered into Judas"; and before the night ended Judas was dead by his own hand. This passage in Job probably was given unto God’s people as an accurate portrayal of the deadly purpose of Satan in his activities among the sons of Adam.

THE DISASTERS THAT FELL UPON JOB

A dramatic summary of these is as follows:

* The Sabeans have fallen upon your oxen and asses, killed your servants, and carried away the herds.

* A stroke of lightning has killed all your sheep and the servants that guarded them.

* The Chaldeans have raided your camels, taken them, and murdered your servants.

* A tornado has struck the house where your children were feasting and killed them all.

"What power there is in this passage! If Shakespeare had dramatized it, what a play he would have had." This outdoes the old proverb that, "When it rains, it pours."

E.M. Zerr:

Job 1:13. There was nothing unusual in this gathering at the home of Job’s oldest son. Job 1:4 states that it was a practice for them to gather in turns for that purpose. For some reason not revealed to us, the devil chose such an occasion for carrying out the program of destruction against the family and property of Job.

Job 1:14-15. The destruction was accomplished in parts and through various agencies. The first calamity was the theft of the beasts of service and the death of the servants who had been working them, all except the one who escaped to bear the news to Job. The Sabeans were a people related to the Arabians. They were a wild-like clan and given to making raids into the territory of others. This great misfortune was reported to Job by the messenger who had escaped.

Job 1:16. The fire of God meant only that it was a supernatural fire. The messenger would not understand the situation and attributed it to God. The sheep and the servants caring for them were destroyed by fire, all except the one who was let escape to carry the news to Job.

Job 1:17. Made out three bands means they divided them into three groups among their forces. That was good strategy and was done by others in times of urgency or distress. (Genesis 32:6-8; 2 Samuel 10:9-11.) The Chaldeans were a strong race of people residing in the Mesopotamian lands. They stole the camels of Job and slew the men caring for them, all except one allowed to escape to be the bearer of the news.

Job 1:18-19. The story of Job’s misfortunes starts with the feast at his oldest son’s house. It is remarkable that all of the events about the animals and servants occurred while that feast was going on. They must have taken place in rapid succession, for according to V. 4 the feasts were of one day’s duration. The whole setup is interesting and shows a plan so arranged as to grow with tension as it neared the climax. By selecting a time when the sons and daughters ere feasting, their attention would w not be drawn to the destruction of the property so as to rush to the defense. Furthermore, by starting on the animals and their caretakers, the less valuable of Job’s property would be lost first. Of course, the loss of even such assets would ordinarily be calculated to arouse the owner’s anxiety. Then, just after the tension had been drawn almost to the breaking point, here came the final blow, the destruction of his children. He certainly cannot stand such a heavy stroke. Surely, Satan will be the winner in such a contest.

Verses 20-22

Job 1:20-22

Job 1:20-22

THE WAY THAT A RIGHTEOUS MAN DEALS WITH DISASTER

"Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; and he said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

"Naked shall I return thither" (Job 1:21). Job did not mean that he would return to his mother’s womb, but that he would return to "mother earth." This analogy is expressed in Psalms 139:15, making it quite clear that man has two mothers, his fleshly mother, and the earth itself.

Here is revealed the manner in which a righteous person should accept disaster. He accepted it as coming from the hand of God. Everything that occurs on earth or in heaven may happen only with God’s permission.

He worshipped God. Whatever misfortunes, disasters or calamities may overwhelm us, prostrating us with grief and tears, the right answer is always and forever, "Worship God."

He did not blame God, nor charge him foolishly. One of the saddest things ever witnessed by this minister of the gospel in some sixty-six years of preaching is the reaction, now and then, on the part of some bereaved or distressed Christian that resulted in the very sins Job here avoided. In my memory, there still stands the angry and belligerent couple who, having lost a beloved child in death, loudly condemned God for allowing it, vowing never to worship him again!

"The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away! Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). How priceless are these ringing words of faith! Christians of all ages have stood by the cold bodies of their beloved dead and repeated through falling tears these holy words. What a victory over his malicious enemy, Satan, did Job register in these words of sorrowful resignation! There are indeed righteous and holy men who love God and who serve him honorably and faithfully, regardless of their earthly circumstances, even in poverty, distress and bereavement. Such persons find the moral strength to do this because, like Job, they know that, "My Redeemer liveth," ... and that the God of all grace will, in the resurrection, reward the faithful with eternal life and glory.

The primary focus of the true Christian is not upon this world, but upon that which is to come. "If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable" (1 Corinthians 15:19).

E.M. Zerr:

Job 1:20. But Satan was doomed to disappointment on this occasion. Job arose and rent his mantle. That was an established custom in olden times when one was in great distress or anxiety. It thus did not indicate any spirit of resentment. Instead, if Job does the right thing even after having torn his garment, it will prove his self-control more certainly than if he had made no demonstration. In other words, a calm and respectful behaviour after such a customary demonstration would mean more than if he had not first put on the demonstration. We are therefore eager to see how he conducts himself afterwards. The record states that he fell down upon the ground and worshipped. What a masterful exhibition of self-control mingled with profound respect for God!

Job 1:21. Even Nicodemus knew that a man could not return to his mother’s womb (John 3:4), and Job did not mean it that way. The thought really is in the word naked, and means that, as "we brought nothing into this world, it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1 Timothy 6:7). This truth agrees with the fact that what we have was given us by the Lord. And if the Lord gave us all that we have, it would certainly be all right for him to take it back whenever he saw fit. Job was completely resigned to that consideration and praised the Lord that he had permitted him to have these blessings for even a part of his life.

Job 1:22. Job would have had no way to prevent, the loss of his posessions had he been so minded, and thus the sin of which he could have been guilty was that with his lips. Had he accused God of acting foolishly it would have been a sin. The same principle holds true today. We are warned not to criticize the wisdom of God. (Romans 9:20.)