Today’s bible study is all about the chapter of Job 1 – Job Loses His Property And Children. According to scholars this incident roughly took place before 2100 B.C.
I encourage you to get your bibles ready and turn to Job 1. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read Job 1 with me. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scripture references that you find in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 10, we read about the nations that descended from Noah. According to the Chronological Calendar, the events of the book of Job took place around 2100 B.C. approximately. Hence, the upcoming Bible Study posts would be focussing on the remaining chapters of the book of Job to follow Chronology.
Without any more delay, let us begin!
Job, His Family And Possessions
1There 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. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 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.
According to Verse 1 of Job 1, Job lived in the land of Uz and he was a blameless and upright man. He feared God and stayed away from evil. Verse 2 of Job 1 says that Job had seven sons and three daughters. Verse 3 talks about Job’s possessions. He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred oxen, five hundred female donkeys and a large household. He was the greatest and wealthiest among all the people of the East (meaning northern Arabia).
In olden times, the animals that one owned accounted majorly for how rich a person was.
Interesting fact: The book of Job is considered to be a literary masterpiece of prose and poetry and studied by many scholars in depth.
Job Offered Burnt Offerings Regularly To God
4 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. 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.
According to Verse 4 of Job 1, the sons of Job would go and feast in their houses (they had their own houses too). And, the sons took turns feasting in each one’s house on appointed days. They also invited their three sisters to all the feasts to eat and drink with them. Verse 5 of Job 1 tells that when the days of feasting were over, Job would call his sons and daughters to him and sanctify them. Moreover, he also rose up early in the morning to offer burnt offerings to the Lord according to the number of his sons and daughters. These were most likely sin offerings for any sins that might have been committed in his son’s hearts against God during the feasts.
Job regularly offered burnt offerings to the Lord. It means that the feasts that his sons had were frequent and regular and hence Job had the need to offer burnt offerings lest they suffer the consequences of their sins of cursing God when drunk. It could also be that Job was repenting on behalf of his children’s sins as he must have been well-aware of the consequences of sin.
The Conversation Between THE LORD And Satan
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 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.”
Verse 6 of Job 1 tells that on a particular day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. With these sons of God (meaning angels) also Satan came. In Verse 7 The Lord asks Satan from where did he come.
And Satan replied that he came from going to and fro on the earth and walking back and forth on it. First of all, when Satan was kicked out of heaven he didn’t go to hell. Instead, he and his cohorts fell on the earth. That is why he is still on the earth till the second coming of Jesus. Second of all, both the sons of God and satan report to the Lord.
Why Does Satan Walk To And Fro On The Earth?
One can question why does satan walk to and fro and walk back and forth on the earth? The answer is in 1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. In short, he seeks people to use for his dark deeds. He also reports about any and every wrongdoing of God’s people. This, in turn, will bring in a bad harvest for their bad deeds. It is a legal right here. When there is sin in a person’s life it gives satan the legal right to enter that person’s life and cause harm. On the other hand, the angels also report to God. However, there is no report of the sons of God accusing people before the Lord.
Observation
The sons of God were previously mentioned before the great flood when they intermingled with the daughters of men. This proves that the sons of God were angels and not mere men for it is the angels who report to The Lord.
The Lord Mentions Job’s Integrity To Satan
8 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?”
Verse 8 of Job 1 speaks of how the Lord asked Satan if he had considered His servant Job. The Lord said there is no one like Job on the earth. It is because he was a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil.
Note
Notice how the Lord said Job fears God. He didn’t say Job feared the Lord.
Satan Wants To Test Job’s Character
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 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. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
Now in Verse 9-10 Satan answered the Lord. He said Job fears God only because of the hedge of protection around him and his household on every side. He also said that God has blessed the work of Job’s hands and made him prosper more than anyone in the land. And he said that these were the reasons why Job was upright and feared God.
In Verse 11 Satan tells the Lord to stretch out His hand and touch all that Job has. He is convinced that if the Lord did so, Job would curse the Lord to His face. In short, satan tells the Lord that Job is blameless, upright and fears God only because he does not want to lose his protection and possessions. Because Job knew that all that he had came from God.
Note
It is not The Lord who tests your character or puts you through trials. It is satan who does that to prove to the Lord how unworthy men are.
The Lord Allows Satan To Test Job
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.”
In Verse 12 of Job 1, The Lord gave over to Satan everything that Job had and He told satan to not touch Job’s life.
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Hence satan went out from the Lord’s presence to begin his work in Job’s life. He would have been eager to prove to the Lord how even an upright man fears the Lord solely for selfish reasons and not because of the love he had for God.
Job Loses His Oxen, Donkeys and Servants
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 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!”
Immediately after the conversation between Satan and the Lord regarding Job, the events of Verse 13 of Job 1 took place. It was one of those days when the sons and daughters of Job were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. Verses 14-15 explain how a messenger came to Job with bad news regarding his oxen, donkeys and servants. The messenger said that the oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were feeding beside them when the Sabeans raided them and took them away. They took away the oxen and donkeys by killing the servants who were looking after them with the edge of the sword. And this messenger was one of the servants who had escaped being killed.
In short, satans first attack was stealing Job’s property because the Sabeans raided and stole the oxen and donkeys.
Job Loses His Sheep And Servants
16 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!”
Now Verse 16 of Job 1 tells that while the first messenger was still speaking another one came. He told how the fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and servants and consumed them. He alone escaped to tell Job the news.
So the second time, satan destroyed the sheep and servants. Even though the messenger said it was the fire of God, it was the lightning. We must remember that even satan uses the weather patterns to cause harm. It most surely came from the second heavens (which explains the fact why the fire was referred to as lightning in the amplified version) from where satan and his group rule.
Job Loses His Camels And Servants
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!”
Verse 17 of Job 1 said while the second messenger was still speaking came the third one. He said that the Chaldeans formed three bands and raided the camels and took them away and killed the servants with the edge of the sword and he alone had escaped to tell Job.
Notice how the camels were stolen just like the oxen and donkeys. When satan attacks property he steals them and destroys them.
Job Loses His Children
18 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, 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!”
According to Verse 18-19 of Job 1 while the third messenger was still speaking came the fourth one. He said that Job’s sons and daughters were killed by a great wind while they were feasting in the oldest brother’s house.
Job Worshipped God After Losing His Property And Children
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 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, however, was not angry with God nor did he curse God. In Verse 20 of Job 1, Job arose, tore his robe and shaved his head in mourning (for his loss) and he fell to the ground. And, Job worshipped God.
He also said that he was born empty-handed from his mother’s womb and he must leave the earth empty-handed too. He said that the Lord gave and He has taken away and he blessed the name of the Lord. In short, Job humbled himself. He knew that everything on the earth belonged to the Lord and He has the right to do whatever He pleased with it.
Observation
Job said that the Lord gave and Lord has taken away. However, the person who took all things away from Job was Satan. And satan tested Job, not the Lord as I have already mentioned before. So why didn’t the Lord stop it? There is where legality comes into play. We will discover more as we read the other chapters.
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
According to Verse 22, we see how Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of Job 1. This chapter clearly explains how satan tested Job’s character and integrity. Also, Satan roams to and fro, back and forth on the earth. Since Satan had a legal right the Lord allowed Satan to touch Job’s property. He didn’t allow satan to touch Job’s life for it was not something that satan had legal access to. However, much is to be said about Job’s character. It is admirable how he worshipped God despite his circumstances and how humble he was.
If you have any questions or comments kindly leave them in the comments box below.
Until Next Time!