INSIGHTS ON THE BOOK OF JOB
By W. G. Guy
The events recorded in the Book of Job occurred around 1967 B.C. It appears that Job was a contemporary of Abram (Abraham). And like Abraham, Job was a significant person in his vicinity. He was wealthy and had great stature and was respected by others.
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.
Job was even recognized by God as being a man of virtue: so much so that God even bragged about him to Satan.
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?
At this point, Satan takes offense at God’s testimony of Job. He resents the fact that Job had a favorable recognition with God; which Satan did not have. So Satan sets himself up in opposition to Job seeking to destroy God’s favor of him.
Job 1:9-11 – Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 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. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Here we see the devil performing exactly what Jesus told us that he does:
John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
Also consider that Satan acknowledges that God hedges a protective shield around those who honor Him. “Hast not thou made an hedge about him”.
Satan wants Job’s virtue destroyed, hoping that he would curse God. It almost seems that God has set-up Job for a very serious time of tribulation that would be orchestrated by Satan; however limits were place on the devil’s ability as to what he could to Job.
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.
So Satan goes forth to initiate his attack on Job in which he destroys all that Job has. There were four different attacks, on his wealth and even destroying Job’s children; his posterity, (which was very important to a triable elder or chief).
Job 1:13-19 – And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: (Here comes attack 1): and 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 the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Here comes attack 2): 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. (Here comes attack 3): 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. (Here comes attack 4): 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 alone to tell thee.
Job lost everything that was of value to him, especially his children. Why was Satan allowed to kill Job’s children? We are given an indication earlier in Chapter 1.
Job 1:4-5 & 13 – And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 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. …..And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
It appears that Job’s children did not walk in their father’s Godly ways. It could be that they were what we now call “party animals”: eating drinking and having frequent drunken episodes. This is why Job feared for them and made regular sacrifices for their sinful behavior. They certainly were not repenting and making sacrifices for their own behavior. Their activities allowed Satan to destroy them, and God did not prevent it, because the “consequences of sin is death”.
This was the thing that Job feared could happen to his children because of their godless behavior and why he made sacrifices for them, since they did not.
Job 3:25 – For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
In addition to losing his wealth and children, he lost his stature in the community and was brought low: which is one of the things he lamented later in the story.
Job 1:20-22 – Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 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. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job maintained his virtue before God; and this made Satan angry for which he went to God again seeking more permission to afflict him.
Job 2:3-6 – 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? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Again Satan had to get permission from God in order to afflict Job; but God placed limits on the devil.
Job 2:6 – And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Now Job not only suffers the loss of his wealth and children, but now his physical body is greatly suffering. Yet Job remained faithful to God in spite of his physical affliction and loses. He refused to curse God and die, even as his wife encouraged him to do.
Job 2:9-10 – Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
This must have made Satan even more angry. Since there was nothing more that the devil could do to Job, but maybe he could send some of Job’s friends to him to make accusations to further “put salt in his wounds” to hurt him.
Job had three compatriots, and one younger one, come to him seeking to comfort and assist him in recovery by focusing attention that such trials were considered a result of sins that were hidden. It seems amazing that Job, and his friends, had a significant knowledge God. (This knowledge of God likely was passed down from Enoch and carried through the succeeding generations through Seth unto this time. Consider that Job declared, “I know that my redeemer liveth” and that he would see the LORD at the resurrection – Job19:25-26).
They tried to communicate with Job, as God’s spokesmen, to bring conviction of his sins. They assumed that his loses came from God, and not Satan. However, Job insisted that he had no hidden sin and maintained his righteousness. But….
Romans 3:10 – as it is written (in Psalm 14:3), There is none righteous, no, not one:
But God knows everything, even the hidden things that we don’t realize. God knew there was a weakness in Job, and He allowed Satan to expose it. That weakness appears to have been a lack of humility, which is pride. It appears that Job had pride in his righteous standing in the community, and before God. It took God to personally get involved with Job by having a discussion with him where God issued a series of challenging questions that Job could not answer. This discussion humbled Job before the almighty and sovereign God.
Micah 6:8 – He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?
The conclusion of this story is that Job had to humble himself before God; he had to forgive his accusing friends, and pray for them. As he did what God required of him, God restored to Job all that he lost, and even more.
What message can we gain from this record of Job’s affliction. Jesus tells us directly in John 10:10, about the works of the devil. Jesus also said that in this world, where Satan has free rule over the works of darkness, that we have a source that loves, cares, guides, protects and provides for us; even though we who are His children are hated by those of this vile world who still abide in darkness.
John 15:19 – If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
So it appears that God allows trials in our lives to purge and perfect our character and nature to be like Christ’s. God does not test us, but He allows the one that hates us to do it.
1 Peter 4:12-13 – Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
However, sin, weather hidden or not, opens the door for Satan to afflict us if that sin is not repented of and forgiven.
Hebrews 12:7-8 – If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Sometimes Satan attacks because he is trying to prevent a person, called of God, from achieving the position or work that God has ordained from him. Again, from John 10:10, as a thief, the devil tries to steal, kill and destroy that which God has purposed for you. However, know that God makes a way where there is no way! Because He has a divine plan and purpose for you, even though you do not realize what is going on.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Why? Because He loves us so much that He has given us total redemption (restoration) through Jesus of what was lost back in the Garden in Eden.
John 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
If you are going through a horrible time of testing, give it all over to God, submit your situations and circumstance unto Him, and He will see you through to victory as He did for Job, who came out on top with even more than he lost.
Romans 8:31-39 – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ….. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
