Tell the Story
Job’s Character and Wealth
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate 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 children have sinned, and cursed1 God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan2 also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And 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, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Satan Takes Job’s Property and Children
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants3 with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
The Biggest Story is about a big God who never gives up on his sinful people. Even when we deserve judgment, God has a plan to save his chosen ones. He is our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.
But that doesn’t mean things always go well for God’s people. Even when we obey God, life is still full of troubles and trials. In fact, challenges are a part of God’s plan for his children. Life is kind of like school. Recess is fun, but we learn the most when our classes are hard.
In the whole Old Testament there was no one with a harder life than Job. (By the way, Job is not a “job” that rhymes with “cob,” but “Job” that rhymes with “robe.”) Job was a godly man, fearing the Lord and doing what was right. He was also a rich man. He had ten children and more than ten thousand animals. Job was more faithful and more famous than anyone else in all the land.
One day, the Lord said to Satan (that ancient snake), “Have you seen my servant Job? There is no one like him.” Satan said, “Well, of course Job is a righteous man. He’s rich and famous. He won’t praise you once bad things start happening.” So the Lord allowed Satan to put Job to the test.
And what a test it was. Satan did all sorts of nasty things to Job. In a single day, Job heard from four dreadful messengers, one after another.
The first messenger told Job that the Sabeans had stolen his oxen and his donkeys and killed some of his servants. The second messenger told Job that fire had burned up his sheep and killed more of his servants. The third messenger told Job that the Chaldeans had stolen his camels and killed still more of his servants. If that wasn’t bad enough, the fourth messenger was even worse. He told Job that his children were enjoying a feast together when a great wind blew the house down and all the children died.
It would be hard to think of a sadder day. And Job was very sad. He tore his robe and shaved his head, which was a way of saying, “I couldn’t be any sadder.”
But do you know what he did next? He worshiped. He didn’t sin, and he didn’t give up on God. “I came into the world with nothing, and I will leave the world with nothing,” Job said. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job loved God when he had everything, and he loved God when he had nothing. Job still had questions. And Job still was hurting. But he knew God
was still in charge and God was still worthy to be praised.
