In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
- Job 1:1-22
Job 1:21 ”Think for just a moment about the things you own. Think about the house you have, the car you drive, the money you’ve saved. Think about the stocks you’ve traded and the clothes you’ve purchased. Envision all your stuff, and let me remind you of two biblical truths.
“Your stuff isn’t yours. Ask any coroner … No one takes anything with him. When one of the wealthiest men in history, John D. Rockefeller, died, his accountant was asked, ‘How much did John D. leave?’ The accountant’s reply? ‘All of it.’
“All that stuff-it’s not yours. And you know what else about all that stuff? It’s not you. Who you are has nothing to do with the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Jesus said, ‘Life is not measured by how much one owns’ (Luke 12:15). Heaven does not know you as the fellow with the nice suit or the woman with the big house or the kid with the new bike. Heaven knows your heart.”
- Max Lucado, Traveling Light
The Message
After the first two chapters, I plan to take this as one speaker at a time. Thus, the splits can be anywhere from one chapter to three chapters.
First, the chapter starts with Job being a blameless man. He is from Uz, a walled city that no one can pinpoint today. The point of being from the East, probably means east of the Jordan. The prevailing thoughts is that Job lived in what is Syria today or SW Jordan.
Job had seven sons and three daughters. He was also wealthy in sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys. He had enough servants to manage such vast agricultural holdings.
Job is a strong believer. He offers sacrifices after his children have a party, just in case they have sinned against God during the party.
The scene then shifts to heaven where the angels have gathered, including Satan. Satan had not been there at first, he was roaming around the earth. God asks Satan about Job, but Satan replies that if it were not for the hedge of protection around Job, then he would curse God.
So, God gave Satan permission to take anything or everything away from him, but Satan was not allowed to touch Job himself.
Then one day when the children were having a party, the Sabeans killed the servants while driving off with the oxen and donkeys. Only one servant remained to report to Job. At the same time, fire from heaven consumed the sheep and the servants, only one remained, arriving just after the first. Then, the Chaldeans attacked the camel herd, taking all the camels and killing all but one servant. Then finally the last of his servants arrived to tell Job of a mighty wind that caused the roof of his son’s home to collapse, killing everyone except for the one messenger.
Job tore his clothing in anguish, and said the line that has often been said since then. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
In all of this bad news, Job did not sin against God.
In the telling of this story, note that Satan had to ask God permission. Satan had limitations. And Satan could do nothing with the hedge of protection in place.
We are tempted, but do we give Satan access? Do we leave the gate in the hedge ajar? And regardless of how powerful Satan is, he has his limits, and God is much more powerful.
Satan is not everywhere as God is. He was roaming around the earth. And Satan met God in heaven.
And although we will read a lot of bad advice from Job’s friends in the future, bad things happen to good people as a trial or test of faith. It comes down to how we react to the suffering.
And now let us sing.
The following song is Why, God? This is sung by Austin French. The first lines of the song fit this chapter.
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom. Your servant Job did not falter. He lost everything except for his health, at least not yet. He still had his wife, but she was not as strong as Job was. Lord, none of us can compare our suffering with that of Job, maybe not many, but thank You for giving us strength when we do face trials and suffering. In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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