1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was pure and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Job was an actual person who lived in actual history sometimes during the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Because of personal bias, liberals and skeptics like to claim that Job was a mythical character of Jewish literature. However, the historical identity of Job was confirmed in both the Old and New Testaments (Ezekiel 14:14,20; James 5:11).
It is important to note that Jacob had a grandson named Job and there are several Jobs in the Bible, but all of these men came after Job and may have been named after him. Some theologians speculate that Job may have been either Shem or Melchizedek, but there is nothing in Scripture which gives evidence to this theory. The Book of Job may be the oldest historical narrative in the Bible, except for Genesis 1-11.
Job lived in the city of Uz. Jeremiah, the Jewish prophet, identified Uz as the home to the “daughter of Edom.” Josephus, a Jewish historian, identified Uz as Damascus. Ptolomy, a Greek general of Alexander the Great, identified Uz as Edom. With all of this biblical and secular reference, it is pure bias to call Job a mythical person.
Job was justified in God’s eyes, because Job believed God. Job offered bloody sacrifices, which pointed to the seed of the woman who would eventually crush the head of the Serpent. According to the prophet Ezekiel, Job was the world’s most righteous and godly man since Noah and before Daniel.
Job feared God, not men. If man fears God, then there is no reason to fear man. God is sovereign over all good and evil things. One cannot touch a child of God, unless God the Father allows it to happen. God the Father does spank His children, so He should be respected. These spankings lead to sanctification, which is spiritual growth. The purpose of spiritual growth is to become more Christ-like. One cannot become more Christ-like without bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God.
1:2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
Job possessed a lovely large family of one wife and ten children. Satan wanted to kill those children so that Job would blaspheme God.
1:3 His possessions included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household. Thus he was the greatest of all the people in the east.
Job was a very wealthy man. He was Howard Hughes, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and all of the oil men of Texas all rolled into one. Job was one of the greatest men “in the east.” Edom is east of Palestine.
1:4 Now his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house.
Job’s children lived a life of luxury.
1:5 When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.
Notice that like Abel, Noah, and Abraham, Job offered sacrifices which pointed to the blood atonement of the Messiah. This sacrificial system existed before the Mosaic Law. It was passed down from Adam to his children to Noah to Shem and to Abraham. Before the Mosaic Law, the father served as the priestly mediator of the family. Therefore, Job presented offerings for all of his children, but not himself. This is the first red flag of Job.
There are many parents who worry about their children. Worry is a sin. Worry is not trusting God. Parents need to trust their children to the Lord.
1:6 Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them.1:
The Hebrew for “sons of God” is בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (bene elohim), meaning sons of God. These sons of God were angels and demons whom God had directly created. Adam and Eve were also sons of God, because He directly created them as well. Everyone who comes from the line of Adam is a son of man. In Genesis 6, the בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (bene elohim) were fallen angels who intermarried with humans.
The Hebrew word for “Satan” is הַשָּׂטָ֖ן (ha-satan), meaning the accuser or adversary (with a Hebrew article). Satan is the enemy of God and “the accuser of our brethren.” Notice that Satan is a בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (bene elohim). He is a created angel who fell to earth because of his pride. All of the בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (bene elohim), including Satan, are still responsible for reporting to God.
Since Job and his family were living comfortably in Uz, they had no idea about this heavenly event. This event must have been given to Job later as special revelation. This verse is strong internal evidence that Job was the author of this book.
1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”
The Hebrew word for “Lord” is יְהוָ֛ה (Jehovah), meaning the covenant-keeping promise-keeping God. Apparently, God had already signed the Abrahamic Covenant with Abraham.
God asked Satan a question, but God already knew the answer. God asked these questions to teach and train His created intelligences. Angels learn new things everyday by watching events in heaven and on earth. Whenever a believer commits a secret sin on earth, then it is open scandal in heaven.
Notice that Satan must make a report to God. He was not in hell at this time. He is not in hell today. There are unbelievers who are imprisoned in hell today, but Satan is not with them. He is walking to and fro on the earth, looking for whom he may devour. Satan was hoping to devour the most righteous man on earth. He wanted to force Job into denying his Creator and Savior.
Satan will be thrown into hell at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. Towards the end of the Millennial Kingdom, he will be released for a short time. He will rally the nations against Jesus. He will be defeated and thrown into the Lake of Fire forever. After the Great White Throne Judgment, the unbelievers will be judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire as well.
1:8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.”
God asked Satan another question. Since Satan did not answer, God answered the question Himself. God is continually training angels and demons. God reported that Job was a good and righteous man who feared God and turned away from evil.
1:9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?
Notice that Satan imitates God and asks him a question back. Satan is always attempting to “be like the Most High.” This issue of pride was why he fell. Satan was insinuating to the angelic world that Job followed God, only because he was bribed by God.
1:10 Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
Apparently, Satan had been trying to attack and devour Job, but God placed a hedge around him. This meant that Satan would like to attack and devour all believers as well, but he cannot get through the hedge that surrounds and protects them.
1:11 But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”
Satan’s belief system is that if God removed the hedge, then Job would blaspheme God. Satan was accusing Job in front of God and the entire angelic world.
In this book, God is allowing His created human intelligences on earth to look into the invisible spiritual warfare which has been fought since the fall of Satan. This is an actual historical event, not just “a bible story.” There is no literature in the ancient world which compares to this actual historical event. Many unbelievers believe this is an allegory, a myth, or a human-created story; but this is because they have been blinded by the enemy. Blindness causes spiritual bias.
Man is totally depraved and evil. Man curses God all of the time, but Job did not. Many carnal Christians will curse God as well, because they have not yet developed enough bible doctrine to trust completely in God. Satan has a field day with carnal Christians, because they are so weak in Bible doctrine. The only defense against Satan is sound bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God. If the Christian’s bible doctrine is incomplete, then Satan and his demons know it and will attack in this area.
1:12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
This is an important lesson which the Holy Spirit included in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God to teach about the mind of God. Satan hates believers. He wants to destroy those who love God, but he cannot, because God has placed a hedge around the believer. However, God will sometimes remove the hedge and allow Satan to attack the believer. The purpose is to teach the created intelligences of the universe about the mind of God and the mind of Satan. Everyone must choose a master. One must choose either the eternal and loving God of the universe who desires for His children to co-reign with Him, or one must choose an evil, created, fallen angel who wants to devour his subjects. God wants to feed the sheep. Satan wants to eat the sheep. God wants everyone to know whom they are choosing. God will allow Satan to take away all of Job’s possessions to teach Satan, the demons, the angels, and the people on earth an important lesson about the character of the two masters.
Satan wanted to try a scientific experiment on Job. His theory was that extreme suffering will cause a man to blaspheme his Creator and Savior. God allowed this test, because He knew that Job would pass it. Job would become more Christ-like from the testing. God was using this test to educate “the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” about “the manifold wisdom of God.”
1:13 Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
Job was living a nice life on earth, desiring to serve God and enjoy spending time with his family. However, he did not know what was going on inside of the spiritual world. Job’s righteousness attracted the attention of Satan himself. Satan will attempt to devour Job, just because Job loves God.
1:14 and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them, 15 and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
The Holy Spirit is giving the reader a glimpse of Satan’s power. Satan offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world without the cross. Jesus did not tell Satan that he did not have that type of power or authority. Now, this satanic power will be unleashed against little Job on earth.
The Sabeans were nomadic Bedouins who lived to the south of Uz. They took away all of Job’s oxen and donkeys and killed all of Job’s servants. Job lost his wealth and his labor all in one moment.
1:16 While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
This was not “the fire of God,” but it was the fire of Satan. Notice that Satan possessed the power to call down a powerful lightning bolt from heaven. Many times, insurance agents call natural disasters as “acts of God.” They are actually acts of Satan. Satan took away Job’s shepherding business.
1:17 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
The Chaldeans were the Sumerians who lived between the Tigris and Euphrates River. This was the area of Babylon, Ur, and Assyria. Camels were used to trade with other nations on the caravan roads. Satan took away Job’s international trading business.
1:18 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
Satan is an evil creature. In an attempt to "teach" God a lesson, Satan murdered Job’s ten children. God allowed it. This seems terrible to the skeptics and the carnal Christians today, because neither group has enough bible doctrine to understand that Satan just sent Job’s family to a better place. Earth is not the final destination of the believer. Earth is just the training ground for God’s ambassadors. Suffering on earth prepares one for their life in eternity. Death for the believer is just a portal into a better existence.
1:20 Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.
Satan did his worst. How would Job respond? Would he blaspheme God? The entire angelic world was watching these events.
Job tore his robe, shaved his head, and bowed his face to the ground. What words would come out of his mouth?
1:21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”
This is an important message for modern Americans who are trusting in materialism. Everyone comes into this world with nothing. They leave this earth with nothing. No one can take any of their material possessions to heaven or hell. All one can take to heaven is the lessons that they have learned in this life.
Job did not curse God. He blessed God. Those who possess strong bible doctrine will not be ruffled by suffering or death. Suffering brings praise to God, because some believers love God enough to trust Him throughout the suffering. Death brings praise to God, because God has transported a believer into heaven, or He has purged an evil one off of the earth and kept him out of heaven. Heaven is a perfect place, so there will be no evil men in heaven.
1:22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.
The angelic world observed that God was right and Satan was wrong. Round one had ended, but round two was about to begin. Job understood that children and material things were a gracious gift from God, not things that he had earned and therefore had a right to keep.