September 20, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Job? Here’s today’s reading:
Job 1 (NIV)
Prologue
1 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. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 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.…..Continue Reading
Day 5 of 10 Days of prayer Philippians 2; 5-8.
It is deeply humbling to see Jobs response to all that loss. One after another, the messengers came. The profound pain yet he drops to the ground in praise to God. I sit in teary awe.
No one knows who wrote this book but it is believed by most that Job wrote it. I believe that Job wrote for who would not write down the words that God has spoken to you. He lived 140 years after these calamities and would have plenty of time to write it. It is also believed that he may have lived to about 210B.C. This would roughly correspond to the length of the patriarchs lives. Of Terah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their ages at death were 205, 175, 180, and 147. The source that I am using is [The Bible Knowledge Commentary by Dallas Seminary] This was their first of 9 listed factors that point to the time of the patriarchs. The second was that Job`s wealth was reckoned in live stock. [1;3; 42;12, which was also true of Abraham. [Gen 12;16; 13;2], and Jacob [Gen 30;43; 32;5] The third factor was that the Sabeans and Chaldeans [ Job 1;15,17] were nomads in Abraham`s time, but latter years they were not nomadic. The forth factor was that the Hebrew word q sitah, translated piece of silver [ 42;11] is used elsewhere only twice [ Gen 33;19; Josh 24;32] both times in reference to Jacob. The fifth factor is that Job`s daughters were heirs of his estate along with their brothers. [Job 42;15] This was not possible latter under the Mosaic Law if a daughter`s brothers were still living. [ Numbers 27;8] The sixth factor is it`s literary works is similar in some ways to written works in Egypt and Mesopotamia around the time of the patriarchs. The seventh factor is the Book of Job includes no reference to the Mosaic institutions. The eighth factor is the name sadday is used of God 31 times in Job compared with only 17 times elsewhere in the OT and was a name familiar to the patriarchs. And finally the nineth factor was that several personal and place names in the book were also associated with the patriarchal period. I hope this helps for information. I wasn`t going to compile this but it helped me so I thought it might help someone else. I will make my personal comments about Job tomorrow. Or is that today since it is after 12am. God bless all of us as we try to learn about Job and how we might apply the lessons here to our own lives.
The book of Job has always been a great reminder to me of thanking God in ALL circumstances. The day described here when Job lost absolutely everything and his reaction was to fall to the ground to worship at peace with God’s choice to take it all away is so compelling. However, the interaction between God and Satan and God’s suggestion to consider Job has always left me a little confused. Certainly God is all-knowing so He knew Job would stay faithful and we know that tests and trials will come but the way this transpires feels different. God does not need to prove anything to Satan but the way it happened or at least the way it was written it had that kind of feel that always leaves me scratching my head a bit.
God allowed satan to put Job to the test but no harm was to come to Job.
Satan took away everything including his sons and daughters. Messengers came telling Job what was taken one by one. When Job heard also his family had been taken he shaved his head and fell to the ground in worship. He did not blame God for any of it. He stayed true to his beliefs .
Understand limited powers satan has in this first chapter more than any where else in scripture. He is accountable to God. He is an angelic being. Only one on place at a time. He cannot see into our minds or our future if he could he would have known Job would not break under pressure. Satan can do nothing without Gods permission. We can overcome his attacks with Gods power. All that said. Satan response to God in verse 7. Good idea for us to stay close to our God. Any person who is devoted to God should expect satan’s attacks. He hates God and hates God’s people. Just what he does to children and families. Hope we have a ring side seat to see him thrown into the lake of fire. Jobs response to this first attack was right on. To grieve for all he lost. Still knowing that God is sovereign over all things. That he had received from God. Can’t imagine. Is Gods grace sufficient. ??
yes it is…all the time
Job 1, I had to read and comment. God allowed Satan to use all powers, forces, and influences to bring utter destruction on the house of Job. Livestock, possessions, even his children, destroyed almost at once.
Job will not know the hand that generated this turmoil. It was Satan, and he unleashed his will as he saw fit to undermine Job to break him. It did not!
I have to stand with Job and his three friends later, as I can’t comprehend why God gave Satan this permission. Could there not gave been some other way? I do know, having read Job, that these were done to reflect greater glory to God. Luke 13:1-9
Peace, gordy
Job 1 Job had great wealth, scripture says he feared God and shunned evil. He had a great concern for the spiritual welfare of his kids and prayed everyday for them, and had a sacrifice of a burnt offering. After Satan talking with God about Job, Satan throws out well maybe he’s blameless and upright because he has no reason to turn against God. So Satan destroys all that Job has but Job reacts by worshipping God, I couldn’t even imagine how I would handle a loss like that. Job’s strength and love for God is amazing.
Job 1
The book of Job is one of my favorites and is great to read along with some of the other wisdom books: Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. One thing that jumps out at me in this chapter is how Satan needed God’s permission before he could do anything. This reminds me of how in the Gospels Jesus tells Peter that Satan asked to sift him like wheat. Often we may find ourselves worried about the capabilities of Satan and the kingdom of darkness and become overwhelmed with discouragement over the principalities and powers that reign in our world, but we can still trust in God’s sovereignty and how he works through all things for the good of those who love him and are called to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Job was considered by those around him as a perfect and upright, man that feared God. Even to God for He considered Job to be a godly man. God said to Satan that there is none like Job on the face of the earth. Job was an godly man that walked with God. He also was the richest man as far as wealth for he had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she asses, and a great household. He had seven sons and three daughters. Nothing is said of grandchildren, etc. He also had a wife who is not mentioned except in the negative in chapter 2. Even after losing his sons and daughters and his many servants and also all his animals by fire or the Sabeans, and Chaldeans he is still so humble toward God that he shaves his head, rents his mantle, and falls upon the ground and worships God. He realizes that God gave him everything and has the right to take it all away. Job did not sin in all of this for he did not blame God and wasn`t angry with God. Instead his was one of worship. I think Job was given to us as a example of how we should respond in all the things we are going through. Often times it isn`t anything that we have sinned but sometimes it is to have us grow in Him. Maybe even to help others who have gone through the same things. It could be many other reasons which God only knows. Why the conversation with Satan when God knows everything and knows our thoughts. Maybe it is given to show us how Satan wants to attack us because he hates us and Christ and wants to destroy us. He tries to stop us from getting saved and when that fails he tries to destroy us in other ways. Such as our walk with Christ. He wants us to have defeated lives with no power. 1 Peter 5;8 [ Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.] Remember how Jesus was confronted by Satan in the wilderness. [Matthew 4] and many other times in his life like when Jesus was a young child [two years] and at the cross just to name a few. Jesus answer to Satan in the wilderness was the word of God. This is our sword against Satan. Of course we need the whole armor of God. Eph. 6;10-18. May we look to Jesus in our trials.
this is Dennis’ post…just in case anyone wondered…
Job 1
What a picture this chapter gives into the interaction between God and satan and into the character of Job. First, although satan has lost his position in heaven, he still has access to God’s throne. Second, he is subject to God’s permission for the things he orchestrates. Third, satan brings an attack on God’s blessing on Job as if God has been unfair in His treatment of him. It shows satan’s desire to discredit God and draw His people away from Him. It alludes to the idea that satan thinks he can win his claim to be god if he can do those things effectively. Hence he wants to target Job. It does appear drastic what God allows, but satan is the one who determines and causes these events to unfold. We can know that God has a reason for allowing this and we can always be still and know that He is God. I imagine if we saw Him in His glory, we would understand.
And boy does this chapter say something of the faith and character of Job. When your first reaction to tragedy as significant as these is for you to believe and praise God, you know that faith runs deep and has been established over a long period of following and trusting Him. He knew God well and knew He could be trusted. And He deserves praise and thanksgiving regardless of the circumstances. May we all grow to know God in that way!
Job 1-3
There is much to be said about Job 1 – Satan approaching God, God pointing out Job, etc.
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
I was struck by the character of Job. Even apart from the Holy Spirit, He is called “perfect”. More scripture dispelling the doctrine of “total depravity” and man’s inability to choose good or to choose God. We learn from the book of Romans that no man is able to fulfill the law and stand before the Lord in his own righteousness, but it doesn’t say that we unable to believe or have faith. Even Job (we will find later on) needed to remember his place before the Lord….but he was pretty good even by God’s own measure!
Job 1 done
Job sure had many children and a lot of possessions, and when he loses it all, his response is “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.” We would be wise to do the same when we fall into hard times knowing that God loves us, and he has a perfect purpose for everything that happens in our lives both good and bad.