Job 1 Study Notes: Job Loses Everything and Worships
Job, a wealthy man of integrity who reveres God, regularly offers sacrifices for his children. When Satan claims Job serves God only for his blessings, the LORD lets him strike all Job owns but not Job himself; raiders, fire and a windstorm take his herds, servants and children, yet Job worships and does not sin.
General
How does the opening verse of the book describe Job’s character (Job 1:1)?
Answer: A man of integrity who revered God and turned away from wrong
The book begins by introducing Job as a man of complete integrity and honesty, who revered God and kept away from wrongdoing (1:1). Later the LORD Himself repeats this same description when He speaks of Job (1:8). This does not mean Job was sinless, but that his whole life was marked by sincere devotion to God. Wealth is mentioned next (1:3), but his character comes first. Scripture elsewhere ranks Job with Noah and Daniel as examples of righteous men (Ezekiel 14:14), and Noah is likewise called blameless among the people of his day (Genesis 6:9). Fearing the LORD and turning from evil belong together throughout the Bible (Proverbs 3:7).
- Job 1:1 (BSB)“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.”Job is introduced as a man of the land of Uz, marked by integrity and the fear of God.
- Job 1:8 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.””The LORD Himself gives the same description of Job in the heavenly scene.
- Ezekiel 14:14 (BSB)“then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.”Ezekiel names Job alongside Noah and Daniel as examples of righteous men.
- Genesis 6:9 (BSB)“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.”Noah is described in similar terms as blameless and walking with God.
- Proverbs 3:7 (BSB)“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”Fearing the LORD and turning away from evil are joined as one way of life.
Theological
What portrait of Job’s character does Job 1:1 give before any trouble begins?
Answer: A man of integrity who revered God and turned away from wrong
Job is introduced first by character and only then by possessions: a man of integrity and uprightness who revered God and turned from evil (1:1), the same verdict the LORD pronounces in heaven (1:8). The description does not claim sinless perfection; it marks a wholehearted, sincere godliness. Ezekiel later names Job with Noah and Daniel as exemplars of righteousness (Ezekiel 14:14), and the language echoes the description of Noah as blameless among his generation (Genesis 6:9). The pairing of the fear of God with turning from evil is a wisdom theme throughout Scripture (Proverbs 3:7).
- Job 1:1 (BSB)“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.”Job is introduced as a man of the land of Uz, marked by integrity and the fear of God.
- Job 1:8 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.””The LORD Himself gives the same description of Job in the heavenly scene.
- Ezekiel 14:14 (BSB)“then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.”Ezekiel names Job alongside Noah and Daniel as examples of righteous men.
- Genesis 6:9 (BSB)“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.”Noah is described in similar terms as blameless and walking with God.
- Proverbs 3:7 (BSB)“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”Fearing the LORD and turning away from evil are joined as one way of life.
General
True or False: After all these losses, Job sinned by accusing God of doing wrong (Job 1:22).
Answer: False
This is false. The chapter closes by saying that through all of these losses Job committed no sin and did not accuse God of wrongdoing (1:22). Satan had said Job would curse God to His face if his blessings were removed (1:11), but Job blessed God instead. The test proved that Job’s faith was real and not merely a trade for blessings. Peter teaches that trials prove the genuineness of faith, which is worth more than gold (1 Peter 1:6-7), and James points to Job’s perseverance as an example, adding that the Lord is rich in compassion and mercy (James 5:11).
- Job 1:22 (BSB)“In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.”The chapter’s verdict on Job’s response to his losses.
- Job 1:11 (BSB)“But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.””Satan had predicted that Job would curse God once his blessings were taken.
- 1 Peter 1:6-7 (BSB)“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”Trials prove the genuine character of faith.
- James 5:11 (BSB)“See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”James holds up Job’s perseverance and the Lord’s compassion.
Theological
True or False: Job 1:22 records that Job’s response to his losses included charging God with wrongdoing.
Answer: False
This is false. The verdict on Job is that through every loss he neither sinned nor charged God with wrongdoing (1:22). Satan’s prediction that Job would curse God to His face (1:11) is falsified; Job blesses instead. The trial exposes his faith as genuine rather than mercenary, the very purpose Peter assigns to trials, which prove faith worth more than gold (1 Peter 1:6-7). James holds up Job’s perseverance and the outcome the Lord brought about as evidence of the Lord’s compassion and mercy (James 5:11). Job’s endurance is itself a fruit of God’s sustaining grace.
- Job 1:22 (BSB)“In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.”The chapter’s verdict on Job’s response to his losses.
- Job 1:11 (BSB)“But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.””Satan had predicted that Job would curse God once his blessings were taken.
- 1 Peter 1:6-7 (BSB)“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”Trials prove the genuine character of faith.
- James 5:11 (BSB)“See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”James holds up Job’s perseverance and the Lord’s compassion.
General
Why did Job rise early to sacrifice burnt offerings after each round of his children’s feasts (Job 1:4-5)?
Answer: He feared his sons and daughters might have sinned against God
Job’s sons held feasts in turn and invited their sisters (1:4). When each round of feasting ended, Job had his children purified and rose early to sacrifice burnt offerings (animals wholly burned on the altar) on behalf of them all. His reason was the worry that they might have done wrong and cursed God inwardly (1:5). The verse adds that this was his regular habit. Job cared about the hidden state of their hearts, the very thing the LORD sees (1 Samuel 16:7). Like Noah before him (Genesis 8:20), Job approached God through sacrifice, and at the end of the book Job again acts on behalf of others when the LORD promises to accept his prayer for his friends (Job 42:8).
- Job 1:5 (BSB)“And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.”Job regularly purifies his children and offers sacrifices for them.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (BSB)“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.””The LORD looks at the heart, the place where Job feared his children might have sinned.
- Genesis 8:20 (BSB)“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.”Noah likewise approached the LORD with burnt offerings.
- Job 42:8 (BSB)“So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.””At the end of the book Job again intercedes, and the LORD promises to accept his prayer.
Theological
What reason does Job 1:5 give for Job’s habit of offering burnt offerings for his children?
Answer: He feared his sons and daughters might have sinned against God
After each cycle of feasting Job summoned his children for purification and sacrificed burnt offerings on behalf of them all, because he feared they might have sinned by cursing God inwardly (1:4-5); this was his settled practice. Job acts as a priestly head of his household, concerned not merely with outward conduct but with the heart, which the LORD searches (1 Samuel 16:7). His sacrifices recall Noah’s offerings after the flood (Genesis 8:20), and the book closes with Job again interceding, this time for his friends, when the LORD promises to accept his prayer for them (Job 42:8).
- Job 1:5 (BSB)“And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.”Job regularly purifies his children and offers sacrifices for them.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (BSB)“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.””The LORD looks at the heart, the place where Job feared his children might have sinned.
- Genesis 8:20 (BSB)“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.”Noah likewise approached the LORD with burnt offerings.
- Job 42:8 (BSB)“So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.””At the end of the book Job again intercedes, and the LORD promises to accept his prayer.
General
What did Job do immediately after hearing the news of his losses (Job 1:20)?
Answer: He tore his robe, shaved his head, fell down and worshiped
Job stood up, ripped his garment and shaved his scalp, which were common signs of grief, and then he bowed down low and worshiped God (1:20). His grief was real; he did not pretend the losses did not hurt. Tearing one’s clothes was a familiar way to mourn, as when Jacob mourned for Joseph (Genesis 37:34). Yet Job’s mourning turned into worship. He confessed that he came into the world with nothing and would leave with nothing (1:21), a truth Scripture repeats elsewhere (Ecclesiastes 5:15; 1 Timothy 6:7).
- Job 1:20-21 (BSB)“Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.””Job mourns and then worships, blessing the name of the LORD.
- Genesis 37:34 (BSB)“Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.”Tearing one’s clothes was a familiar sign of mourning.
- Ecclesiastes 5:15 (BSB)“As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.”A person leaves the world as bare as he entered it.
- 1 Timothy 6:7 (BSB)“For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.”Paul teaches that we bring nothing into the world and take nothing out.
Theological
How does Job 1:20 describe Job’s first response to the news of his losses?
Answer: He tore his robe, shaved his head, fell down and worshiped
Job’s response holds grief and worship together. He rises, tears his robe and shaves his head, the customary rites of mourning (compare Jacob in Genesis 37:34), and then falls to the ground in worship (1:20). He confesses that he entered the world with nothing and will leave it with nothing (1:21), a truth echoed in Ecclesiastes 5:15 and in Paul’s word to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:7). Job does not suppress sorrow, but he refuses to let sorrow turn him from God, the opposite of what Satan had predicted (1:11).
- Job 1:20-21 (BSB)“Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.””Job mourns and then worships, blessing the name of the LORD.
- Genesis 37:34 (BSB)“Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.”Tearing one’s clothes was a familiar sign of mourning.
- Ecclesiastes 5:15 (BSB)“As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.”A person leaves the world as bare as he entered it.
- 1 Timothy 6:7 (BSB)“For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.”Paul teaches that we bring nothing into the world and take nothing out.
General
In his words of worship, to whom did Job credit both the giving and the taking away of what he had (Job 1:21)?
Answer: To the LORD, whose name he went on to bless
Job did not blame the raiders, the fire or the wind as if they were the final cause. He confessed that the LORD had given and the LORD had taken away, and he blessed the LORD’s name (1:21). Job did not know about the scene in heaven, yet he rightly saw that nothing happens outside God’s rule. Scripture teaches the same truth: the LORD sends death and life, poverty and riches (1 Samuel 2:6-7), and hardship as well as good proceeds from the Most High (Lamentations 3:37-38); He wounds and He heals (Deuteronomy 32:39). God is never the author of sin, yet He rules over every loss, and Job trusted Him in it.
- Job 1:21 (BSB)“saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.””Job confesses that the LORD gave and took away, and he blesses the LORD’s name.
- 1 Samuel 2:6-7 (BSB)“The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.”The LORD is the One who gives and removes life, wealth and honor.
- Lamentations 3:37-38 (BSB)“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it? Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?”Nothing happens unless the Lord has ordained it, whether good or adversity.
- Deuteronomy 32:39 (BSB)“See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”The LORD declares that He wounds and heals, and none can deliver from His hand.
Theological
In Job 1:21, to whom does Job ascribe both the giving and the removal of his blessings?
Answer: To the LORD, whose name he went on to bless
Job looks past the secondary causes, the Sabeans, the Chaldeans, the fire and the wind, to the LORD as the One who both gave and took away, and he responds by blessing His name (1:21). Without knowledge of the heavenly scene, Job confesses the doctrine of providence: God governs all things, including loss, while the evil acts of creatures remain their own. The same truth appears in Hannah’s song, where the LORD takes life and gives it, and sends both poverty and riches (1 Samuel 2:6-7), in the Song of Moses, where He wounds and heals (Deuteronomy 32:39), and in Lamentations, where nothing happens apart from the Lord’s decree (Lamentations 3:37-38). Job’s worship rests on God’s sovereignty, not on his circumstances.
- Job 1:21 (BSB)“saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.””Job confesses that the LORD gave and took away, and he blesses the LORD’s name.
- 1 Samuel 2:6-7 (BSB)“The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.”The LORD is the One who gives and removes life, wealth and honor.
- Lamentations 3:37-38 (BSB)“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it? Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?”Nothing happens unless the Lord has ordained it, whether good or adversity.
- Deuteronomy 32:39 (BSB)“See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”The LORD declares that He wounds and heals, and none can deliver from His hand.
General
True or False: In the first heavenly scene, Satan was the one who first brought up Job’s name before the LORD (Job 1:6-8).
Answer: False
This is false. When the sons of God (heavenly beings, angels) came before the LORD, Satan came along with them, the LORD questioned Satan about where he had been, and Satan said he had been roaming the earth (1:6-7). Then it was the LORD who drew attention to Job, calling him My servant and saying there was no one like him on earth (1:8). The sons of God appear again in the book as heavenly beings rejoicing at creation (Job 38:7). The scene shows that the LORD, not Satan, sets the course of events. The New Testament likewise pictures the devil prowling about (1 Peter 5:8), yet he must still answer to God.
- Job 1:6-8 (BSB)“One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.””The heavenly beings present themselves, the LORD questions Satan, and the LORD names Job.
- Job 38:7 (BSB)“while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”The sons of God appear as heavenly beings who rejoiced at the creation of the world.
- 1 Peter 5:8 (BSB)“Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”The devil is pictured as roaming in search of prey, yet he stands answerable to God in Job.
Theological
True or False: Satan initiates the discussion of Job when he appears among the angelic beings (Job 1:6-8).
Answer: False
This is false. The sons of God, here angelic beings, stand in the LORD’s presence, and Satan comes among them (1:6). The LORD questions him, Satan answers that he has been ranging over the earth (1:7), and then the LORD Himself raises Job’s name, calling him My servant and declaring him without equal on earth (1:8). The initiative belongs to God from the start. The same title, sons of God, is used of heavenly beings at creation (Job 38:7), and the New Testament also pictures the devil as prowling (1 Peter 5:8), yet here he stands accountable before the LORD.
- Job 1:6-8 (BSB)“One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.””The heavenly beings present themselves, the LORD questions Satan, and the LORD names Job.
- Job 38:7 (BSB)“while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”The sons of God appear as heavenly beings who rejoiced at the creation of the world.
- 1 Peter 5:8 (BSB)“Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”The devil is pictured as roaming in search of prey, yet he stands answerable to God in Job.
General
When the LORD allowed Satan to act against Job’s possessions, what limit did He set (Job 1:12)?
Answer: Satan could take what Job had but not harm Job himself
The LORD put everything Job owned into Satan’s power, but forbade him to touch Job himself (1:12). Only then did Satan leave the LORD’s presence. Satan could do nothing until God allowed it, and he could go no further than God permitted. God is never the author of evil (James 1:13), yet nothing lies outside His rule. Jesus spoke the same way when He told Peter that Satan had asked to sift the disciples, while Jesus Himself prayed for Peter’s faith (Luke 22:31-32). Paul assures believers that God is faithful and will not allow them to face temptation greater than they can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- Job 1:12 (BSB)““Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”The LORD gives Satan power over Job’s possessions but sets a boundary.
- Luke 22:31-32 (BSB)“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.””Satan must ask to sift the disciples, and Jesus prays that Peter’s faith will not fail.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 (BSB)“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.”God faithfully limits the trials His people face.
- James 1:13 (BSB)“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.”God is not tempted by evil and tempts no one.
Theological
What boundary does the LORD place on Satan in Job 1:12?
Answer: Satan could take what Job had but not harm Job himself
Satan acts only by the LORD’s leave and within the LORD’s limit: all that Job has is given into his hand, but Job’s person is off limits (1:12). The adversary is real and malicious, yet wholly subordinate; God permits and bounds, and Satan carries out his own evil intent. God remains sovereign over the trial without being the author of the evil in it (James 1:13). Jesus describes the same arrangement when Satan asks to sift the disciples while Christ intercedes that Peter’s faith not fail (Luke 22:31-32), and Paul grounds the believer’s hope in God’s faithfulness to limit every trial (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- Job 1:12 (BSB)““Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”The LORD gives Satan power over Job’s possessions but sets a boundary.
- Luke 22:31-32 (BSB)“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.””Satan must ask to sift the disciples, and Jesus prays that Peter’s faith will not fail.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 (BSB)“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.”God faithfully limits the trials His people face.
- James 1:13 (BSB)“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.”God is not tempted by evil and tempts no one.
General
What charge did Satan make about Job’s devotion to God (Job 1:9-11)?
Answer: Job served God only because God protected and prospered him
Satan asked whether Job feared God for nothing, that is, for no reward. He said God had put a hedge of protection around Job, his family and everything he owned, and had made his work prosper (1:9-10). Take all that away, Satan claimed, and Job would curse God openly (1:11). Satan did not deny Job’s goodness; he claimed it was bought. Elsewhere Scripture calls Satan an accuser, as when he stands to accuse the high priest Joshua (Zechariah 3:1), and Revelation describes him accusing God’s people day and night (Revelation 12:10). The rest of Job 1 tests whether this charge is true.
- Job 1:9-11 (BSB)“Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.””Satan claims Job’s fear of God depends on God’s protection and blessing.
- Zechariah 3:1 (BSB)“Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.”Satan appears in the role of accuser against the high priest Joshua.
- Revelation 12:10 (BSB)“And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God.”Satan is called the one who accuses God’s people before Him.
Theological
What is the substance of Satan’s accusation against Job in Job 1:9-11?
Answer: Job served God only because God protected and prospered him
Satan’s question, whether Job fears God for nothing, attacks the motive of Job’s piety rather than its outward form. He argues that God has surrounded Job with a protective hedge and blessed his labor (1:9-10), so that Job’s devotion is mere self-interest that would turn to cursing once the blessings are removed (1:11). The accusation strikes at both Job and God, implying that God is worshiped only for His gifts. Satan plays the same role of accuser against the high priest Joshua (Zechariah 3:1), and Revelation names him the one who accuses the brothers before God (Revelation 12:10).
- Job 1:9-11 (BSB)“Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.””Satan claims Job’s fear of God depends on God’s protection and blessing.
- Zechariah 3:1 (BSB)“Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.”Satan appears in the role of accuser against the high priest Joshua.
- Revelation 12:10 (BSB)“And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God.”Satan is called the one who accuses God’s people before Him.
General
According to the last messenger, what happened to Job’s children (Job 1:18-19)?
Answer: A powerful wind brought down the house where they feasted
Four messengers arrived one after another, each still speaking when the next came. Sabeans took the oxen and donkeys (1:14-15), fire from the sky burned up the sheep and servants (1:16), Chaldeans raided the camels (1:17), and finally a great wind from the desert struck the house of the oldest brother, where all Job’s children were eating, and it fell on them and they died (1:18-19). The disasters came through both human raiders and natural forces, all within the bounds the LORD had set for Satan (1:12). Later the LORD Himself says Job was ruined without cause (Job 2:3), meaning not because of any sin on Job’s part.
- Job 1:18-19 (BSB)“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their 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 the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!””The final messenger reports the death of all Job’s children.
- Job 1:12 (BSB)““Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”All these losses fall within the limit the LORD placed on Satan.
- Job 2:3 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.””The LORD says Job was ruined without cause, not as a punishment.
Theological
How does the fourth report in Job 1:18-19 describe the death of Job’s children?
Answer: A powerful wind brought down the house where they feasted
The four reports arrive in rapid succession, each messenger interrupted by the next: the Sabeans seize the oxen and donkeys (1:14-15), fire from heaven consumes the flocks and servants (1:16), the Chaldeans carry off the camels (1:17), and a mighty desert wind collapses the oldest brother’s house on all Job’s children (1:18-19). Human hostility and natural calamity alike serve as instruments within the limit the LORD had fixed (1:12). The LORD later affirms that this ruin came on Job without cause (Job 2:3), so the calamities are not punishment for Job’s sin.
- Job 1:18-19 (BSB)“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their 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 the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!””The final messenger reports the death of all Job’s children.
- Job 1:12 (BSB)““Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”All these losses fall within the limit the LORD placed on Satan.
- Job 2:3 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.””The LORD says Job was ruined without cause, not as a punishment.