JOB LESSON 1


     The book of Job is an interesting story of a man who loves God
very much, and yet, is severely tested to see if he will remain loyal.
There is much controversy over exactly when the facts in this book
happened, if they ever happened at all. There are those who believe
that Job is nothing more than a parable that we might learn from.
There are others who believe the events in Job occurred during the
exile. Most scholars agree that it is, possibly, some of the oldest
writings.

     In this book, we can see the evidence of Satan working to destroy
man. He accuses Job in the presence of God. It is a book of loyalty to
God on Job's part. It is, also, a book of almost endless endurance in
the face of great stress. We will, also, see that in some of our
darkest hours, the battle must be our own. Job's wife tried to get Job
to curse God and die. Job's friends were no encouragement at all.

     We may, also, learn from this that suffering is not always
brought on by sins in our lives. It may be to strengthen us, as it did
Job in this book. This deals with the question of why do good people
suffer? Job was being accused unjustly by Satan for following God for
what he could get out of him. We, also, see the great love that God
bestows upon those who are faithful to the end. I personally believe
that Job was a real man, with real problems. I believe, also, that he
was not a practicing sinner. He was in right standing with God.

     We will leave our speculations behind, and begin with this most
interesting of books. Job 1:1 "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."

     The introduction to this book in verse 1 lets us know that this
is not to be connected to any of the previous books, and certainly
does not belong to any of the books that come afterward. There was a
land of Uz near the land of Edom. Whether this is the same as that, we
cannot say. There, also, was a man who bore the name of Job in Genesis
46:13  "And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and
Shimron."  Nearly everyone agrees this is not the same person. Job, in
verse 13, means hostile, or cruel. This Job we are beginning to study
was the opposite of that. Notice that Job, here, is perfect and
upright. The only One who lived since the time of Adam and Eve, that
was perfect and upright within Himself was Jesus. This is, probably,
saying that he was perfect and upright in the sight of God. "Eschewed"
means to turn off, decline, remove, and many more similar things. Fear
of God is the beginning of wisdom, so we can easily see that Job was a
wise man. He put away evil. In this, I see a man who is in right
standing with God.

     Job 1:2 "And there were born unto him seven sons and three
daughters."

     The number "seven" means spiritually complete. "Three" is a
number of the God head. I believe the number of the children of Job
indicates a perfect family.

     Job 1:3 "His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three
thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she
asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest
of all the men of the east."

     We see that the blessings of Job were not just limited to having
a large family. He was blessed greatly in the size of his farm
animals, as well. In fact, we might even say that Job was a very
wealthy man.  The oxen were spoken of in a manner that we could safely
assume they were used as horses are today. The household, spoken of,
was, perhaps, speaking of his servants. The fact that he was the
greatest of all men of the east, lets us know he was living somewhere
in the middle east.

     Job 1:4 "And his sons went and feasted [in their] houses, every
one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to
drink with them."

     Most scholars believe that the feast, spoken of here, was for a
birthday of one of the boys. The statement "their houses" indicates
they each had their own house. Each son gave a big feast every time
they had a birthday. This was a special occasions to call the sisters
to come and feast with them.

     Job 1:5 "And it was so, when the days of [their] feasting were
gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in
the morning, and offered burnt offerings [according] to the number of
them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed
God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

     We know that before the priesthood was established, the father of
the family acted as that family's priest. In this case, Job called the
children to him and sanctified {set them apart for God} them after
each of the feasts. There was no one particular sin they had
committed, but Job wanted to make sure they were right with God at all
times. All good parents should be concerned about the spiritual
welfare of their children. Today the way we make sure of that, is with
our prayers.  Everything I see in all of these verses indicates to me,
that this is a family who lived very early on in history. The burnt
offerings seemed to be an animal for each son. It seemed, that on a
very regular basis, Job cleansed his sons and sacrificed for them.

     Job 1:6  "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to
present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them."

     This is not speaking of sons of God in the sense that Jesus is
the only begotten Son of God. This is actually speaking of angel
beings. Notice, that Satan was set out separate from the sons of God.
We know that Satan is the accuser of men before the Father. This
presenting themselves before the LORD was almost in the sense of
giving an account of their doings.
     Job 1:7 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then
Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth,
and from walking up and down in it."

     Of course, the LORD already knew what Satan had been doing. The
questioning of Satan was, possibly, for the benefit of the other
angels. We know that the purpose of Satan going through the earth and
searching is part of his evil desire to destroy. If he can find anyone
who will succumb to him, he will destroy him.

     Job 1:8 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my
servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and
an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?"

     Satan was accusing the men of the earth before the LORD all the
time. This appears, that he had not brought up Job to the LORD,
because he had not been able to find fault with him. There were just a
few men in the Bible that God had singled out as being servants true
to Him. Noah was another example of that. About the highest praise God
could have for man was that in God's sight, he was perfect and
upright.  God was proud of Job for his faithfulness.

     Job 1:9 "Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear
God for nought?"

     Satan usually attacks with a question. He asked Eve, in the
garden, did God say? It was strange that he would question God. He was
actually trying to get God to doubt Job. He tried to say that Job had
plenty of reason to follow God. Satan is the essence of selfishness
and pride, and he trieds to imply that Job was also.

     Job 1:10 "Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the
work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land."

     This was a true statement. God had blessed Job, his family, and
all of his possessions. Job had been faithful to God, and God had
blessed him mightily. We read many times in the Bible of the blessings
God bestows on righteous men. Psalms 1:1 "Blessed [is] the man that
walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Psalms 1:2 "But his
delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate
day and night." Psalms 1:3 "And he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf
also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

     Job 1:11 "But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he
hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."

     Satan was judging Job by his own standards. This would be what
Satan would do, if he were in Job's place. Satan is not righteous. He
is the chief of all sinners. He challenged God to take away Job's
possessions. Satan said, that Job would curse God, if he took away
everything he had. Satan was saying that Job's loyalty was just
because he was blessed of God.

     Job 1:12 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath
[is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So
Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD."

     This is a very important Scripture for all believers to see.
Satan had no power over Job, except what God allowed him to have. The
Christians are under the same protection that Job had been. Satan
cannot attack any believer, unless God allows it. We must, also, take
note that God limited what He allowed Satan to do to Job. Job's trial
was to prove his loyalty to God. The trials that we have are to make
us stronger in the LORD.

     Job 1:13  "And there was a day when his sons and his daughters
[were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:"

     We discovered in an earlier verse of this lesson, that this was,
probably, a birthday party. It was the oldest son's birthday. This was
a time of great joy and merriment.

     Job 1:14 "And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen
were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:"

     This lends a stronger indication that the feast Job's children
were having, was not a national holiday. Had it been a national
holiday, they would not have been plowing the fields.

     Job 1:15 "And the Sabeans fell [upon them], and took them away;
yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I
only am escaped alone to tell thee."

     The Sabeans were Arabs in the ancient times, supposedly. It
became a common name for all Arabs. They had raiding parties to
continually plunder the wealth of others. It appears, they came to
take what belonged to Job. They killed his servants and took his
animals.

     Job 1:16 "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another,
and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up
the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped
alone to tell thee."

     The fire of God, here, was, possibly, speaking of lightning.
Ordinarily, Satan would not control the lightning, but in this case,
God had given him permission to do this. Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in
time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience:" So many people use the Scripture above
to prove that Satan had power over the elements. I might remind them
to look at the word prince. He may be prince of the power of the air,
but the LORD is King of the air, and everything else. The prince rules
under the authority of the King.

     Job 1:17  "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another,
and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the
camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with
the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."

     Satan was making sure that everything the LORD had given him
permission to do, would be done all at once to overwhelm Job. Noticein
each instance, only one was left to come and tell of the tragedy that
happened. Satan wanted the impact of all of it to come on Job at once.

     Job 1:18 "While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another,
and said, Thy sons and thy daughters [were] eating and drinking wine
in their eldest brother's house:" Job 1:19 "And, behold, there came a
great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the
house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only
am escaped alone to tell thee."

     To Job, as well as all parents, his children were the dearest
thing he had. To lose them all at once was even more terrible. If
anything would cause Job to turn against God, this would be it. This
wind was like a cyclone. The "naar" which was translated men, in the
Scripture above means people of both gender. The daughters died, too.

     Job 1:20 "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his
head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,"

     Job was not overwhelmed by the loss of his animals. He was not
centered on his wealth. The loss of his children was too much for him
to not be moved by it. The renting of his clothes, and the shaving of
his head, were signs of deep sorrow and mourning. It all had the
opposite effect on him as Satan had planned, however. He fell on his
face before the Lord and worshipped.

     Job 1:21 "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and
naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken
away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

     These were words that Satan had not wanted to hear. LORD is
Jehovah, here. Job realized that everything he had, including his
children, were gifts from God. He did not have anything when he was
born and was willing to end his life the same way, if that was what
the LORD chose. Job realized that this number of tragedies could not
have happened had it not been a supernatural act. He was aware that
this was allowed by the LORD. Job's statement, "blessed be the name of
the LORD" is the opposite of cursing God.

     Job 1:22 "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

     Death of those very near and dear to you has a tendency to do one
of two things. The tragedy will drive you away from God, or make you
much closer to God. In this case, it made Job even stronger in his
loyalty to God. Satan's plan had failed.


                            Job 1 Questions


1.  What is the book of Job about?
2.  There are those who believe the book of Job is nothing more than
    a ___________.
3.  What are two other time tables that people put on Job?
4.  This book gives evidence that Satan tries to __________ man.
5.  In some of the darkest hours, the battle must be _______ _______.
6.  What terrible thing did Job's wife try to get Job to do?
7.  What encouragement were his friends?
8.  We may, also, learn from this, that suffering is not always
    brought on by ______ in our lives.
9.  What does the author believe about Job?
10. Where did Job live?
11. He was __________ and ___________, and one that feared God, and
    eschewed evil.
12. Is this the same Job as the one spoken of in Genesis?
13. What does "eschewed" mean?
14. Fear of God is the beginning of _________.
15. How many sons and daughters did Job have?
16. How many sheep did he have?
17. The household spoken of was Job's __________.
18. What do most scholars agree the feast day, of verse 4, was
    speaking about?
19. What did Job do immediately after their feast day?
20. All good parents should be concerned about the ____________
    welfare of their children.
21. Who tended to priestly duties, before the time of the priesthood?
22. Who were the sons of God in verse 6?
23. Satan is the ___________ of men.
24. What question did God ask Satan?
25. What was the purpose of Satan going through the earth?
26. Quote Job chapter 1 verse 8.
27. Satan was trying to get God to doubt ________ intentions.
28. How did Satan describe the protection around Job?
29. Quote Psalms chapter 1 verses 1, 2, and 3.
30. Satan was judging Job by his _______ standards.
31. Satan had ______ power of Job, except what God ____________.
32. What terrible news did the first messenger bring to Job?
33. What was the fire of God in verse 16?
34. What does the author remind us of about in Ephesians chapter 2
    verse 2?
35. Who fell upon the camels, and took them away?
36. What was the worst news of all that one of the messengers brought?
37. When Job heard of the death of his children, what did he do?
38. Quote Job chapter 1 verse 21.
39. What will the death of those very near to us do to us?
40. Did Job sin or accuse God foolishly?