Job 1 Prologue
“There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.
Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.”
Personally, I vote with Pastor Swindoll, that Job himself is telling this story. Does Job keep a diary during his suffering? We don’t know. We do know that Job belongs to a culture and an era that values memorization of large amounts of material, so perhaps Job memorizes everything and writes it down later. But if this is Job telling his own story, he would definitely know all the details of his family and his wealth, and he would be fully aware of the steps he was taking to try to purify his children. But there’s a problem.
Can we purify someone else, even a beloved child? Each one of us must stand before God individually and answer to God for ourselves. All that we can do is to try to teach our children the way to God and set an example by our actions. Certainly, Job is setting an example; however, are Job’s kids relaxing, assuming that they can coast along on their father’s holiness? Sadly, that doesn’t work. And although most young people secretly believe they’re immortal, young people can die in disasters.
Job’s First Test
“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
WOOF! In a few brief hours Job loses most of his servants and all of his camels, oxen, donkeys, and sheep through marauding bands and lightning strikes. Now Job learns that all his children have died when the house they were in collapsed during a tornado. When Job got up that morning, he was happy, healthy, and wealthy. Now he is destitute and grieving over the loss of his seven sons and three daughters, not to mention the servants who have also died. If Job is an animal lover, he might also be grieving over the loss of those animals. How much grief can one man stand?
Fortunately for Job, social media did not exist at this time; otherwise, Job’s suffering might have been far worse. News pundits would have been trying to interview everyone in the household-“Exclusive! Job’s servant reveal that his animals were grazing in an endangered area!” “Were these deaths really necessary? An analysis of the house where Job’s children died.” “I alone escaped! The harrowing details given by one of Job’s most trusted servants.” “Rich man but poor decisions-Did Job sufficiently protect his property?”
In the wake of the flooding in various parts of Texas, people in other parts of the world have reveled in criticizing everything and everybody, including the poor weather forecasters, who did their best under horrible circumstances. At least in Job’s day, people were willing to accept tragedies as just that, tragedies. These days, blaming and shaming has become the name of the game. It is eerily reminiscent of practices in remote villages in Ghana where as soon as someone dies, sooth sayers begin trying to ascertain which old lady in the village has performed witchcraft to kill that person.
Job responds beautifully; he tears his robe in grief, shaves his head, and then falls to the ground and worships God. “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” One of our village friends had a bright son in university. The young man was not only a diligent student but also a fine Christian and a leader in his local church. The morning after this young man suddenly died from liver failure due to Hepatitis B, this man’s father, a strong Christian, quoted Job’s words.
Repeatedly, I have argued with God when young patients have died. And repeatedly, God has reminded me that the day each of these patients was born, He already knew the day they would die. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” One of our pastor friends who has gone to be with Jesus used to remind us that God is in management and that we are only in advertising.
How do we face unspeakable tragedies? In the end, we must either bless God or curse Him. The families of little girls who were swept away from their camp by the Texas floods are choosing to bless God and to establish foundations that will bless others. Let us follow their example!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust Your sovereignty, even when tragedy strikes and to be grateful for all the years of blessings. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment