God’s Servant Job

God allowed Satan to destroy Job’s flocks, his possessions, his children, and even his health. Job refused to give up on God, even though he didn’t understand why these things had happened to him. The Book of Job in the Bible is a story of a man’s faith and patience. Its main theme is straightforward: why do righteous people suffer? Through the story of Job, a perfect and upright man in every way, we can learn how to face the trials and tribulations of life. As did Job, we too must place our trust in God when we are faced with difficulties that we do not understand.

In the land of Uz, there lived a very wealthy man named Job. He owned thousands of cattle, sheep, and camels, along with a large number of donkeys. Job was the father of seven sons and three beautiful daughters. Many servants worked for Job. They tended to his flocks and herds.

Nowhere in the land was there a greater man than Job. He was careful not to do anything evil. In everything Job did, he honored and feared the Lord.

It was the custom that Job's sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. After the time of feasting had ended, Job would make an offering to the Lord early in the morning. He thought perhaps his children might have sinned in their heart, and he begged for God's forgiveness on behalf of them.

God loved Job. He blessed him with health, happiness, and great wealth. The Lord gave him many friends and great honors.

One day, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord. Satan had come with them. "Where have you come from Satan?" asked the Lord.

"I have come from roaming the earth," answered Satan.

"Have you noticed my faithful servant Job?" the Lord asked. "No one on earth is like him. He fears God and stays away from evil."

Satan replied, "This is only because you have blessed him. Take away what you have given him and he will surely curse and turn away from you."
God knew Satan was wrong, but God told him to find out for himself. And, Satan did. He sent Job lots of trouble.

One day, when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came running to Job with bad news. "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off," he said. "They killed the other servants and I alone escaped."

Before the servant finished speaking, another servant brought more bad news. He said, "Lightning struck and killed the sheep and the servants. I alone escaped to tell you."
While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, "Three groups of Chaldeans came and raided the camels. They killed all the servants. I alone escaped to tell you."
Before Job knew what had happened, a fourth messenger came with even more bad news. He announced, "While your children were feasting, a great wind came and blew down their house. They are all dead. I alone escaped to tell you."

Poor Job! He could not understand why all of these terrible things had happened to him. He fell to the ground, and tore his clothes in sorrow. Despite everything that had taken place, he did not turn away from God. Job said, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

On another day, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord. Satan was with them again. "Where have you come from Satan?" the Lord asked.

"I have come from roaming the earth," answered Satan.

"Have you noticed my faithful servant Job?" the Lord asked. "Even though you have taken away his wealth and family, he still honors and fears the Lord."

"And why shouldn't he," Satan replied. "You did not allow me to harm him. Inflict pain upon his skin and bones, and he will surely curse God."

The Lord knew Job would be faithful, but gave Satan permission to test Job again.

This time, Satan caused great ugly sores to break out all over Job's body. These sores are called boils, and they are very painful.

People in Job's day thought that troubles were sent from God as punishment for their sins. This is what Job's wife thought. As Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery to relieve the discomfort of the boils, his wife said that he should curse God so that he might die. "You are foolish," Job replied. "Should we not accept both the good and the bad that come from God?" Despite all of his pain, and through all of his suffering, Job still did not sin, but he continued to love and honor the Lord.

Three friends heard about Job's troubles. They had come to see Job, and wanted to comfort him. When they saw Job, they could hardly recognize him. They sat with him on the ground for several days. They did not say a word to him, because he was suffering so badly. They thought Job must have been very wicked because of all the bad things that had happened to him. They believed God was punishing him for his awful sins. They made long speeches to Job urging him to confess his wrongdoing.
Job told his friends that he had done no wrong. He also told them that he did not know why these troubles had come to him.

"I do not understand the ways of God," Job said. "I will maintain my righteousness and will not speak evil of the Lord."

God was watching as Job and his friends talked. Then, God spoke to Job from out of a whirlwind. Job bowed low to the ground and worshipped. God said, "It is not right for man to judge God." Then God asked, "Do you have the wisdom I have? Now, I have some questions for you and you must answer them. Where were you when I created the earth and laid the cornerstone for the heavens? Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Where does the light come from and where does the darkness go? Where does the wind live? Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? Who has the mighty power to command the winds and the seas? Do you know what holds up the earth? Do you want to argue with the Almighty? Who are you to question God?"

Job's friends had angered the Lord. Again, God spoke to Job and said, "Your friends have not spoken rightly of Me as you have."

When Job heard this, he prayed and asked God to forgive his friends. Then, Job made an offering. The Lord accepted Job's prayers and forgave the sins of his friends. Through all his troubles, Job had been faithful to God. Once again, the Lord blessed Job. The sores went away and Job became well again.

Each year, Job grew richer. Soon, he had twice as much wealth as he had before the troubles came. In addition to wealth, God again gave to Job seven sons and three daughters. In all the land, there were no women as beautiful as Job's daughters. Because of Job's faithfulness to the Lord, God restored Job's health, happiness, riches, and honor.

Job lived to be 140 years old. This was long enough to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nowhere in the land was there a greater man than Job.

Read more about "God's Servant Job" Job 1:1 - 42:17.