Job's Affliction

The story of Job is generally thought of as a man that suffered much tribulation, through no fault of his own, but kept trusting and submitting to God. The end result is that God blessed him with much more than he lost in many ways.


The account of Job start off by describing Job's 
- Character: blameless, upright, feared God, shunned evil.
- Family: big family - 7 sons, 3 daughters
- Status: Wealthy. Described as "greatest of all the people of the East".
- Religious: Regularly gave offerings / sacrifices to God, for fear / concern that somehow his children had sinned and cursed God.


The last point about being religious, is not necessarily a good thing. It is something that humans do with all the good intentions, including Job, to please God. In Job's case, there is an element of fear, in the sense of not trusting God to protect or keep his children out of trouble. 


Verse 6-12 seems like a discussion between Satan and God about Job. It may be difficult to understand how two arch enemies like God and Satan, can come together and have a seemingly civilised conversation. But the difficulty may be in our human imagination. The reality is that God and Satan are spiritual beings and their interaction simply cannot be understood at our level.


In any case, it looks like Satan is living up to its name as the Accuser as he accuses Job of being faithful and upright simply because everything is going well for Job. The accuser correctly accused God of two things:
i) Hedge of protection - God has something like an invisible shield around Job and his family and possessions.
ii) God blessed Job's work and the fruits of his labour increases.


The two blessings which God blessed Job with are available to Believers and it is God's will for us, even though not all Believers would believe this. God supernaturally protects us and God help us to do well in our honest work activity. This goes against the belief that God brings disaster to teach us a lesson. In verse 11, Satan tempts God to strike Job in any way. In verse 12 God replies by not striking Job, but just removing His protection on Job. All God needs to do is to back away from protecting us and disasters will come naturally to us in this fallen world, or disasters can also come by the enemies of God.


Two interesting point at the end of this passage is:
1) The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. This has been used by Christians and non-Christians alike to say that God takes the good things from us, even to the point of God taking away our loved ones. This interpretation is either a clever lie worthy of The Accuser himself, or shows our lack of knowledge of the character of our heavenly father. This verse is not a description of God, it is simply Job's own thinking that God takes away. It does not mean that Job's interpretation is correct. God is a provider and a restorer as shown over and over again.
2) In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. This is a credit to Job's character that despite all that has happened, and despite thinking God is responsible for the disaster, even though it was not, Job did not blame God.


One other interesting point is the use of sons of God in verse 6 which presented themselves, with Satan,  before God. In this context, it is quite apparent that the sons of God were the fallen angels. This would be the same reference to sons of God in Genesis 6:2 when they cross breed with humans.








Job 1


 ¹ There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. ² And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. ³ Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.⁴ And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according tothe number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed^[a] God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

   ⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan^[b] also came among them. ⁷ And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” 
So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” ⁸ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there isnone like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” ⁹ So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” ¹² And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” 
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job Loses His Property and Children

   ¹³ Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; ¹⁴ and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the Sabeans^[c] raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and suddenly a great wind came from across^[d] the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹And he said: 

      “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
      And naked shall I return there.
      The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
      Blessed be the name of the LORD.” ²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.