Job, Part 2: Chapter 1

I initially was planning to tackle the entire prologue in one post but decided part way through that it would be easier and more concise to take it one chapter at a time, so that’s what we’ll do moving forward.

The book of Job begins and we see our title character and his family, seven sons and three daughters (1:2). Verse 3 also establishes that Job is very wealthy and is “the greatest of all the men of the east”. Job is called perfect and upright, and one who fears God and rejects evil (1:1). This is an important thing to keep in mind as we progress into the dialogues that make up most of the book. Job also offers daily sacrifices for his children, in case they had sinned and cursed God in their hearts (1:5). Job is someone who is concerned about the state of his household. In verse 6 we see the sons of God gathered together to present themselves before God. Other sources have explored this in more detail so I will simply say that I believe this is primarily talking about angels/spiritual beings. Satan (or more literally ‘the satan’) comes with them and God asks where he came from. Satan responds that he had come from wandering to and fro on the earth (1:7). God’s response is interesting if we keep in mind who He’s talking to. God responds with asking Satan “Have you considered my servant Job?” and then describes Job the same way 1:1 does. This response of God is both encouraging and challenging.

It is encouraging because it reads just like God is a proud father beaming down on his son. And it reads that way because that is what is happening. God looks down from heaven, a huge smile on His face, and says “look at my son!” But the challenge comes when we remember who God is talking to: Satan. God looks at Satan and says “Look at my faithful son!” In fact, He even says “Have you considered my servant Job?” He invites Satan to take a closer look. Do we have room in our theology of God for this? If we’re honest, do we secretly wish God doesn’t do the same to us? “No thank you God, don’t love me like that!” Why would God this? God may lead us through difficult circumstances because He wants to teach us, grow us, instruct us, to mature us. Remember, Job is an upright and perfect man, there is no sin that God is directly punishing Job for; in fact, to argue that would be to agree with Job’s friends! But God’s direction and shepherding through difficult seasons needs to be seen not as God burning us like bugs under a magnifying glass, but a loving and gracious father aiming to teach His child something. This will come back at the end of the book, but the prologue should be read imagining God beaming with joy over Job, not as a severe and demanding judge pronouncing doom.

Satan then responds in verses 9-11 and basically says that the only reason Job loves God is because he has an easy life. God has blessed him financially and materially and so he loves him. But take that away, and he’d surely curse God. God allows Satan to attack Job, but puts very clear limits on the attack: Satan cannot harm Job physically (1:12). This is another aspect to keep in mind as we move forward into the story. God is in absolute control of everything, including Satan. God sets the boundaries for everything that happens. God is active, not merely reactive.

In verses 13-19 we see a series of calamities fall on Job’s children and livestock. Fire falling from heaven, foreign raiding parties, a great whirlwind. Chaos and destruction and death. Job loses all 10 of his children, his servants, and his livestock. In the matter of an afternoon, Job is reduced to loneliness and poverty; only his wife and a handful of servants remain. Given that Job is described several times as upright and righteous, we could glean a lot from how he reacts to such a severe tragedy. So what does he do? He tears his clothes, shaves his head, and falls down on his knees in worship (verses 20-21). Now, to head off some comments that I’m sure will arise, yes, a faithful response to difficulty involves more than simple passive submission to God’s will and we see that very clearly the rest of Job and elsewhere in the Bible, particularly in the Psalms. But it is not less than that. In fact, our love of God and trust in His character is a driving factor in us crying out for justice. So we begin with acknowledging that God is God and He is good, even when our circumstances are not. And that is what Job does. And the narrator makes a point to then say that Job does not sin with his lips in what he says (verse 22). For Job to say that “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away” is a truthful statement that does not malign the character of God.

So when we face difficulties, our first step is to remind our hearts of who God is. He is good, He is faithful, He is abounding in stedfast love, He always keeps His promises. It is from a place of standing on God’s promises that we can then argue our case and plead for His justice to be made known.