Job’s Material Affliction

As we saw yesterday, Job is described as “blameless,” which means not “perfect” but “complete.” He also is depicted as a very blessed man, for he has seven sons and three daughters, as well as vast herds of livestock. And he is shown to be a deeply devoted servant of God, one who is obedient to a scrupulous point. He even offers burnt offerings for his children, that God might forgive any inadvertent sins they might have committed.

The narrative then takes us to the courts of heaven, to reveal a conversation between Satan and God, who singles out Job as a sterling example of devotion. But Satan insists that Job serves God only because God has blessed him so. He says that if “all that he has” is taken away, Job will curse God to His face. He says that Job has a vested interest in serving God, denying that Job obeys God out of love. “Does Job fear God for nothing?” he hisses. So God agrees to allow Satan to put Job to the test, but the Devil is not allowed to touch Job’s body. And so it comes to pass that an unbelievable sequence of events unfolds. The Sabeans steal Job’s oxen and donkeys, and kill their keepers. The “fire of God” falls and consumes all Job’s sheep and their keepers. The Chaldeans rustle Job’s camels and kill their keepers. And finally, a windstorm collapses the house where Job’s children are feasting, killing all 10. And all of these terrible events occur in one day.

When the final awful news has come to Job, he arises, tears his robe, shaves his head, falls prostrate on the ground—and worships. Make no mistake, Job is terribly grieved. He does not accept these tragedies merrily; he is in agony over what has occurred. But his words reveal that he acknowledges God’s right to give and take from him. He knows that his livestock, servants, and children all belong ultimately to God. God gave these things to Job in His mercy, but He does not owe it to Job to allow him to keep them. It is within the boundaries of legitimacy for God to order events so that Job loses these things, and Job understands this. Therefore, he does not lash out at God and accuse Him of unfair treatment. In this, his first baptism of suffering, Job “did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” Like David when he was driven from Jerusalem, he accepts hard providences from the God who has shown him so much good.