Daily Scripture Reading Job 1:1-19

I have often heard Christians talk about a bad day at work, or a small obstacle they were facing, and call it an attack from Satan. Some people talk as if Satan is constantly harassing them day after day after day. Spiritual warfare is real, and perhaps many Christians don’t think about spiritual warfare often enough, but the reality is we can’t see Satan or his demons, and we really don’t know where they are or what they are doing.

Furthermore, the book of Job gives us some insight into the activities of Satan and what happens when Satan attacks someone. Based on the severity of Satan’s attack on Job, the threshold of adversity that prompts us to accuse Satan of attacking us should be very high.

Today, we begin reading through the book of Job.

The book of Job is a dialogue amongst Job, four other men, and Yahweh. The first section tells us about some calamity that befell Job. The second section is Job lamenting his misfortune. Sections 3 thru 18 is a series of speeches where Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, tried to convince Job that he was suffering because he sinned, while Job refuted their assertions. Section 19 records the speeches of Elihu. Sections 20 thru 24 record Yahweh’s proclamations about the whole matter and Job’s response to Yahweh. Then section 24 is the conclusion.

The first section, which is the first two chapters of Job, introduces us to Job and records some interaction between Yahweh and Satan which brought a lot of pain and suffering into Job’s life.

Job 1:1 ¶ There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil.

Notice the description of Job. He was blameless, upright, and God-fearing.

The Bible tells us Job lived in the land of Uz. It is not clear where that was, nor does it really matter because geography is not relevant to Job’s story.

Job 1:2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

Job 1:3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the sons of the east.

The Bible doesn’t tell us when Job lived. However, this verse uses quantity of animals to describe his wealth, which is similar to how the Bible quantified the wealth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore, it is commonly thought that Job lived around 2000 BC, around the same time as Abraham.

Job 1:4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Job 1:5 Now it happened when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and set them apart as holy. And he would rise up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

This verse illustrates the Biblical concept of a priest. A priest was one who entreated God on behalf of other people.

Take note of the proactive nature of Job’s entreaties. He did not wait for his children to confess their sin. He offered sacrifices on their behalf just in case they sinned and did not realize or acknowledge it.

Job 1:6 ¶ Now it was the day that the sons of God came to stand before Yahweh, and Satan also came among them.

Job 1:7 And Yahweh said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

Job 1:8 Then Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you set your heart upon My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Job 1:9 And Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God without cause?

Job 1:10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

Job 1:11 But send forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Think about what we learn about Satan in verses 6 thru 11. Yahweh praised Job’s righteousness, but Satan accused Job of being fake.

This illustrates a truth about Satan recorded in Revelation 12:10 which tells us Satan accuses the brethren before God day and night. Satan’s method of accusing Job is likely his method of accusing many or all Christians.

Job 1:12 Then Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand, only do not send forth your hand toward him.” So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.

Notice that Yahweh set parameters for Satan. Satan could only do what Yahweh allowed him to do. In this case we see that Satan could take Job’s possessions, but could not harm Job himself.

Job 1:13 ¶ Now it happened that on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn,

Job 1:14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

Job 1:15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them. They also struck down the young men with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Verse 3 listed all of Job’s livestock. He had sheep, camels, oxen, and female donkeys. Verse 14 tells us Job lost all his oxen and donkeys.

Job 1:16 While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the young men and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Verse 16 tells us Job lost all his sheep.

Job 1:17 While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans set up three companies and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the young men with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Verse 17 tells us Job lost all his camels. In one day, Job lost all his wealth. He went from being extremely rich to being impoverished.

Job 1:18 While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn,

Job 1:19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and touched the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

In addition to losing all his wealth, he lost all his children.

I have often heard Christians talk about a bad day at work, or a small obstacle they were facing, and call it an attack from Satan. I have several responses to that.

First, Satan is not all-knowing, nor can he be everywhere at once. He can only be in one place at one time. If you claim Satan was attacking you, then you are saying that out of 8 billion people on earth, Satan had nothing better to do at that time than attack you.

My second response is based on this passage. When Satan attacked Job, he destroyed all his wealth and took his children. If Satan decides to attack you, I suspect he will do a lot more than simply give you a bad day at work. Based on the severity of Satan’s attack on Job, the threshold of adversity that prompts us to accuse Satan of attacking us should be very high.

What have you encountered in life that you described as an attack from Satan?

Based on the description of Satan in today’s passage, how likely is it that Satan ever attacked you?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”