6-7 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, “What have you been up to?” Satan answered God, “Going here and there, checking things out on earth.” 8 God said to Satan, “Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil.” 9-10 Satan retorted, “So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can’t lose! 11 “But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He’d curse you right to your face, that’s what.” 12 God replied, “We’ll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don’t hurt him.” Then Satan left the presence of God. Job 1:6-12 MSG
Many people will quote or reference the story of Job when they want to talk about a biblical story of adversity, and/or give people perspective when they may be talking about how bad they have it. Few have really read and studied the story of Job, which is possibly one of the earliest stories in the bible in spite of its positioning. I’d like to start looking at Job from the beginning and show why he was tested in the 1st place, and hopefully shed some light on why you may have experienced the trouble you did earlier in life, or prepare you for the adversity later.
Job was a man of extreme wealth which was reflected in his abundance of livestock: 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camel, 500 teams of oxen, 500 donkeys, and alot of servants….not to mention 7 sons and 3 daughters. I would imagine many people of the time envied Job, and often spoke ill of him due to the way that God had blessed him. The name at the top of the list of those who hated on Job is a familiar name, the same name at the top of everyone’s hater list, Satan/Lucifer/Lucy/The Devil. I like how the Message bible calls Satan the “Designated Accuser”, because that is exactly what he is, the chief accuser of everyone, especially those who believe in God. This opening scene in Job is important because it shows several things:
- God is supreme above all
- Everyone and everything EVEN Satan have to give an account or report to God for their actions
- God likes to brag on us to Satan
- God is aware of, AND has to authorize it when you are tested
That list is packed with valuable concepts that need to be broken down individually to truly appreciate and understand what they mean. Over the next few weeks we are going to take a look at Job and these concepts to see how this is seen, and/or can be applied to our own journeys.
Reflection Time
Can God brag about you? How do you feel when you face adversity, or are tested in life? Who/What does Satan see when he looks at you? Can God trust you to remain faithful when tested?
