Who, When, Where

Written by Moses. Moses was a Hebrew, born in Egypt towards the end of the 215 years that his people lived there. He was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter as a baby and raised as part of the royal family. He left (ran away) from Egypt when he was 40 and lived in Midian to the east where he married and worked as a shepherd for his father in law. When he was about 80 Yahweh called him to return to Egypt and lead his people back to their promised land. He did, but it was a journey that took another 40 years. Moses himself never entered it, but he died at 120, just before they finally entered the land under the leadership of his disciple, Joshua.
We don’t know for sure when Job lived. But none of his friends quoted anything from the Law, so we presume it was before the Exodus (1446BC).
Job lived in the land of Uz, also called Edom, near the plain of the Jordan, southeast of the Dead Sea, toward the upper reaches of the Sinai Peninsula, east of Egypt and just north of the Red Sea. Now it’s not so pleasant, but in Abraham’s time it was “well watered”, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 13:10)

Summary

This summary is a work in progress.

Before You Read

Key Verses

Job 1:1

Job was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.

Fortunately my sins are forgiven, but I often wish I was more like that. I’m sure he wasn’t perfect, but what a great reputation to have.
Some of us do have that kind of reputation with outsiders. But what if they asked our families? What if they saw what God sees? Our private lives in every detail?

Job 1:2-3

There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.

Blessed with family and wealth. The dream life.
It’s easy to think that nothing could possibly go wrong for someone like that.

Job 1:5

It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.

Isn’t it true? When you have kids, especially teens, it’s so easy to spend your time just worrying about their salvation.
There’s no guarantee though. I’ve known some godly parents, some who even serve the church full time, who have had children who really went astray.

1 Timothy 3:4-5

… leading his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity. (For if anyone doesn’t know how to lead their own household, how will they take care of an assembly of God?)

This is one of the qualifications to be a church leader. Perhaps we should focus more on our own family before raising our hand to lead the church? Maybe Job is right, this is the most important thing. And once our own kids are sorted, then we are qualified to help other people’s kids?

Job 1:8

Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”

Wow, Job’s reputation isn’t just among people. Even Yahweh thinks he’s doing great. Even Yahweh says he’s blameless and upright.
What would Yahweh say about you?
If you’re a Christian, then when Yahweh looks down he sees Yeshua, not you. So for sure, he would say the same thing.

Job 1:11

But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”

And you? How would you react if all the blessings Yahweh has given you, were taken away tomorrow? All of them. Your family all dead. Your possessions all gone?
What would that do to your faith?
What does your answer say about your faith? Do you only have faith because your life is blessed, and easy?
Are you ready to be the next Job?
Are you ready to join the multitude who have been tortured and killed for their faith in Yeshua?

Job 1:12

Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.”

Don’t be confused here. Satan has power, but it is 100% within the absolute power of Yahweh. Without Yahweh’s permission Satan would be unable to even look in your direction, let alone do anything to harm you.

Job 1:16, 17, 18

While he was still speaking… While he was still speaking… While he was still speaking…

Can you imagine that day!
Social media seems to be teaching us that we’re having a bad day if we spill our coffee on our keyboard and stub our toe.
Our modern life is so easy compared with so much our ancestors went through. Even recently. Our parents and grandparents went through world wars. And we rant and rave because our chai latte was a little bit cold.

How was your day?

Job 1:20

Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped.

What would you have done? How would you have reacted?
Do you only worship God when he does nice things for you?

The Sabeans attacked, the Chaldeans attacked, … you might think that’s the forces of evil working against you.
But fire fell from heaven. Wind destroyed the house with all your children in it! Is that from God? Is God angry with me? With Yahweh’s permission, Satan can even control the weather.

Not that we should all live in fear of Satan. I doubt he would waste his time on anyone like me, and pretty likely you either. He is not a god. He doesn’t have infinite time.

Job 1:21

“Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”

What an incredible attitude.
Basically Yahweh owes me nothing. He never did. He never will. Anything he ever gave me is already more of a blessing than I deserved.
One day I’ll go to meet him. And I won’t take any of this with me. No money, no houses, no cars.
Not even any children. They have to work out their own way there. God doesn’t have grandchildren.

Job 2:1

Again, on the day when the God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.

Who are these sons of God?
Whoever they are, they have access to heaven. Are they angels? Good ones, not bad ones like Satan?

I’ve read that they are the kings of the earth, or important people. But there is no temple mentioned in Job, so when they come before Yahweh they must be in his presence. Which really means before his throne in heaven.

Job 2:3

… He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.

What would Yahweh be saying about you if this had all happened to you?

What does it take to destroy your integrity?

Job 2:4

Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

That’s usually true isn’t it. When it comes to our life on the line, we would usually give up anything we own to keep our lives.

So many of our brothers and sisters thought had to make the choice. Will you renounce Yeshua to keep your life.
Would you?

For how long? You’re still going to die. Why not do it now and get out of here with some integrity intact. What a glorious death - martyred, because you refuse to deny Yeshua.

The way the world is heading I think many many more Christians will have this opportunity within the next decade, if not before.

Job 2:9

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”

Ouch.
Even his wife couldn’t see it.

Job 2:10

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”
    In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.

Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?
And actually, are we smart enough to know the difference?
We seem to judge everything by the immediate outcome. But things Yahweh does are based on the long term outcome.
Is it a good or bad thing to break your arm?
What if that leads to you becoming a Christian and nothing else would have?

Job 3:1; Matthew 26:24

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

“woe to the person through whom the Son of Man is handed over. It’d be better for that person if they hadn’t been born.”

Ever wish you had never been born?
I’m sure Judas does.
And if we read on a little, we see that Job is wishing he had died in the womb, not that he had never existed.
Job’s real issue was that he wasn’t aware of the bigger picture. He wasn’t aware of what was happening between Yahweh and Satan. How Yahweh was working out a bigger plan. A plan where even Job would end up saying, “wow, that worked out as a blessing for me”.

But really, no matter how miserable your existence is here. Even if it’s that way because of your own choices, and your own sin. After you die your life will be amazing. Forever.

Not that I’m suggesting you should kill yourself to speed that up. If you’re still alive it’s almost certain that it is because Yahweh has something he wants you to do for him. Do that.

Job 4:7-8

”Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off? According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

It was great that Job’s friends came to be with him in his time of grief. But their advice really wasn’t that helpful.
Basically his friend is saying here, “If bad things happen to you it’s always because you did bad things yourself”.
Which, knowing the bigger picture unfolding in the background, we know isn’t true. Yahweh was very happy with Job and his behaviour, … this was not as a result of Job’s sin. In fact quite the opposite. This was happening because Job was so righteous that Satan couldn’t stand it and had to try to discredit him.

Job 4:17

Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

But his friend was right here.
Who are we to tell God what to do! To tell God what is right and wrong!
We can only see some of what is happening in the lives of maybe a handful of people on the planet. Yahweh sees 100% of what is happening in the life of every person on the planet.

You probably heard, “If God feels far away… guess who moved.” I would add this one, “If you think God is mistaken… guess who’s wrong.”

Job 5:7

man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

It’s true isn’t it. Things very rarely seem to go smoothly.
We always face different issues, no matter how we try to live.

But it’s our destiny. We’re born into sin because of Adam, and we stay there because of ourselves.
Yahweh is so kind, and gracious, and forgiving, … imagine if he hadn’t sent Yeshua, of if Yeshua had refused to take our penalty on himself! We would be sitting here, talking about how right Job was. And knowing that we were totally without hope of any chance to do anything to change it. Or to change our destiny when we die.
Do you ever think about how much we owe him!

Job 5:17-21

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For he wounds, and binds up. He injures, and his hands make whole. He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

It’s incredible isn’t it. God hates sin. Really, really hates it.
We sin all the time.
And yet he loves us. He’s constantly looking out for us and helping and protecting us.

Totally amazing.

Job 7:4

When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

Life is hard when it drags on like that. No end of your suffering in sight. And all you can do is endure the night. With the expectation that you will wake in the morning only to have to endure tomorrow as well.

One of the great lessons from the story of Job, is that looking back now, we can see that his suffering did have a purpose. It was glorifying Yahweh. It was showing how faithful Job really was.
Like the blind man in John 9, … born blind, blind for 30 years, despised and put down by all who passed by, “either him, or his parents… somebody sinned if he’s suffering that much”… But in the end, it was so Yeshua could walk past one day and heal him to prove that he really is the son of Yahweh.
How do you think that blind man feels about it all now?

After You Read

What verses really stood out to you?

How would you summarize this book in a sentence or two? What is it about? What is God trying to say to us?