Series: The Word
Psalm 46:1 ESV
Job 1:1-3 ESV
Job 1:7 ESV
Job 1:1-7 (the evil one)
Job1:8 ESV
Job 1:9-11 ESV
Job 1:12 ESV
Job 1:13-19 (Job’s losses)
Job 1:20-22 ESV
It’s no secret that I love music and that music coupled with scripture is a huge PLUS in my book.
I think that’s because music helps me to remember the words. I’ve read that music helps us remember because it activates both parts of our brain.
It’s like the music brings the words to life.
Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
The song lyrics I learned to sing many many years ago were: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
I was a young adult when I first learned that song. I was a new bride. Everything was sunshine and roses.
I thought everything would always BE sunshine and roses.
I think that’s what Job thought.
We are told in Job 1:1-3, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.”
Everything looked great for Job. He served God and turned away from evil and God had blessed him in mighty ways.
Then we learn in Job 1:7, “The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
The Lord if he had seen his son Job who was “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8)
That gave the evil one an idea.
In Job 1:9-11,“Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around 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. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
Hummm…
And the Lord loved Job and was confident that Job would not cave in when times got tough so in Job 1:12,“the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”
With some restriction, Satan was then allowed to test Job.
However, it was clear that God was God.
God allowed Job’s possessions to be put in Satan’s reach, but God did not allow Satan to stretch out his evil hand against Job.
In Job 1:13-19 Satan struck four different times and wiped out Job’s possessions and servants. In the fourth onslaught, the evil one took the lives of Job’s children.
In Job 1:20-22 after the terrible losses we learn, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”
The key was that Job recognized who the enemy was that struck his household.
God was not the enemy and Job knew it.
Even after his terrible loss, Job worshipped God.
What Job knew and relied upon was God’s strength and power. Job knew that while the evil one had some strength and some power, his power was limited.
Scholars believe Genesis was written around 1450 to 1400 B.C. (https://bigthink.com/thinking/how-old-is-the-bible/#). The author of the book of Job is unknown. Some scholars lean toward Moses and others believe it could have been Job.
We need to remember the books of the Bible are not in chronological order. Most scholars believe the first five books of the Bible were written by Moses. Because of the style of Hebrew writing many schools believe Job could have been written before or about the same time as Genesis.
“To give you more information to help answer the question of what is the oldest book in the Bible, here are two scholarly thoughts on this question. One will lean towards Genesis and the other towards Job. I include these because these are the two sides of the debate” (https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-is-the-oldest-book-in-the-bible.html). According to oldest.org, Job was written in the 2nd Century B.C.E. (https://www.oldest.org/religion/books-in-the-bible/). When determining the age of the text, scholars look at EVERY aspect which includes letter formation, language style, and punctuation, just to name a few.
So, why does this matter? In my mind, when we studied all of the factors in Seminary I was fascinated by the process, the science related to the copies, and the level of expertise of scholars who can speak to the dating and authenticity of scripture. In all the material I read, many scholars listed had multiple degrees (all Ph.D.’s).
The bottom line is that God is in charge of scripture. Just like Job who put matters in God’s capable hands, we put the story of Job in God’s hands.
Who wrote Job and when does not change the authenticity of the text. While the how and when is interesting (to some), what’s most interesting is the story of Job. Even when Job lost everything, he loved God and he trusted that God was holy and God was his refuge and strength.
Spiritual Practice: Trust God
Do you rely on God’s strength and power? Speaking words of trust mean a great deal to God and to you. It’s your own built in faith-builder.
In God, Deborah
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