Book of Job
This man, named Job, lived ever so long ago, but there has always been much trouble in the world, so perhaps that is why his story is in God’s Word. Job was greatest of all the men of the east at that time; no doubt he was a leader, or ruler, in his country, for he says, “I....sat chief, and dwelt as a king.” Chapt. 29.
Job’s home was in the land of Uz, which must have been east of Palestine, as in the Bible, Jerusalem and its land are spoken of as the center, and “east” meant east of there. It must not have been far from Chaldea, as men came from there to take Job’s camels; so may have been in north Arabia, or nearer Iran (Persia).
Job was very rich; you will be surprised if you, read how many animals he owned. He may have traded with other peoples since he had so many camels, which were used to carry articles from one place to another; he had ever so many sheep, which would be used for meat, and the wool may have been sold to weavers, for he spoke of a weaver’s shuttle; men of those eastern lands have been noted since earliest known times for making rugs and other weaving. Job had many oxen to plow the fields, and many servants to do his work.
Some who have wealth, and much business, do not think of others nor trust in God, but Job helped the poor, did justly to all and believed in God and spoke much of His wonders and great power.
God knew that Job believed in Him, and that he did right, but a wicked angel, called Satan, had watched Job’s good deeds, and wanted him to do evil, and to have him speak against God; Satan said job did right only for what God did for him. Then God let Satan cause trouble to Job, to show that Job really loved God, and not because of the things God had given him.
Some people say there is no such evil one as Satan, but he is spoken of, and warned against, in the Bible. We cannot see him because he is a spirit, but he is able to see people, and to suggest for them to do evil, as he did to harm Job.
The first trouble Satan caused to Job was to persuade wicked men to kill his servants, who were plowing with the oxen, and take away the oxen and asses for themselves; only one servant escaped and hurried to tell Job. While that man was speaking, a servant came to tell of another dreadful trouble: fire had killed all Jobs great flocks of sheep; we cannot explain this fire, but it was a force of nature Satan had power to send. Before that man had finished telling his bad news, a third man came to say that hands of robbers stolen all Job’s camels!
We can imagine what bad news all this was to Job: to lose all his property in one day; yet much greater sorrow was to come. But we shall find Job did not speak against God as Satan had said he would. And this is something for yet to remember, Satan, also called the devil never speaks truly. When on earth the Lord Jesus told of Satan’s wickedness (see John. 8:44).
How many children did Job have? (Verse 2).
How many animals did Job own? (Verse 2 and 3).
What did Job’s sons do? (Verse 4).
Note: A great grandson of Noah was named Uz; the men of his time, living after the flood, no, doubt had large portions of land named for the men, and Job probably lived in the land which had bonged to Uz (See Genesis 10:22, 23, 25).
ML 04/07/1940