THE STORY OF JOB
AT some time in those early days—we do not know just at what time, whether in the days of Mṓ s̝es̝ or later—there was living a good man named Job. His home was in the land of Uz, which may have been on the edge of the desert, east of the land of Ĭś̝ ra-el. Jōb was a very rich man. He had sheep, and camels, and oxen, and asses, counted by the thousand. In all the east there was no other man so rich as Job.
And Jōb was a good man. He served the Lord God, and prayed to God every day, with an offering upon God's altar, as men worshipped in those times. He tried to live as God wished him to live, and was always kind and gentle. Every day, when his sons were out in the field, or were having a feast together in the house of any of them, Jōb went out to his altar, and offered a burnt-offering for each one of his sons and his daughters, and prayed to God for them; for he said:
"It may be that my sons have sinned or have turned away from God in their hearts; and I will pray God to forgive them.”
At one time, when the angels of God stood before the Lord, Sā́ tan the Evil One came also, and stood among them, as though he were one of God's angels. The Lord God saw Sā́ tan, and said to him, "Sā́ tan, from what place have you come?" "I have come," answered Sā́ tan, "from going up and down in the earth and looking at the people upon it.”
Then the Lord said to Sā́ tan, "Have you looked at my servant Job? And have you seen that there is not another man like him in the earth, a good and a perfect man, one who fears God and does nothing evil?" Then Sā́ tan said to the Lord: "Does Job fear God for nothing? Hast thou not made a wall around him, and around his house, and around everything that he has? Thou hast given a blessing upon his work, and hast made him rich. But if thou wilt stretch forth thy hand, and take away from him all that he has, then he will turn away from thee and will curse thee to thy face.”
Then the Lord said to the Evil One, "Sā́ tan, all that Job has is in your power; you can do to his sons, and his flocks, and his cattle, whatever you wish; only lay not your hand upon the man himself.”
Then Sā́ tan went forth from before the Lord; and soon trouble began to come upon Job. One day, when all his sons and daughters were eating and drinking together in their oldest brother's house, a man came running to Job, and said:
"The oxen were plowing, and the asses were feeding beside them, when the wild men from the desert came upon them, and drove them all away; and the men who were working with the oxen and caring for the asses have all been killed; and I am the only one who has fled away alive!”
While this man was speaking, another man came rushing in; and he said:
"The lightning from the clouds has fallen on all the sheep, and on the men who were tending them; and I am the only one who has come away alive!”
Before this man had ended, another came in; and he said:
"The enemies from Chăl-dé ȧ have come in three bands, and have taken away all the camels. They have killed the men who were with them; and I am the only one left alive!”
Then at the same time, one more man came in, and said to Jōb:
"Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking together in their oldest brother's house, when a sudden and terrible wind from the desert struck the house, and it fell upon them. All your sons and your daughters are dead, and I alone have lived to tell you of it.”
Thus in one day, all that Jōb had-his flocks, and his cattle, and his sons and his daughters-all were taken away; and Jōb, from being rich, was suddenly made poor. Then Job fell down upon his face before the Lord, and he said:
"With nothing I came into the world, and with nothing I shall leave it. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
So even when all was taken from him Jōb did not turn away from God, nor did he find fault with God's doings.
And again the angels of God were before the Lord, and Satan, who had done all this harm to Job, was among them. The Lord said to Sā́ tan, "Have you looked at my servant Jōb? There is no other man in the world as good as he; a perfect man, one that fears God and does no wrong act. Do you see how he holds fast to his goodness, even after I have let you do him so great harm?" Then Sā́ tan answered the Lord, "All that a man has he will give for his life. But if thou wilt put thy hand upon him and touch his bone and his flesh, he will turn from thee, and will curse thee to thy face.”
And the Lord said to Sā́ tan, "I will give Jōb into your hand; do to him whatever you please; only spare his life.”
Then Sā́ tan went out and struck Jōb, and caused dreadful boils to come upon him, over all his body, from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. And Jōb sat down in the ashes in great pain; but he would not speak one word against God. His wife said to him, "What is the use of trying to serve God? You may as well curse God, and die!”
But Job said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women. What? shall we take good things from the Lord? and shall we not take evil things also?" So Job would not speak against God. Then three friends of Job came to see him, and to try to comfort him in his sorrow and pain. Their names were Ĕlí -phăz, and Bĭĺ dăd, and Zṓ phar. They sat down with Jōb, and wept, and spoke to him. But their words were not words of comfort. They believed that all these great troubles had come upon Jōb to punish him for some great sin, and they tried to persuade Jōb to tell what evil things he had done, to make God so angry with him.
For in those times most people believed that trouble, and sickness, and the loss of friends, and the loss of what they had owned, came to men because God was angry with them on account of their sins. These men thought that Jōb must have been very wicked because they saw such evils coming upon him. They made long speeches to Jōb, urging him to confess his wickedness.
Jōb said that he had done no wrong, that he had tried to do right; and he did not know why these troubles had come; but he would not say that God had dealt unjustly in letting him suffer. Jōb did not understand God's ways, but he believed that God was good; and he left himself in God's hands. And at last God himself spoke to Jōb and to his friends, telling them that it is not for man to judge God, and that God will do right by every man. And the Lord said to the three friends of Jōb:
"You have not spoken of me what is right, as Jōb has. Now bring an offering to me; and Job shall pray for you, and for his sake I will forgive you.”
So Jōb prayed for his friends, and God forgave them. And because in all his troubles Jōb had been faithful to God, the Lord blessed Jōb once more, and took away his boils from him, and made him well. Then the Lord gave to Jōb more than he had ever owned in the past, twice as many sheep, and oxen, and camels, and asses. And God gave again to Jōb seven sons and three daughters; and in all the land there were no women found so lovely as the daughters of Jōb. After his trouble, Job lived a long time, in riches, and honor, and goodness, under God's care.
Lesson 13. Review of Early Bible People.
(Tell enough of the stories to bring these names to the memory of the children.)
1. Who was the first man? Adam.
2. Who was the first woman? Eve.
3. What son of Adam and Eve killed his brother? Cain.
4. What was the name of Cain's brother whom he killed?
5. Who was the oldest man that ever lived? Methuselah.
6. What good man was taken to heaven without dying? Enoch
7. Who built the ark and was saved from the flood? Noah.
8. Who believed God and went on a long journey when God sent him?
9. Who was saved from the wicked city of Sodom? Lot.
10. What son of Abraham was laid on an altar? Isaac.
11. What son of Isaac sold his birthright for something to eat? Esau.
12. Who saw the heavenly ladder? Jacob.
13. What other name was given to Jacob?
14. Who was sold as a slave but became a prince? Joseph;
15. Who led the Israelites out of Egypt? Moses.
Lesson 14. Review of Early Bible Places.
1. What place did God give to Adam and Eve for their home? The Garden of Eden.
2. On what mountain did the ark rest after the flood? On Mount Ararat.
3. What great city was built after the flood? Babel or Babylon.
4. What land was promised to Abraham as his home? The land of Canaan.
5. What city was destroyed by rain of fire? Sodom.
6. In what country was Joseph first a slave and then the ruler? Egypt.
7. In what part of Egypt did the Israelites live for four hundred years? The land of Goshen.
8. Through what sea did God lead the Israelites? Through the Red Sea.
9. On what mountain did God give the Ten Commandments? Mount Sinai
10. In what land did the Israelites wander forty years after coming out of Egypt? The Wilderness.
11. From what place did Moses send the twelve spies into the land of Canaan, and then afterward lead the Israelites back into the wilderness? From Kadeshbarnea.
12. On what mountain did Moses die? On Mount Nebo