Job - Perfect & Upright

Today I began reading the book of Job. I have heard of Job for years, ever since I was a little girl. I was taught he was a wealthy man and God "gave" him lots of possessions and then God "took" them away. Let’s see what the Bible has to say about Job.

Job Chapter 1 begins...

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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 cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job thought (doubted, worried, and feared) that maybe, perhaps, just quite possibly, his sons had sinned and cursed God in their hearts. And so because of this doubt, worry and fear, Job offered burnt offerings for them all.

Skipping ahead to verse 13 we read,

13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of god is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

19 And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

What would you have done in this situation? All of your oxen and asses have been taken away. Your sheep have been burned and consumed. Your camels have been taken away. All the servants that take care of the animals, except for the messengers of the calamity, have been slain. And now your children have been killed by the roof falling in on top of them.
Let’s see what Job did.
20 Then Job arose, rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
The Bible says that Job worshipped! Job sinned not! And he did not charge God foolishly! This man who lost all he had did something that not many of us would think to do. He worshipped God and sinned not.
What an amazing example he set for us!
I will write more about Job in the next post. Until then, remember to be thankful for God’s goodness and God’s love.