IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

A Righteous Man is Tested

Date: Apr. 1, 2023

Passage

Job 1:1-22 (ESV)

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. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 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.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 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. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And 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.

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 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.”

22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 1:21

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.”

INTRODUCTION TO JOB
The book of Job is set around the time of Abraham and tells the story of a godly man whom God allows to suffer greatly, as he loses all his possessions, his family, and even his health. Job is tempted to curse God for this, but he does not do so and maintains his integrity.
The initial narrative portion of the book is only two chapters long. The middle and longest section of the book is a debate between Job and three of his friends, written as poetry. Job asks God difficult questions about his suffering, and his friends try to answer him through their religious understanding. Near the end, a fifth and younger person, Elihu, joins the argument. Finally, God speaks from heaven, rebuking Job’s three friends for speaking unjustly about him, and he restores Job’s fortunes.
Even among unbelievers, the book of Job is considered one of the greatest works of ancient literature, because of its profound reflections on the purpose of human suffering. Through prayerful study of the book of Job, we can honestly confront the problem of suffering and understand better how it is addressed by the gospel of Jesus.
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Job was an exemplary character, fearing God and shunning evil, and even praying to atone for his children’s sins (1-6). God was proud of Job and showed him off as an example that Satan does not rule everyone’s heart in this world (8).

But Satan accused Job of only loving God because he was blessed (9-11). So, as a test, God allowed Satan to destroy everything Job owned and even kill his children in a storm (12-19). It is difficult to understand why God would allow Satan to do this. But God was always in control, setting limits on Satan’s power. Our life is part of a larger spiritual struggle that we cannot see now, but can only grasp by faith.

Job easily could have blamed God for allowing this to happen to a righteous man. But instead, Job still praised God (20-22). If anything, his terrible loss made him worship God even more deeply for his almighty power. His praise was not dependent on what he got for himself, but on who God is. Job was already winning a great spiritual victory.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, thank you for Job’s example. I also don’t know the reason for many of my sufferings, but help me win a spiritual victory by worshiping you in steadfast faith.

One Word: One Word: We can praise God no matter what.

Daily Bread

Prayers in All Circumstances

2 Chronicles 6:22-42

Key Verse: 6:39

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