(1-1) A Look at Job's Life - As we see calamity and suffering in the book of Job, we must remember that we live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior is not always punished. When we see a notorious criminal prospering or an innocent child in pain, we say, "That's wrong." And it is. Sin has twisted justice and made our world unpredictable, unfair, and ugly. The book of Job shows a good man suffering for no apparent fault of his own. Sadly, our world is like that. But Job's story does not end in despair. Through Job's life we can see that faith in God is justified even when a situation looks hopeless. Faith based on rewards or prosperity is hollow and unstable. To be unshakable, faith must be built on the confidence that God's ultimate purpose will come to pass.

(1:1) God is on Display Through Job's Life -  As we read the book of Job, we are given insight that the people in the story do not have. Job, the main figure in the book, loses everything he has through no fault of his own. As he struggles to understand why all this is happening to him, we are shown that he is not meant to know the reasons. Job has to face life with many of the answers and explanations held back. Only then can his faith fully develop. We must experience life as Job did--one day at a time and without complete answers to all of life's questions. Will we, like Job, trust God no matter what? Or will we give in to the temptation to say that God doesn't really care?

(1:1-4) The Land of Uz - The location of the land of Uz is uncertain. We only know that Uz had plentiful pastures and crops (1:3), was located near a wilderness area (1:19), and was close enough to the Sabeans and Chaldeans to be raided by them (1:14-17). Uz is also mentioned in Jeremiah 25.19-20. It is likely that Uz was located east of the Jordan River near Canaan (Israel), where Abraham's family (those to whom God first revealed himself) lived. Job probably knew about God because he knew God's people.

(1:5) Job Loved God - Job probably lived during the days of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), before God gave his written law or appointed priests to be religious leaders. During Job's day, a father was his family's religious leader. Because there were no priests to instruct him in God's laws, Job acted as the priest and offered sacrifices to God to ask for forgiveness for any sins he and his family had committed. This demonstrated that Job did not consider himself sinless. Job did this out of conviction and love for God, not just because it was his role as head of the house. Do you carry out your spiritual duties because they are expected, or spontaneously from a heart of devotion?

(1:5) Job Loved His Children - Job showed deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his children. Fearful that they might have sinned unknowingly, he offered sacrifices for them. Parents today can show the same concern by praying for their children.

This means "sacrificing" time each day to ask God to forgive them, to help them grow, to protect them, and to help them please him. Even if some turn away from God when they are older, we must never give up on them.

Instead, we should always welcome them home and continue to pray for them.

(1:6-12) Satan is Exposed - From this conversation, we learn a great deal about Satan. (1) He is accountable to God. All angelic beings, good and evil, are compelled to present themselves before God (1:6). God knew that Satan was intent on attacking Job. (2) Satan can be at only one place at a time (1:6-7). His demons aid him in his work; but as a created being, he is limited. (3) Satan cannot see into our minds or foretell the future (1:9-11). If he could, he would have known that Job would not break under pressure. (4) Because Satan can do nothing without God's permission (1:12), God's people can overcome his attacks through God's power. (5) God puts limitations on what Satan can do (1:12; 2:6). Satan's response to the Lord's question (17) tells us that Satan is real and active on earth. Knowing this about Satan should cause us to remain close to the one who is greater than Satan--God himself.

(1:6-7) God's enemy - Satan, originally an angel of God, had become corrupt through his own pride. He has been evil since his rebellion against God (John 3:8). Satan considers God his enemy. He tries to hinder God's work in people, but he is limited by God's power and can do only what he is permitted (Luke 22:31-32; 1 Timothy 1:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:23-26). As our enemy, Satan actively looks for people to attack with temptation (1 Peter 5:8-9), and he wants to make people hate God. He does this through lies and deception (Genesis 3:1-6). Job, a blameless and upright man who had been greatly blessed, was a perfect target for Satan. Any person who is committed to God should expect Satan's attacks. Satan, who hates God, also hates God's people. He wants to prevent us from following God at all costs. The "sons of God" may have been angels. The Bible also speaks elsewhere of the heavenly council, where God and the angels plan their activities on earth and where angels are required to give account of themselves (see, for example, 1 Kings 22:19-23). Because God created all the angels--both those who serve him and those who rebelled--he has complete power and authority over them. Some people suggest that this dialogue was made up by the author as a parable or morality play. Certainly, a unique literary format was used here that can be found nowhere else in the Bible. Could this conversation between God and Satan really have happened? Other Bible passages tell us that Satan does indeed have access to God (see Revelation 12:10). He even went into God's presence to make accusations against Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 31-2). We have no record of how this event was revealed to the author, but whether through a direct vision from God or an inspiration of creativity, it still reveals what God desires us to understand about his

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