We’re going to go through the first two chapters of Job to identify who actually tested Job, and who actually brought “folly” or “disaster” to Job, and to examine the appointed day that Satan “presents himself” before the heavenly court of YHWH.
There’s a false understanding that we were raised in. That the most High God just randomly decided to ruin Job’s life, for no cause or purpose.
This incorrect understanding of the mechanics of what is going on in the book of Job has been used to perpetuate false religion, specifically Kabbalists have used this to springboard their beliefs in Torah Observant circles:
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.
From these verses we can reasonably conclude that:
- Job was upright, and feared Yahweh, eschewed (avoided) evil.
- he had 7 sons and 3 daughters.
- he was rich/blessed.
- after his sons would celebrate corruption he would “sanctify” them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all… so this was an enormous expense to him constant burnt offerings for 10 kids.
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
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verse 6 - the sons of God came to PRESENT THEMSELVES before the Lord and SATAN came also among them. Now let’s take a look at this word “present themselves” present = "1) to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself "
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verse 7 - “consider” means “set thy heart on” my servant job. Why would Satan have to set his heart on Job? Keep this in mind as we continue reading.
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verse 8 - God says Job is upright & perfect.
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verse 9 - Satan argues that Job doesn’t really fear God because of the hedge that was put around Job making Job’s life “easy”.
verse 10 - 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge 7753 8804 about him, and about 1157 his house 1004, and about all that he hath on every side 5439? thou hast blessed 1288 8765 the work 4639 of his hands 3027, and his substance 4735 is increased 6555 8804 in the land 776.(substance: or, cattle)
1:11 But 199 put forth 7971 8798 thine hand 3027 now, and touch 5060 8798 all that he hath, and he will curse 1288 8762 3808 thee to thy face 6440.(and he…: Heb. if he curse thee not to thy face)
1:12 And the LORD 3068 said 559 8799 unto Satan 7854, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power 3027; only upon himself put not forth 7971 8799 thine hand 3027. So Satan 7854 went forth 3318 8799 from the presence 6440 of the LORD 3068.(power: Heb. hand)
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Notice the use of the word “put forth” it does not always mean to “bring forward your hand”. Look and compare 11 for 12. in 11 it seems like Yahweh is the one that is the one that will “touch everything Job has” except it’s not Yahweh doing it. Look what Yahweh says to Satan " behold everything is in your power… only Job himself “PUT NOT FORTH” thine hand. Meaning that in verse 11 Yahweh is withholding protection from Job, but it is not Yahweh who is cursing Job. Yahweh is simply pulling back his covering, and allowing Satan to do what he will to Job, but nothing to his life.
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Let’s summarize here so far: - On a seemingly “special day” the beings in heaven “present themselves before Yahweh”. - A back and forth initiates between Yahweh and Satan with Yahweh identifying Job as an “example of an upright man” being that Satan just admitted that he came back from “roaming to and fro” almost like Satan was examining the earth looking at the testimony of men in the earth. - Satan says that Job can’t be an example, because look at how blessed his life is, if ony Yahweh would pull back protection from Job, Satan is sure that he can get Job to curse him. - Yahweh says go ahead but don’t take his life. - Satan leaves the presence of Yahweh to go cause hardship to Job.
1:13 And there was a day 3117 when his sons 1121 and his daughters 1323 [were] eating 398 8802 and drinking 8354 8802 wine 3196 in their eldest 1060 brother’s 251 house 1004:
1:14 And there came 935 8804 a messenger 4397 unto Job 347, and said 559 8799, The oxen 1241 were plowing 2790 8802, and the asses 860 feeding 7462 8802 beside 3027 them:
1:15 And the Sabeans 7614 fell 5307 8799 [upon them], and took them away 3947 8799; yea, they have slain 5221 8689 the servants 5288 with the edge 6310 of the sword 2719; and I only am escaped 4422 8735 alone to tell 5046 8687 thee.
1:16 While he [was] yet speaking 1696 8764, there came 935 8802 also another, and said 559 8799, The fire 784 of God 430 is fallen 5307 8804 from heaven 8064, and hath burned up 1197 8799 the sheep 6629, and the servants 5288, and consumed 398 8799 them; and I only am escaped 4422 8735 alone to tell 5046 8687 thee.(The fire…: or, A great fire)
- This passage is pretty self explanatory other than I want to note that in verse 16 it says there came a fire that consumed the sheep and servants.
It says the “fire of God” people interpret this as if Yahweh sent the fire, instead of the facts that Yahweh withdrew protection, and Satan left the presence of God to test Job.
1:17 While he [was] yet speaking 1696 8764, there came 935 8802 also another, and said 559 8799, The Chaldeans 3778 made out 7760 8804 three 7969 bands 7218, and fell 6584 8799 upon the camels 1581, and have carried them away 3947 8799, yea, and slain 5221 8689 the servants 5288 with the edge 6310 of the sword 2719; and I only am escaped 4422 8735 alone to tell 5046 8687 thee.(fell: Heb. rushed)
1:18 While he [was] yet speaking 1696 8764, there came 935 8802 also another, and said 559 8799, Thy sons 1121 and thy daughters 1323 [were] eating 398 8802 and drinking 8354 8802 wine 3196 in their eldest 1060 brother’s 251 house 1004:
1:19 And, behold, there came 935 8804 a great 1419 wind 7307 from 5676 the wilderness 4057, and smote 5060 8799 the four 702 corners 6438 of the house 1004, and it fell 5307 8799 upon the young men 5288, and they are dead 4191 8799; and I only am escaped 4422 8735 alone to tell 5046 8687 thee.(from…: Heb. from aside, etc)
1:20 Then Job 347 arose 6965 8799, and rent 7167 8799 his mantle 4598, and shaved 1494 8799 his head 7218, and fell down 5307 8799 upon the ground 776, and worshipped 7812 8691,(mantle: or, robe)
1:21 And said 559 8799, Naked 6174 came I out 3318 8804 of my mother’s 517 womb 990, and naked 6174 shall I return 7725 8799 thither: the LORD 3068 gave 5414 8804, and the LORD 3068 hath taken away 3947 8804; blessed 1288 8794 be the name 8034 of the LORD 3068.
1:22 In all this Job 347 sinned 2398 8804 not, nor charged 5414 8804 God 430 foolishly 8604.(charged…: or, attributed folly to God)
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- Take a special look at 1:22 It says that in all the tribulation that Job faced Job did not ATTRIBUTE FOLLY TO YAHWEH. In-spite of the people saying the “fire came from God”.
2:1 Again there was a day 3117 when the sons 1121 of God 430 came 935 8799 to present 3320 8692 themselves before the LORD 3068, and Satan 7854 came 935 8799 also among 8432 them to present 3320 8692 himself before the LORD 3068.
2:2 And the LORD 3068 said 559 8799 unto Satan 7854, From whence 335 comest 935 8799 thou? And Satan 7854 answered 6030 8799 the LORD 3068, and said 559 8799, From going to and fro 7751 8800 in the earth 776, and from walking up and down 1980 8692 in it.
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there was AGAIN a day when the sons of Yahweh, came to present themselves before Yahweh.
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Yahweh asks Satan again on the “special day” where the sons of Yahweh present themselves.
2:3 And the LORD 3068 said 559 8799 unto Satan 7854, Hast thou 7760 8804 considered 3820 my servant 5650 Job 347, that [there is] none like him in the earth 776, a perfect 8535 and an upright 3477 man 376, one that feareth 3373 God 430, and escheweth 5493 8802 evil 7451? and still he holdeth fast 2388 8688 his integrity 8538, although thou movedst 5496 8686 me against him, to destroy 1104 8763 him without cause 2600.(to destroy…: Heb. to swallow him up)
2:4 And Satan 7854 answered 6030 8799 the LORD 3068, and said 559 8799, Skin 5785 for skin 5785, yea, all that a man 376 hath will he give 5414 8799 for his life 5315.
2:5 But 199 put forth 7971 8798 thine hand 3027 now, and touch 5060 8798 his bone 6106 and his flesh 1320, and he will curse 1288 8762 thee to thy face 6440.
2:6 And the LORD 3068 said 559 8799 unto Satan 7854, Behold, he [is] in thine hand 3027; but save 8104 8798 his life 5315.(but: or, only)
2:7 So went 3318 0 Satan 7854 forth 3318 8799 from the presence 6440 of the LORD 3068, and smote 5221 8686 Job 347 with sore 7451 boils 7822 from the sole 3709 of his foot 7272 unto his crown 6936.
2:8 And he took 3947 8799 him a potsherd 2789 to scrape 1623 8692 himself withal; and he sat down 3427 8802 among 8432 the ashes 665.
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Again on the “special day” where the “sons of Yahweh” go to “present themselves” - Yahweh again says have you considered my servant job? Do you see how he has maintained his integrity? - Yahweh states “even though thou movest me against him to destroy him without cause”. Let’s revisit the mechanics of the passage here again so we don’t lose ourselves. Yahweh removes his covering, Satan proceeds to try Job and get Job to curse God. If Satan succeeds in this then Yahweh would destroy Job. Because Job would have in turned cursed God. But as we left off in the 1st chapter Job DID NOT ATTRIBUTE HIS FOLLY TO GOD.
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verse 5 - Job tells Yahweh that if Job was cursed and his health was cursed then Job will curse God.
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verse 6 - Yahweh again allows Satan to try Job, but not take his life. If it wasn’t Satan doing all these evil things to Job, then why does Yahweh tell Satan not to touch his life. Clearly the evil happening to Job is coming from Satan NOT GOD.
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verse 7 - we clearly see that Satan left the presence of God and smote Job. So it was SATAN smiting Job. NOT GOD.