"In the land of Uz there was a blameless and upright man named Job, who feared God and avoided evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; and he had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-donkeys, and a very large household, so that he was greater than anyone in the East. One day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord , the satan also came among them. The Lord said to the satan, “Where have you been?” Then the satan answered the Lord and said, “Roaming the earth and patrolling it.” The Lord said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.” The satan answered the Lord and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch all that he has, and surely he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to the satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” So the satan went forth from the presence of the Lord (Job 1:1-3, 6-12)."
Job was a man in the prime of life with great possessions who loved God. He had a good conscience, always did what was right, and was obedient to God’s laws. God is presented as a monarch having human form and characteristics listening to the reports of his subjects and issuing orders. The Adversary who roams the Earth looking for the wrongdoings of men also came and presented his charges against men to God. The Adversary in Job is not the same ‘Devil/Satan’ developed later in Jewish and Christian theology. When satan made his report God praised Job for his goodness. Satan questions whether Job serves God out of love or self-interest and tells God that if Job meets hardship he will turn away from God. God accepts the challenge.
Almighty God, our lives are guided by your grace and our weak conscience is forgiven by your mercy as we do not always do what is right. Fill our hearts with love that we may serve you with joy as we struggle with the hardships of this life. Bless the work of our hands that we may inherit the true fortune promised to us by your Son, Jesus Christ. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
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