Somehow this thread has veered. I'm shocked!
But since we are on the subject of Job....
Job 1:13; Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:14;
a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
Job 1:15; and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:16;
While he was still speaking, another also came 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."
Job 1:17;
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:18;
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:19; and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:20; Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
Job 1:21; He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job 1:22; Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
Talk about a bad day. Four messengers come... each with worse news than the previous messenger.
All your servants (except me) are dead. All your livestock is dead. All your camels and transportation are gone.
then finally... all your sons and daughter are dead too. It seems this all happened on the same day.
It seems to me... the purpose of Satan testing Job... was to see if he "would" sin when the trials came.
Verse 22 says he (Job) did not sin. (at least on this day). Yet Job acknowledges "the LORD has taken away".
But he did this in a way... "nor did he blame God".
The collateral damage here is hard to take in. Atheists and non Christians have used this passage to show how
"evil" God is. What did Job lose?
Job 1:2; Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
Job 1:3; His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
10 children. 11,000 animals,... and "very many" servants. The question has been asked... why did God take the lives of his "innocent"
family? I don't know how innocent they were.
Job 1:5; When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
Job seems to think it's possible that they sinned. Now we may think that Job sinned "just like everyone else". But it seems Job was different. No one else on the earth was "like him".
Job 1:8; The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For
there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."
Job 2:3; The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For
there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause."
If anything... this seems to say to me.... even if you "are" blameless and upright, bad things can happen to you.
Still God was willing to take away Job's family to prove a point to Satan.
2 Tim 3:12; Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
If you want to get technical... God didn't do anything to Job's family. He "allowed" Satan to do these things.
I believe it is the same way today. Satan may do "bad things" to us, and those we love. But not without God's permission.
Other's in the Bible didn't do as well as Job when they were tested.
Luke 22:31;
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
