Satan’s Destructive Acts
God gave Satan permission to destroy Job’s substance, and Satan went forth from the presence of God, ready to unleash his fury with a vengeance.
One day, when all was peaceful and happy and Job’s sons and daughters were enjoying feasting together, Satan poured out his terror and brought great sorrow. Suddenly a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15And the Sabeans fell upon them , and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (1:14,15)
In a moment of time, Job’s 500 yoke of oxen and 500 she asses were gone. The Sabeans had stolen them all and killed all the servants who kept them. Both the theft of the animals and the death of his servants were a substantial loss to Job. Now there was no way to plow his fields, and much of his hired help was gone.
But Satan had just begun. While that messenger “was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (1:16)
“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (1:17)
“18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (1:18,19)
When Job heard the words, “thy sons and thy daughters,” his heart must have broken. Of all his losses, this surely had to be the most crushing. When Job got up that morning, his sons and his daughters were well and happy. Now, all ten of his children were dead. They were gone. He would never see them or talk to them again here on earth.
In a matter of hours, perhaps even a matter of minutes, Job lost all of his sheep, camels, oxen, she asses, and all ten of his children. Most of his hired help had been destroyed as well. Very few hired servants were left, and the ones that survived were likely traumatized and terrified.
Satan had done his work well. What pleasure he must have taken in doing all these destructive things! But his pleasure most surely faded when Job maintained his integrity and his testimony and did not become bitter against God.
Job’s Response
“20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (1:20,21)
His Mourning
Though Job trusted in God, he was not immune to sorrow. These losses, and particularly the death of his children, brought great heaviness to Job’s heart. He stood up and tore his clothes, shaved his head, and fell on the floor. All of these actions show his grief, and his grief was very great.
His Worship
First Job acknowledged his dependence on God. He had come into this world with nothing. All that he had was given to him by God. Job knew he could take none of it with him when he died. He would leave this world the same way he had come into it -- empty-handed.
Job also acknowledged God’s sovereignty. It was God who had given Job his great possessions and his ten children. He had gotten none of these things by his own power. God have given it all to him.
Thirdly, Job acknowledge that everything he had belonged to God. God had given it to Job, but Job did not count it as his own. He counted it as belonging to God, and he knew that God had both the power and the right to take it away if He so chose. “The LORD gave,” said Job, “and the LORD hath taken away.”
Finally, Job honored the Lord with his lips and declared, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.
God’s Commendation of Job
Job responded rightly to the trials that came upon him, and God gave Job this commendation, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” (1:22) Satan wanted to destroy Job, but God commended Job.