Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 151: Job's Affliction

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Job 1-4.

Job was blameless in God's sight, and did not sin, so God prospered him. He had 7 sons, 3 daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, and lots of servants.

God's angels came before Him to present themselves. Satan was also there. God asked where he had come from, and Satan replied that he had been going about the earth, meaning that he was inciting men to do evil.

Then, God asked him about Job, who was completely blameless.

It seems to me the conversation might have gone like this:

God: Where have you come from and what have you been doing?
Satan: I've been going about the earth causing men to sin against You and turn from You.
God: And what of my servant Job? You have not caused him to sin.
Satan: Ah, but that's because You have protected him so well. I can't touch him because You won't let me. If I could, he, too, would turn from You and sin.
God: Very well. I will allow you to test my servant Job. Only do not harm him.

So Satan goes and Job loses everything but his health in one day. All of his children are partying together and the house collapses. All of his animals are captured and all of his servants are killed save a few who escape to tell Job the news.

Job mourns, but does not turn from God or sin.

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 is still praising God 

Satan returns to God's presence.

God: Where have you come from?
Satan: I have been roaming the earth inciting men to sin against You.
God: What of my servant Job? He is still blameless before me.
Satan: Yes, but he still has his health. Men turn against You when their bodies are attacked.
God: Very well. Do as you will, only do not kill him.

Satan goes back to Job and causes boils to form from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

His wife tells him that he should curse God and die rather than go through the pain of it. But Job tells her to be silent, because we cannot accept the good from God if we do not also accept the bad.

Then, Job's three friends came to see him. And they wept to see him like that. 

But then the real trouble starts. They start dishing out advice.

"You must have sinned. God does not allow the blameless to be touched in such a way."

But we all know that isn't true. Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes God allows bad things to happen for tests, or lessons, or to bring us right up to our blessings. Even when it doesn't make sense, we have to trust and praise God in our afflictions just as Job did.

And be careful who you ask for advice, or whose words you listen to. Friends like Job's can make you doubt everything. With friends like Job's, no one needs enemies.

But we'll get more into that later.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Job 5-7.