Job 1:1–12

Introduction

Job 1:1–12: For the next ten days we will read from the book of Job, the story of a good man who suffers total disaster—he loses his family and property and is afflicted with a repulsive disease. Because he has been an unusually good and righteous man, he cannot understand how God could let this happen. While he does not lose his faith, he longs to be justified before God and to regain his honor as a good man. In today’s reading, Satan challenges God to take away all that Job has and make him suffer to see if he will continue to trust in God, and God agrees to this challenge.

Today’s Key Verse: Job 1:8b GNT

[The LORD said:] “There is no one on earth as faithful and good as [Job] is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil.”

Read

1 There was a man named Job, living in the land of Uz, who worshiped God and was faithful to him. He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand head of cattle, and five hundred donkeys. He also had a large number of servants and was the richest man in the East.

⁴ Job’s sons used to take turns giving a feast, to which all the others would come, and they always invited their three sisters to join them. ⁵ The morning after each feast, Job would get up early and offer sacrifices for each of his children in order to purify them. He always did this because he thought that one of them might have sinned by insulting God unintentionally.

⁶ When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord, Satan was there among them. ⁷ The Lord asked him, “What have you been doing?”

Satan answered, “I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.”

⁸ “Did you notice my servant Job?” the Lord asked. “There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil.”

⁹ Satan replied, “Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it? ¹⁰ You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country. ¹¹ But now suppose you take away everything he has—he will curse you to your face!”

¹² “All right,” the Lord said to Satan, “everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job himself.” So Satan left.

Reflect

How has Job been blessed by God? How does God describe Job? What is Satan’s challenge to God?

Pray

Sovereign God, help me to withstand any challenges I may face today. Guide me in your wisdom. You are ever faithful, and I trust in your steadfast love. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Job 1:13–22: Job’s children and wealth are destroyed.