Overview;
(NET) The series of catastrophes and the piety of Job is displayed now in comprehensive terms. Everything that can go wrong goes wrong, and yet Job, the pious servant of Yahweh, continues to worship him in the midst of the rubble. This section, and the next, will lay the foundation for the great dialogues in the book.
Ob and In:
1. repeated phrase:
The attack came together suddenly and exclusively:...the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword...And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you...While this one was still speaking v.15, 16, 17, 19
Reflection: Satan did not wait for long to start and he knew how to make people frustrate. He rove around the land and he got many tools. We cannot resist Satan except with God's help.
2. The source of attack helped Job to figure out the cause
The fire of God has fallen from heaven. v.16 The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed! v.21
(NET) The first blow came from enemies; the second from heaven...
(NET) Both wind and lightning (v. 16) were employed by Satan as his tools. God can permit him such control over factors of the weather when it suits the divine purpose, but God retains ultimate control (see 28:23–27; Prov 3:4; Luke 8:24–25).
(EBC) Here the attitude of Job in contrast to that in the Dialogue is one of supreme faith and total resignation to the sovereign will of God. Job did not understand why but believed that his trouble came from God...But Job was right, it was the Lord who had taken away. The use of secondary means does not solve the problem of evil, nor is it the purpose of the Book of Job to solve this logical dilemma. In a very real sense, Job’s statement of trust in God went as far as he or any human can go in solving this mystery
Reflection: Job acknowledged that the attack came from God, but he called it, "the taking away." Why did he praise God? For He is the Master of his life. He did not ask why did God give away, but totally submit himself as the receiver only. Therefore, Job did not ask "why all these attacks come to me?"
Do I acknowledge that God is my giver, my master and the One I should submit to?
3. The comment of the author
v.22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety
(EBC) Up to this point (v.22), though deprived of family and possessions, Job did not sin with his lips (cf. 2:10) by accusing God of “wrongdoing” (tip̱lāh, see Notes: If Job did not charge God with doing anything worthless, he must have believed God had a high purpose.
Reflection: In his pain and mourning Job did not sin and accusing God for he knew that was a purpose of God. May I always keep that in my mind. God has a higher purpose.
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