And The Score At Halftime Is: Job 1, Satan 0

On their way to the funeral home to pick out the ten caskets for their ten children, Job asked his wife to stop by the church first. His problems engulfed him and it seemed the world had suddenly turned against him. He entered the sanctuary and put in a CD by Casting Crowns. With the music of “Praise You in this Storm” filling the air and with tears streaming down Job’s face, he worshipped. For an hour he wept, at times sobbing deeply. Over and over he repeated, “God I don’t understand, but I love You and I will praise You in this storm! In his agony he simply worshiped God.

The score is: Job – 1, Satan – 0. The devil’s belief that Job served God with ulterior motives was totally blown away.

The only problem? Job doesn’t know its only halftime, and he is totally unaware that there’s even a game going on!

In one swift and horrendous moment, the richest and perhaps most influential person in that portion of the world was penniless and all of his children were dead.

Job 1:20…Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

FIA says, “Job’s response was magnificent.” He doesn’t blame the Chaldeans or the Sabeans or the weather man on channel six or the government for a lousy storm warning system. To Job, those were only secondary causes. He didn’t cry out, “If God loves me so much how come my life is in ruins?” Without negating his humanity or any of his deep feelings, to him it was as simple as “the Lord took away.” What Job was doing at the beginning of the day (loving God and seeking His face) he was doing at the end of the day.

Adam Clarke wonderfully puts Job’s reaction, “I owe him gratitude for the time he has permitted me to enjoy these gifts.” Not only does our stuff belong to God, so do our kids.

He does not act like a man in despair. Even though his heart was shattered and his children were dead, there was tremendous dignity witnessed on this tragic day in Job’s life. (We also need to remember that there were a LOT of other families of Job Inc that had lost a loved one on that day).

Swindoll points out that in verse 20 there are five verbs or action words: He arose…he tore…he shaved…he fell…he worshipped. “Rising up” speaks to the intensity of his feelings; “tearing the robe” symbolizes his torn heart; “shaving the head” is symbolic of great sorrow; he then “fell to the ground” in humility and “worshipped” or adored God. Barnes says, “A godly man has no where else to go in time of trial.”

1:21...And 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.

FIA says that God has given Job a rehearsal for death. GIGO is an acronym for “Garbage In, Garbage Out” and refers to computer programming (and human programming as well!). There was another acronym for Job on this day. “NINO” – “Naked In, Naked Out.” What a simple philosophy of life. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, “Naked (without possessions) came I into this world from my mother’s womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed (praised and magnified in worship) be the name of the Lord!”

Hell Week for the Navy Seals only reveals the character of those soldiers; the crucible only reveals the purity of the metal. Job’s storm only revealed the metal within him. At the end of the day you simply saw Job’s faith boiled down to its essence. Job never put on airs; he never pretended to be something he was not (something I admire in both of my brothers). Naked in, naked out. The truth of Job 1:1 shone brilliantly.

“The Lord gave, the Lord took.” Everything I had was God’s – my businesses, my 401K, my kids – all belonged to God.

Blessed be the name of the Lord! Something amazing? The ONLY one cursing was the Satan! There was no blame on the part of Job, just praise and adoration.

1:22…Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Note the word “through…” It wasn’t really an inspiring speech, but one of my Bible school professors liked to say, “God will pull you through, if you can stand the pull!” Successful people are plodding people. When the going gets tough, the tough…go shopping!” Ok, you know what I mean :>). From time to time we just have to do the Winston Churchill thing and, “Never, never, never give up!”

And the “through stuff,” as difficult as it may be, is not always about you and me. Let me say that again. What’s happening to you (and to me), what we are going through may not ultimately be about us. Yes we are being tested and molded and shaped into His image for His glory, but did you ever stop to consider the people that are being impacted either positively or negatively? Whether we like it or not, we are leaving a legacy. And our response to what we are going through now may have an impact on generations to come.

Verse 22 continues, “Job did not sin…” The Hebrew word is “chatah.” It simply means to miss the mark or to miss the goal or to miss the target or to wander from the path. Its basic meaning is illustrated in Judges 20:16, “Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss (chatah).” Vine says, “From this basic meaning comes the word's chief usage: to indicate moral failure toward both God and men, and certain results of such wrongs.” In other words, Job’s reaction “through the loss of his employees, businesses, and children” was right on target. FIA says “He did not accuse God of anything monstrous. Satan’s jibe proved false. Job did not worship God for the side-effects of prosperity.”

Chapter one closes with an interesting phrase. “…nor did he blame God.” It’s a little obscure, but the Hebrew word “tiplah” could mean tastelessness, unperfumed, an indiscretion, or a vengeful act.” But it could also come from a word meaning “something to be spit out” (spitting in the Bible refers to moral abhorrence). Job did not regard God’s will for his life (what had happened to him) as something to be spit out!

Perhaps in your life it seems that lately it’s been “one thing after another,” and God seems to be so distant. And through everything that’s happened its hard to see the hand of God. It’s obviously harder to say “PTL!” when He takes away than when He gives. I encourage you, no matter how hard it may be, to spend some time worshipping God with all of your heart. Get alone with, let Him know how much things hurt, but also thank Him for the wonderful plan that He has for you (even though you may not see it unfold for quite some time).

PS: Remember to pray for Haiti

NLT = New Living Translation
NASV = New American Standard Version
OT = Old Testament
K&D = Commentary by Keil and Delitzsch (from PC Bible Study)
JFB = Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown (from PC Bible Study)
Adam Clarke = Adam Clarke Commentary (from PC Bible Study)
Barnes = Barnes Notes (from PC Bible Study)
Vine = Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (from PC Bible Study)
Hartley = The New International Commentary on the Old Testament:
The Book of Job by John E. Hartley
Swindoll = Job, Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll
FIA = Tyndale OT Commentaries: Job by Francis I. Anderson
Eugene Peterson = Introduction to Job, "The Message"