The bible says: "One day angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "from roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." Job 1: 6 � 11.

Now in order to understand and appreciate the situation in its entirety we must take a look at the time period we are talking about. Israel was no longer a nation of its own and their lands were taken over by the Persians (would later become Islam). It was at a time when Jerusalem was judged by God as idolaters, prostitution, and breaking the rest of the laws of Moses on a daily basis. So God said no more! God sent the Persian Empire into to rule over Israel. And they all were enslaved. God was not happy with the nation of Israel. One man stood out from the rest of Israel. One man still lived by the laws of Moses. He was blessed with wealth, seven sons and three daughters, Seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels. The list goes on. Job loved his family, and loved God. He kept the commandments in his home alive. God was very much in love with Job. I want you to also look at the paragraph 4 � 5. It tells you how Job lived his life and was close to his family. "His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom." Job 1: 4 � 5. This paragraph tells you how committed Job is to those around him. A Hebrew burnt offering was a way for the Israelites to be forgiven for their sins. What would happen in this ceremony is the person who committed the sin would bring a female goat without any defects to the place where the burnt offering is to be made. He/she would then lay their hand on the goat's head and cut its throat with a knife. The high priest would dip his fingers in the goat's blood and wipe it on the altar of burnt offerings. The priest would pour the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar he then would cut off the fat of the animal, and burn it. Job would do this every morning for his children to save them from God's wrath. God loved Job so much that he would brag to all the angels about this man called Job. One day he walked up on Satan and told him about how great Job was. Satan used God's love for Job against him because Satan wanted to tempt Job into forsaking God. So Satan told God: "The only reason Job was so faithful was because he was spoiled into loving you. But what happens if you have to punish him? Would he still be faithful? Stretch out your hand against everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." Job 1: 11. The lord had love for Job, and knew Job was good enough to stand up to the challenge. So God took him up on the offer and said okay, everything he owns is in your hands, but he is not to be touched. Satan left. One day all the sudden, his servants and the servants of his children were killed by a group of men. His flock was stolen along with all of his livestock, and his sons and daughters were killed when a house collapsed on top of them. Job had felt the left hand of God. Job was decimated to say the least. But God knew Job would bounce back. And God was right. Job stripped off his garments and shaved his head. Then fell down in worship and said: "Naked I come from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord Gives and the Lord takes away; may the name of the Lord be praised." And Job did not curse God.

What can we learn from the first chapter of the book of Job? This world is a cruel world. It will spit you out at the will of God almighty. Nothing happens without the knowledge of God. Satan is capable of tempting the likeness of any man. God has faith in those who have faith in him. The tests-of-time is a rough and rugged journey, filled with ups and downs, trials and tribulations. How can one appreciate the good if he never felt despair? Job understood this in the first chapter. Instead of cursing God for the loss of everything he owns, Job praises God for letting his will be done. Job passes the first test. In the story of Job's first test, gives us insight into our own lives'. Through his life we are able to see the full scale on how rough life can be. Not only do we see discipline being used on the Hebrew race, but we are seeing what the faithful have to go through in order to truly be called faithful. A person might tell you that God is a cruel God, but life is a cruel life. To get out of it with your soul in tact requires a close relationship to God. Look around the world, what do you see? Babylon and all her wicked ways, invading and conquering the very essence of a Christian life. We hear about shoplifters, murderers, rapists, people who slaughter members of their own family, adulterers, idolaters, and every kind of evil wedging itself between us and the Lord. We are in the same predicament as Job was. Because of sin, how can God trust us? So what does he do? He causes turmoil to test you in life. While going through trials and tribulations will you cling to the Lord, who has done all things, and in whom all things are possible? Or will you back out and turn your back on him when the going gets tough? Look at the masses turn a deaf ear to the Lord. They blame him for every type of evil man is capable of. But God is not in the business of evil. The evil is us. The responsibilities are our own. Because we sin, we must be tested in our loyalty. So God creates waves to give us challenges. Sometimes those waves carry dramatic lessons in life, but we benefit from it in the long run. A thread of cloth can never see its own worth. But its beauty shines through the tapestry of the grand design. I stole that line from the Prince of Egypt. But the words hold just as true. Incidentally, if you ever get a chance to sit down with your kids and watch a movie, try that one. It's a great story. The author wasn't bad either. God understands your problems. He has compassion for your needs as well. Jesus said: "Come with me all who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. Matthew 11: 28 � 29. The book of Job teaches us that through our struggle in our lives God remains with us. Keep a faithful heart with the Lord. Trust in him to work through your life.

In the first chapter, Job never asked if God knew about what was happening to him. He knew that what happens on earth cannot happen without the will of God. Job said: "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, may the name of the Lord be praised." Job knew the consequences for choosing to live in fear of God. To make us strong God asks us to not look for the path of least resistance. The children of God must be strong enough to face the problems of the world and not fear the world, but fear God who created the earth, and who can destroy it. Who is it that makes men what they are? Who creates kings, and topples kingdoms? Who levels mountains and change the course of rivers? Are none of these done without the consent of God almighty? Do not be fooled in thinking that you can outwit Satan. Satan is capable of tempting even the most holy of souls. He comes with a silver tongue, but poisonous fangs. He tried to tempt Jesus. He tempted all the disciples and they left Jesus alone to face persecution and torture at the hands of the very people he came to free. Lucifer will lay a soul to waste if that soul is not protected by Jesus Christ. No one can reach God the father unless they go through Jesus. "All things have been committed to me by the father. No one knows the son except the father, and no one knows the father except the son and those to whom the son chooses to reveal him." Matthew 11:27. The book of Job also shows the great lengths Satan will go to prove that humans will eventually fail in our struggle for eternal life. He wants us dead. There is nothing that He won't do to cause our downfall and prove to God that he was right about the human race. The Devil has done everything from manipulating an angry mob to crucify the son of God, to tricking a woman into disobeying God by eating forbidden fruit. We are at the top of Satan's enemy list. The only way we are to survive his attack is to cling to God almighty. God is the only one who can stand up against Satan, and only trough Jesus will we be saved. We also learn that God has an enormous amount of faith in those who have faith in him. Many might say that what happened to Job was the work of a cruel God seeking self gratification in his own work. But the fact of the matter is that God showed trust in Job. God didn't know for sure if Job would pass, but he trusted him enough to let him try. If we can look at the problems in our lives in the same way, maybe we can learn to trust God more, so that he may trust us more. I met a guy in Junior High my eighth grade year. He was sitting in the cafeteria crying because he broke up with his girlfriend. He was upset because he loved her so much. I asked why he broke up with her if he felt this way, and he told me something that is a hard fact of life. He told me that he broke up with her because he loved her so much that he was putting her first in his life instead of God. Those words made my heart sink. I was never able to forget how it made me feel. It was one of the saddest things I have ever heard. At the same time it was also the greatest thing. I sure hope God talked some sense into him. Because if he was able to give her up in the first place because of how he felt about God, then there is no doubt in my mind that proves that God is still number one. Today if you are reading this and are not a Christian, the door is always open. Please come in, and come home. Amen.

Part 2 job Friends try to Comfort him,God speaks to Job