Job - Is it Raining at Your House?

Job 1:12-22 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Have you ever heard the phrase "when it rains it pours"? I often hear myself say it when there is sickness in my family. We'll go along for a nice stretch of everyone being healthy and doing school on time and then one of the kids will get a sore throat and the next thing you know - all the kids have it - when it rains it pours. It's hard enough to deal with it when it's only one child - but when it's four, it's just plain exhausting.

God has said the words that Satan wanted to hear, and off he goes to the land of Job. Job was minding his own business. It absolutely blows my mind to read these verses and think of Job simply sitting in his house taking it all in. First - the Sabeans attack and take all his plowing animals and field hands. This had to be a blow to Job. That was part of his income, and all those people that worked for him - how sad, how would he deal with the families of his workers. But, before he has time to think about this, another man shows up to tell him all his sheep and shepherds have been killed. A meteor fell from the sky (Dorothy interpretation) and killed them all with fire. That's almost unbelievable. I think Job would've been looking for Allen Funt and his hidden camera at this point. Job didn't have time to look though because another man had just come into his house to tell him that the Chaldeans came and took all his camels and servants. I think that about covers all of his income. Bankruptcy had to be imminent. No time to dwell on that though, because a tornado came (again Dorothy interpretation) and killed all of his partying children. Still, Job in all his grief, praised God.

I know I've mentioned this before, but I must say it again. It's not God's fault when something bad happens. Every bad event that just occurred before Job was instigated, laid out and followed through by Satan. Don't think for one minute that abortion, murder, rape, theft, adultery, alcoholism, starvation, cancer have ever come from God. Satan is at the forefront of all evil. Can God overcome this evil? Absolutely! Is it possible that God may not intervene in the situation? Yes. Will it all work out for God's people in the end anyway? Without a doubt.

In this horrific situation that Job is going through - caused solely by the devil - would it have been easy for him to blame God? Sure. God is always a good fall-guy. But here, in the book of Job - make no mistake - scripture reveals it - Satan is at the steering wheel and the problems start when he arrives. Cling to God, rest on His promise, hold fast to His truth and know there is hope.