Tues.’s Devo - The Sons of God

Read: Job 1-4
I refer back to this first chapter in Job so many times. It is a mystery to me. Job, whose name means “hated; persecuted” lived in the land of Uz which means “counsel”. Job was loved, respected and blessed until God offered him in a heavenly contest he was totally unaware of. That was part of the test. Job passed it with flying colors in spite of his wife and friends and common sense. Faith defies everything that is natural.
God had a meeting with his hosts of heaven that he called his sons. The word used for son is “ben” which is the same Hebrew word used for Job’s natural sons. I always think of God having only one son, Jesus, but he had many. Jesus was the only “begotten” son who was exalted to sit on God’s right hand. “Sons of God” can be both angelic or demonic (Gen. 6). In Job, Satan comes with the sons of God. I believe he was a son like Cain, Absalom and Esau who rebelled and wanted the place of honor that was not appointed to be theirs. This story also shows us that Satan had access to the throne of God but is under God’s authority and restraint. God took down his hedge of protection from Job and gave Satan the power to vex Job but not kill him. Satan is merciless and took everything Job had except his wife and three hopeless friends. They were part of his strategy.
Job’s friends sat with him for a week and didn’t say a thing. They should have remained silent. Job was the first to break the silence. He cursed the day he was born. He informs us that the dead are in prison, resting together. He talks about death having light and life and gladness. Interesting insight.
Eliphaz is the oldest and the first to speak. He has been rehearsing his opinion for a week and is ready to fire his arsenal. He agrees with the general thought of the day: if you do good, then you will be blessed; if you don’t then evil and calamity will come to you. Since Job has had unprecedented calamity, he concludes that it must be his pride. He claims to have had a vision where God asked him, “Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? He is referring to Job in a passive way.
Lord, help us to see the subtle tricks of the enemy. Give us discernment to know your voice. Thank you that we are one of your sons.