Daily Devotion

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” (Job 1:1)

The book of Job is one the oldest books in the Bible. Job lived during the time period of the book of Genesis; Job was a contemporary of Abraham. Job suffered so many difficult trials and God saw him through all of them and his end was better than his beginning. The theme of the book of Job is, “Why do the righteous or godly suffer?

Job was a man of faith who was targeted by Satan. God allowed these great trials and losses to build his faith and help him recognize his weaknesses and also God’s greatness and sovereignty. James 5:11-12 says, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

Job’s character was outstanding. He was blameless and upright, he feared God and shunned evil. He was such a godly man that God bragged about him to Satan. God included him, along with Noah and Daniel in his big three. When He was about to punish Israel for their sin and send them into captivity, He said in Ezekiel 14:14, ‘“ Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,’ says the Lord God.”

• – Being blameless does not mean sinless. It has to do with a person’s outward life. There is nothing one can point to or find fault. He was still a sinner with a sinful nature like all of us. Psalm 119:80 says, “Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, that I may not be ashamed.” The early Christians were blameless before God and men, yet Nero blamed them for the problems of Rome and put them to death in huge numbers.

He was blameless

• – This means he was righteous, he was right with God, and he did was was right in God’s sight. In the Scriptures, especially the OT, believers are called the upright or the righteous. They obeyed and followed the Word of God, walking in His ways. Psalm 32:11 says, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”

He was upright

• – This means he reverenced God, honored, and pleased Him. The attitude of heart guided the actions of his life. The term, “the fear of the Lord,” is found throughout the Bible. When we fear God, we live lives as if the Lord was right there with us, which He is. It says in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

He feared God