Job 1:16

_WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THE FIRE OF GOD IS FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, AND_ _ WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THE FIRE OF GOD IS FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, AND HATH BURNED UP THE SHEEP, AND THE SERVANTS, AND CONSUMED THEM; AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED ALONE TO TELL THEE._ Fire of God - Hebraism for a mighty fire; as cedars of God-lofty cedars. Umbreit understands it of the burning wind of Arabia, called by the Turks 'wind of poison.' But the burning wind would not be said to fall from heaven: therefore, it is likely by "the fire of God" is meant lightning (Exodus 9:23; Numbers 16:35; 1 Kings 18:38;...

13-19 Satan brought Job's troubles upon him on the day that his children began their course of feasting. The troubles all came upon Job at once; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking, another followed. His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; news is brought him that they are killed. They were taken away when he had most need of them to comfort him under other losses. In God only have we a help present at all times....

Verse Job 1:16. _THE FIRE OF GOD IS FALLEN_] Though _the fire of God_ may mean a _great_, a _tremendous_ fire, yet it is most natural to suppose _lightning_ is meant; for as _thunder_ was considered to be the _voice_ _of God_, so _lightning_ was the _fire of God_. And as the _prince of_ _the power of the air_ was permitted now to arm himself with this dreadful artillery of heaven, he might easily direct the zigzag lightning to every part of the fields where the sheep were feeding, and so destroy the whole in a moment....

WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING - All this indicates the rapidity of the movement of Satan, and his desire to “overwhelm” Job with the suddenness and greatness of his calamities. The. object seems to have been to give him no time to recover from the shock of one form of trial before another came upon him. If an interval had been given him he might have rallied his strength to bear his trials; but afflictions are much more difficult to be borne when they come in rapid succession. - It is not a very uncommon occurrence, however, that the righteous are tried by the rapidity and accumulation as well as the severity of their afflictions. It has passed into a proverb that “afflictions do not come alone.” THE FIRE OF GOD. - Margin, “A great fire;” evidently meaning a flash of lightning, or a thunderbolt. The Hebrew is “fire of God;” but it is probable that the phrase is used in a sense similar to the...

EXPOSITION The "Historical Introduction" to Job extends to two chapters. In the first we are given an account, firstly, of his outward circumstances—his abode, wealth, family, etc; and of his character (Job 1:1); secondly, of the circumstances under which God allowed him to be tried by afflictions (Job 1:6); thirdly, of the earlier afflictions themselves (Job 1:13); and, fourthly, of his behaviour under them (Job 1:20-18). The second chapter gives, firstly, the ground of his further trial (Job 2:1); secondly, the nature of it, and his behaviour under it ...

WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER,.... Another messenger, one of Job's servants, from another part of his fields where his sheep were grazing, and was one of those that kept them; he came with another piece of bad news, even before the other had finished his whole account; and the same is observed of all the other messengers that follow: so Satan ordered it, that all Job's afflictions should come upon him at once, and the news of them be brought him as thick and as fast as they could, to surprise him the more into some rash expressions against God; that he might have no intermission, no breathing time; no time for prayer to God to support him under the affliction, and sanctify it unto him; no time for meditation upon, or recollection of, past experiences of divine goodness, or of promises that might have been useful to him; but they came one upon the back of another, to...

Job 1:1. _There was a man in the land of Uz,_ Job was a man indeed; a true man, a man of the highest type, for he was a man of God. Job 1:1. _Whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright,--_ Job was thoroughly true and sincere, and in this sense he «was perfect and upright,»- Job 1:1. _And one that feared God, and eschewed evil._ He had both sides of a godly character, a love of God and a hatred of sin. Job 1:2. _And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters._ Job was highly favoured in having such a family of sons and daughters....

II. THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN JEHOVAH AND SATAN AND THE RESULTS CHAPTER 1:6-22 _ 1. A scene in heaven, Jehovah's challenge and Satan's, accusation (Job 1:6)_ 2. Satan's power manifested (Job 1:13) 3. Job's great grief and great victory (Job 1:20) Job 1:6. Suddenly the scene changeth. We are no longer on earth but heaven is opened and we read what is going on before the throne of God. While Job on earth with his loved ones is enjoying himself something takes place in heaven in which he is prominently concerned and yet he is ignorant of all. The whole scene is intensely interesting. It is not fiction but revelation, and what is h

JOB'S MISFORTUNE. The activity of the Satan is depicted, though he himself remains invisible. Between Job 1:12 and Job 1:13 there is an interval, an ominous silence like that which precedes the storm. The poet has drawn aside the curtain to us, and we know what is impending. Job knows nothing. he does not know that he is being played for like a pawn. Suddenly the catastrophe overtakes him. Messenger after messenger, each taking up his tale of ruin before the other has concluded his, announces that all has been taken from him (Davidson). The ideal character of the narrative should be observed. The catastrophe takes place on the day when the feast was in the eldest brother's house, _i.e._ the very day on which Job had just purified his children by sacrifice. Heaven and men alternate their strokes, which follow with ever-i

WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING. Repeated three times to show the rapidity and vehemence of Satan's assault. THE FIRE OF GOD. A fire of Elohim. Figure of speech _Enallage_ (App-6). a great (or terrible) fire. Elohim used as an adjective. Compare Song of Solomon 8:6; Psalms 80:10....