Job 1:14

Letters to the Faithful - Job 1:14

Berean Standard Bible

a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,

King James Bible

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

Hebrew Text:

וּמַלְאָ֛ךְ בָּ֥א אֶל־אִיֹּ֖וב וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַבָּקָר֙ הָי֣וּ חֹֽרְשֹׁ֔ות וְהָאֲתֹנֹ֖ות רֹעֹ֥ות עַל־יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

Transliteration:

Umal'akh ba el-Iyyov vayomer: habakar hayu chorshot veha'atonot ro'ot al-yedeihem

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a messenger came and reported to Job:

In the ancient Near Eastern context, messengers were often used to convey urgent news, as there were no modern means of communication. This reflects the immediacy and personal nature of the message. The role of a messenger is significant throughout the Bible, often symbolizing the delivery of divine or critical information, as seen with angels in other parts of Scripture (e.g., Gabriel in Luke 1:26-38).

“While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,

Oxen were essential for agricultural work in the ancient world, symbolizing strength and productivity. Plowing indicates a time of preparation and expectation for a harvest, which is a recurring biblical theme (e.g., Hosea 10:12). Donkeys, known for their endurance, were valuable assets for transportation and labor. The mention of these animals highlights Job's wealth and the normalcy of his life before calamity struck. This setting underscores the suddenness of the disaster, as it occurs during routine, peaceful activities. The proximity of the animals suggests a well-organized and prosperous estate, reflecting Job's status as a "greatest man among all the people of the East" (Job 1:3).

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A messenger came to Job, bearing tidings of calamity: the oxen plowed, the donkeys grazed, yet Sabean raiders swept them away, slaying the servants with the sword's edge. In this moment, the tempests of trial descend upon the righteous, unveiling the mystery of suffering under heaven's watchful gaze, where faith is tested and God's purpose veiled yet steadfast.

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To all who are called by the grace of God and sanctified in Christ Jesus, to the brethren scattered abroad and to the Church universal, grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns above all principalities and powers.

I write unto you, beloved, as a servant of the Most High and a witness to the faith that endures through trial. Let not your hearts be dismayed in these days of uncertainty, nor let your faith be shaken when calamity draws near. For we serve the same God who upheld His servant Job, a man blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil, and who stood as a monument of endurance and reverence in the face of incomprehensible suffering.

Consider, brethren, the verse which records the first blow of adversity that came upon him: “And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them…” In these words we see the calm before the storm, a picture of peace and prosperity interrupted by a sudden report of loss. What was steady and fruitful—the plowing of oxen and the feeding of livestock—was soon overturned by destruction and sorrow. The work of the righteous man's hands was not spared the weight of affliction.

Take heed, then, that prosperity is not proof against trial, and righteousness is not a shield against testing. For though Job was upright in all his ways, the Lord permitted that he be tried, not for condemnation but for the revelation of a faith that the accuser could not corrupt. His substance was great, his household blessed, yet all was shaken in a moment, and messengers of calamity came one after another without pause. Even the beasts that toiled peacefully beside one another—oxen and asses—became symbols of what can be lost when the hedge is lowered for a season.

And what shall we say of this? Is the Lord unjust in His dealings? Shall we judge His wisdom by our comfort, or measure His faithfulness by the absence of pain? God forbid. For the Lord is not the author of evil, though He may permit its blow for a purpose higher than we can perceive. He refines His servants in the fire, and the gold of true faith is revealed only when it is tested.

Therefore, brethren, let us not despise the day when the messenger comes. Whether it is news of loss, sorrow, betrayal, or hardship, let us remember that nothing befalls the child of God without passing first through the counsel of heaven. The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding, and yet the enemy was already drawing near. But the Lord had spoken concerning His servant: “Have you considered My servant Job?” And in the courts above, his faith was already bearing witness.

So too are your lives, O saints of God, under divine observation. Your worship, your labor, your suffering—it is not unseen. The adversary may accuse, but the Lord upholds. The trials of this present age are not punishments, but preparations. They are not the signs of God’s displeasure, but the pathway to a deeper unveiling of His glory in you.

Let the Church, then, not lose heart when affliction comes in waves. When the messengers arrive bearing hard news, let us answer as Job: “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Let us remember that our Redeemer lives, even when the ground beneath us trembles. Let our praise rise not only in times of plenty, but in the season of loss, for this is the true mark of those who know their God.

And you who minister to the hurting—be as faithful messengers, but bear also the word of hope. For though the oxen be lost, and the fire consume, and the wind scatter—still the Lord restores. He is the God who gives twice as much in the end as was taken in the beginning. He heals, He redeems, and He vindicates those who trust in Him.

Let us, therefore, fix our eyes not on the fleeting peace of worldly prosperity, but on the eternal promise of our God. Let us strengthen one another with these words. Let us comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weary, and pray without ceasing. For we know that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

And may the Lord Himself, who sustained Job through every message of despair, sustain you in every season. May your faith be found genuine. May your hope remain firm. And may your testimony be as his, that in all these things, you did not charge God foolishly, but worshiped Him who is worthy in every season.

Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy—to the only wise God, be honor and dominion, both now and forever.

Amen.

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O Lord God Most High, who sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, whose dominion is eternal and whose ways are unsearchable, we come before You this day with hearts bowed low, lifting our eyes to the heavens from whence comes our help. For You are our refuge in times of affliction, our strength in days of adversity, and our song even in the night of trial.

You are He who declares the end from the beginning, who weighs the hearts of men in the balance, and who allows no testing except that which is sanctified for Your greater glory and our refining. You are the God of Job, righteous in all Your judgments, wise in all Your works, and faithful in every generation.

O Lord, we consider Your servant Job, and the word which came to him in the calm of his prosperity: “There came a messenger unto Job…” In that moment, while the oxen plowed and the asses fed beside them—while the work of the hands prospered and the blessings of Your provision abounded—the report of loss came swiftly. Without warning, peace was interrupted, and the hedge of protection was tested.

So too, O Lord, we acknowledge that life under the sun is fragile. Our labors, our possessions, our stability—all are held in Your sovereign hand. We confess that we are often slow to remember this truth in times of peace, and unready in heart when the messengers of trial arrive. But You, O Lord, are never surprised. You see the end from the beginning, and You uphold those who trust in You.

Therefore, we lift this prayer unto You, asking for the grace to endure. Teach us, O Lord, to worship not only in plenty, but also in loss; to bless Your name not only when the oxen plow and the asses feed, but also when the fire falls and the storm strikes. Let our faith not rest in our circumstances, but in Your unchanging character.

When the messengers of affliction come to our door, may we not faint. When we receive news that shatters our expectations, may we not murmur against You. Let us, like Job, fall down and worship, declaring that You alone are God. May we say with reverent lips: “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Grant us hearts that are trained in righteousness, that we may not be undone when the trials of this life visit us. Give us the faith to trust that You are working, even in silence. Strengthen us in the inner man, that our faith may be proven genuine, more precious than gold tested by fire.

O Lord, for those among Your people who are enduring calamity now—who have heard the messengers of loss, who have been touched by sorrow, who have tasted affliction in body or spirit—comfort them with Your presence. Let them know that You are near to the brokenhearted. Uphold them as You upheld Job. Let their tears be turned to testimony, and their pain to praise.

Teach us, Lord, to measure our lives not by gain or loss, but by obedience. Let our joy not rest in what we possess, but in whom we belong to. May we, whether in abundance or in affliction, be found faithful in Your sight.

And when Satan accuses, as he did in the heavenly courts concerning Job, let our lives answer his charge. Let our steadfastness bring honor to Your name. Let Your angels look on and rejoice that faith endures, that grace prevails, and that Your power is made perfect in weakness.

O God of patience and consolation, give us hope in the storm. Let us remember that You restore the broken, that You reward the steadfast, and that You bring beauty from ashes. May the latter days of Your servants be more blessed than the former, not because of riches or increase, but because of deeper fellowship with You.

Now unto You, who allows no trial without purpose, who turns our mourning into dancing, who crowns the tested with glory—be all worship and dominion, now and forever. Keep us, Lord, until the day of Christ, and let our lives be a living offering, holy and acceptable in Your sight.

In the name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, the Sufferer, the Redeemer, and the Restorer, we pray.

Amen.