Job 1:18–19

But the most crushing blow of all followed at once. While this man was speaking, another came to Job with news. His sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother's house. A great wind — perhaps a tornado — struck the house, destroyed it completely, and killed all ten of Job's children (vv.18-19). The messenger said he alone had escaped to bring the report to Job. He may have been one of the servants of Job's son. But Satan let these four messengers stay alive so that the news would reach Job fast, blow upon blow. Satan planned it all to crush Job completely, so that he would curse God.

Satan is nowhere to be seen; yet his hand was in everything. These were events on earth, carried out by ordinary means. They fell one after another with great speed, and that speed was no small part of the trial. A long gap between the blows would not have served the enemy's purpose. The enemy arranged it with great skill, so that these disasters would look like judgments sent from God — judgments that spared nothing — and yet they came by outward, earthly means… "I alone have escaped": each man survived just long enough to tell the grim news, and as the only survivor he made the pain of it sharper… The damage was complete; yet Job felt, as we too should, that all was under the eye of God. Never let us forget Him. Satan's hand was hidden under these painful blows, but God's hand was above Satan. What a sure and great comfort!

We also learn that, when God allows it, Satan can control fire, wind and the actions of people to carry out his evil plans. With Job, fire came down from heaven. A great wind struck the house where his sons and daughters were feasting. Job himself was struck with boils. The Sabeans and Chaldeans played their part in stripping him bare on that terrible day.

Job's sons and daughters are eating and drinking wine, like the world today. They little think of the sudden destruction waiting for them. The oxen were ploughing, and the donkeys feeding beside them — everything going on as usual. Happy-looking world! You would think there was no tempting devil in you. How quickly and how well Satan did his work!

While Job prospered, he was rejoicing not in the Lord but in his prosperity. He was living in his circumstances. He kept saying to himself, Ah, there are those precious things — my sons and daughters, my camels — and one day I may lose them. He said, "For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes." His mind was filled with circumstances, and not with the God of circumstances.

So the blows fall one after another, with no chance to recover in between. They come with terrible suddenness, while all is prosperity, happiness and godliness. They could not be undone; they piled up; they left him stunned. In one short hour Job loses everything. Satan had indeed done his work well, under the permission of an all-wise God.

So we find it from all quarters, and then the weightiest of all — the destruction not merely of property but of everything he had, taken quite literally. Did he not have sons? Did he not have daughters? All was swept away, and swept away in a way that was especially distressing to the heart. Was not God above? Does not God take an interest in everything?

So we see that not only men's desires and passions were in Satan's hand, but the elements too — as far as God allowed. One after another the herds, the flocks, the camels and the children perished. The loss was felt all the more sharply because it did not come in one moment. There was just enough time to hear of each loss on its own. On the surface neither God nor the enemy appeared. There were only Sabeans, Chaldeans, fire of God from heaven, and a whirlwind from beyond the wilderness.

They were earthly events, carried out by ordinary means, and they fell with extraordinary speed — and that speed was no small part of the trial. A long gap between the blows would not have served the enemy's purpose. He arranged it with great skill, so that these disasters would look like judgments sent by God, judgments that spared nothing, and yet came by earthly means.

While this man was speaking, another came to tell Job that a great wind (perhaps a tornado) struck the house where his sons and daughters were feasting, killing all ten of his children. The messenger said he alone had escaped to bring the report. But Satan allowed these four messengers to remain alive so that Job would receive the news quickly, blow upon blow. Satan designed these things to devastate Job completely, so that he would curse God.

So God hands Job over to Satan. Everything he has lies open to that enemy's malice: "Only against him do not stretch out your hand." Not a hair of the child of God can fall without His permission. Satan is only an instrument, carrying out God's will without meaning to; he can do no more than he is allowed to do. How good it is to remember this! If trials come against us like an army, we know that the Almighty stands between us and them. They will only work out His own purposes of love for us.

There were the agents of his sorrows, quite open to public view — the Sabeans, the Chaldeans, the fire, the whirlwind. But behind these lay the sinister power of Satan, thrusting hard at him. Again, behind even this lay the chastening hand of God. Job's faith and patience showed in this: he did not look at the third cause, or even at the second. He looked straight through to God, and accepted it all from His hand. It is exactly the same for us today. When trouble sweeps in on us, looking at second or third causes distracts us completely and often provokes us. If we bow under the hand of God we are greatly blessed.

Once Satan brought the wind around the house of Job's sons and daughters as they feasted together, and all perished when it collapsed. Today he would bring the wind of his opposition around our souls, and we need constant watchfulness.