The Big Dare...

The prologue or introduction to the book of Job tells us , the readers, the back ground of God's challenge and Job's suffering.

Scene 1 invites us behind the curtain to the universe ruling throne of God.
Angelic beings are delivering reports on their activites.

Satan is among them. The evil one has been roaming the earth, surveying his domain..
( verses 6-7; 1 John 5:19 , Revelations 12:9 )

Job's trouble begin because God presents him to Satan the devil as a paragon of virtue. "

Have you considered my servant Job ? " God asks Satan. "
There is no one on earth like him ; he is blameless and upright , a man who fears God
and shuns evil " ( Job 1:8 )

Yet shortly God will allow Satan to afflict Job. Obviously ,
God is not punishing Job for sin. " God himself says Job is " blameless and upright ".

Job suffers because he is the best of men, not because he is the worst.
Satan rejects God's view of Job's pious charactor.
He insinuates Job has an alternative motive , a cynical reason for obeying and trusting God
( verses 9-22 )

Does Job fear God for nothing ? " Satan askes..
Satan implys Job is out for what he can get from God.
Job is only a fair-weather friend, Satan insists.

" Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything him and his household has ? " Satan argues.
" You have blessed the work of his hands , so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. "