Job 1:17
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
The Chaldeans fell upon Job's camels, carried them away, slew the servants with the sword, and left one alone escaped to tell him. It was one of swift successive blows in which his flocks and herds, servants, houses and children were swept away in a moment, Satan venting anger and violence through human agents only as God permitted and did not prevent it. The stripping of all he possessed shows that earthly wealth can be taken away, and that it is God who hedges His creatures from the destroyer, while Satan has control only over those God does not especially guard. The calamity was no proof that Job had lived a sinful and perverted life, though his friends charged that he deserved punishment and thereby placed God in a false light. Amid loss, bodily affliction, and reproach from those close to him, Job maintained his virtue, integrity, faith and loyalty and rested in God in the darkest hour, and as one of God's appointed witnesses his steadfastness bears witness to the faithfulness of God's promises and His abiding presence and sustaining grace.
The Chaldean Raid Described
The Chaldeans fell upon the camels, carried them away, slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and left one servant escaped alone to tell the tidings. That stroke came as one of swift, successive blows in which flocks and herds, menservants and maidservants, houses, sons and daughters, and children were swept away. One trouble followed another in a moment, messenger crowding upon messenger while he was yet speaking.
The attack was Satan expressing his anger and violence against Job through human agents and the plotting of wicked men. He swept away what Job owned only as he was allowed, only as God permitted him and did not prevent him. By that permitted affliction Job was tested. The calamity struck his household and broke his family ties, smiting the father in order to destroy the children.
What the Loss Reveals
The Chaldean seizure of the camels and slaying of the servants stripped Job of all he possessed, depriving him of worldly possessions and earthly wealth and showing that temporal possessions can be taken away. It is God who shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer, and Satan has control only over those whom God does not especially guard. When God withdraws His blessings and removes His protecting care from those rebelling against His law and showing contempt for it, trouble breaks through and Satan can bring affliction upon them.
Satan has studied the secrets of nature, even the laboratories of nature, and uses all his power to control the elements and human agents as far as God allows. He works as a destroyer to gather unprepared souls while appearing as a benefactor, favoring and prospering some to further his designs and bringing trouble on others to lead men to believe that God is afflicting them. The same work reaches to the last days, when he will incite war to excite the base passions and sweep victims into eternity. He will then bring disease and disaster by accidents, conflagrations, tornadoes, hailstorms, tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, earthquakes, ruined harvests, famine and pestilence until populous cities are ruined, to divert minds from preparation to stand in the day of God.
The loss was not proof that Job had lived a sinful or perverted life or followed a sinful course. Though his friends charged that he deserved punishment for sin, brought a grievous test upon him, and placed God in a false light, Job denied the charge. Amid loss, severe suffering, bodily affliction, and rejection and reproach from relatives, friends, and those close to him that made him appear forsaken and abhorred, he maintained his virtue, integrity, faith and loyalty and rested in God in the darkest hour. God had not abandoned him, but causes such devices of wicked men to work for good to those who maintain faith and loyalty, and He later showed him greater favor and rewarded His faithful servant. As one of God's appointed witnesses exposed to reproach and persecution for the truth's sake, Job's steadfastness bears witness to the faithfulness of God's promises, His abiding presence and sustaining grace, and to the power of faith to withstand the powers of the world.