At issue was God’s rule versus Satan’s, an issue that was very much alive in the days of Job. This faithful man proved by his conduct that he preferred God’s righteous rule to satanic independence, as such God-fearing men as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph had already done. Job became the subject of a conversation that took place in heaven in front of the faithful angels of God. In support of His righteous rule, God said to Satan: “Have you set your heart upon my servant Job, that there is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad?”​—Job 1:6-8.

Refusing to admit defeat, Satan claimed that Job served God only for selfish reasons, since God had richly blessed Job with material prosperity. So Satan charged: “For a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch everything he has and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.” (Job 1:11) Satan even went further, calling into question the integrity of all of God’s creatures. “Everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul,” he charged. (Job 2:4) This slanderous attack involved not only Job but all of God’s faithful worshipers in heaven and on earth. Satan implied that they would give up their relationship with Jehovah if their lives were at stake.

Jehovah God had full confidence in Job’s integrity. Giving evidence of that, he permitted Satan to bring human suffering upon Job. By his faithfulness Job not only cleared his own name but, more important, upheld the righteousness of Jehovah’s sovereignty. The Devil was proved to be a liar.​—Job 2:10; 42:7.

The rewards for loving God and being faithful to him far outweigh the temporary period of suffering at the Devil’s hand. The case of Job illustrates this. Jehovah God healed Job from the sickness that the Devil had brought upon him. Furthermore, God “blessed the end of Job afterward more than his beginning.” Finally, after a 140-year extension of life, “Job died, old and satisfied with days.”​—Job 42:10-17.

The Christian Bible writer James calls attention to this, saying: “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and compassionate.”​—James 5:11, footnote.