7. As revealed at Job 1:8-11, how did Jehovah and Satan feel about Job’s integrity?

⁷ Job lived in the days when the Israelites were in Egypt. His integrity was unique. Like us, the man was imperfect. He made mistakes. However, Jehovah loved Job for his integrity. It seems likely that Satan had already taunted Jehovah about human integrity. So Jehovah called Satan’s attention to Job. That man’s life course exposed Satan as a liar! Satan demanded that Job’s integrity be put to the test. Jehovah trusted his friend Job, and He allowed Satan to test him.​—Read Job 1:8-11.

8. How did Satan attack Job?

⁸ Satan is cruel, and he is a murderer. He attacked Job’s belongings, robbing him of his wealth, his servants, and his reputation in the community. He attacked Job’s family, robbing him of his ten beloved children. Then he attacked Job’s body, robbing him of his health by afflicting him with painful boils that covered him from head to foot. Job’s wife was distraught and overwhelmed with grief; she urged him to give up, to curse God and die. Job himself wished for death, but still he kept his integrity. Then Satan tried a different method of attack. He used three men who were companions of Job. The men visited Job for days, but they offered no comfort. Instead they heartlessly lectured and scolded him. They claimed that God was behind his troubles and cared nothing about his integrity. They even suggested that Job was a wicked man who deserved the terrible things that were happening to him!​—Job 1:13-22; 2:7-11; 15:4, 5; 22:3-6; 25:4-6.

9. In the face of his trials, what did Job refuse to do?

⁹ How did Job handle all that adversity? He was not perfect. He angrily rebuked his false comforters, and he uttered what he admitted was wild talk. He defended his own righteousness more than he did God’s. (Job 6:3; 13:4, 5; 32:2; 34:5) However, even in his worst moments, Job refused to turn against Jehovah God. He refused to believe the lies of those false friends. He said: “It is unthinkable for me to declare you men righteous! Until I die, I will not renounce my integrity!” (Job 27:5) That is a statement of vital importance. Job refused to give in; we can do the same.

HOW WE CAN KEEP OUR INTEGRITY AT THIS TIME

11. What can we learn from Job?

¹¹ Satan has intensified his attacks in these troubled “last days.” (2 Tim. 3:1) In such dark times, how can we strengthen ourselves to maintain our integrity? Again, we can learn a lot from Job. Long before his tests arose, Job had already built up a record of integrity. Consider three lessons we can learn from him about strengthening ourselves to keep our integrity.

12. (a) As mentioned at Job 26:7, 8, 14, how did Job develop awe and respect for Jehovah? (b) How might we fill our heart with awe for God?

¹² Job strengthened his love for God by developing awe for Jehovah. Job spent time contemplating the marvels of Jehovah’s creation. (Read Job 26:7, 8, 14.) He was awestruck when he thought about the earth, the sky, the clouds, and the thunder, yet he recognized that he knew very little about the vastness of creation. He also felt awe for Jehovah’s expressions. “I have treasured up his sayings,” Job said of God’s words. (Job 23:12) Job’s awe and respect for Jehovah moved him. He loved his Father and wanted to please him. Job’s determination to keep his integrity thus grew stronger. We need to do as Job did. We know far more about the marvels of creation than did people of Job’s time. And we have the entire inspired Bible to help us to know Jehovah as he really is. All that we learn can help to fill our heart with awe. Our awe and respect for Jehovah will, in turn, move us to love and obey him and to build up our deep desire to keep our integrity.​—Job 28:28.

13-14. (a) As noted at Job 31:1, how did Job prove to be obedient? (b) How might we follow Job’s example?

¹³ Job strengthened himself to keep his integrity through acts of obedience. Job knew that integrity calls for obedience. In fact, each act of obedience strengthens our determination to keep our integrity. Job worked hard to obey God in his daily life. For example, he was careful about his behavior with those of the opposite sex. (Read Job 31:1.) As a married man, he knew that it was improper to pay romantic attention to any woman other than his wife. Today, we live in a world that bombards us with sexual temptation. Like Job, will we refuse to pay improper attention to anyone to whom we are not married? Will we also refuse to look at lewd or pornographic images in any form? (Matt. 5:28) If we exert such self-control daily, we will strengthen ourselves to keep our integrity.

¹⁴ Job also obeyed Jehovah in the way he viewed material things. Job saw that if he put his trust in his possessions, he would commit a grave error deserving of punishment. (Job 31:24, 25, 28) Today, we live in a very materialistic world. If we develop a balanced view of money and possessions, as the Bible admonishes us to do, we will strengthen our determination to keep our integrity.​—Prov. 30:8, 9; Matt. 6:19-21.

15. (a) The prospect of what reward helped Job keep his integrity? (b) Why might it help us to keep in mind the hope that Jehovah offers?

¹⁵ Job kept his integrity by focusing on the hope that God would reward him. He believed that God did care about his integrity. (Job 31:6) Despite his trials, Job was confident that Jehovah would finally reward him. This confidence surely helped him cling to his integrity. Jehovah was so delighted with Job’s integrity that He rewarded him richly while he was still an imperfect man! (Job 42:12-17; Jas. 5:11) And even greater rewards lie ahead for Job. Do you have strong hope that Jehovah will reward your integrity? Our God has not changed. (Mal. 3:6) If we remember that he values our integrity, we can keep our hope for a bright future alive in our heart.​—1 Thess. 5:8, 9.