Job is introduced as one who exemplifies the highest moral standing possible for humans. His possessions and standing made him famous, easily the most blessed of men in the land. At every feast and festival, Job would ritually atone for possible accidental sins of his children. In other words, he wasn’t satisfied with his own purity, but intervened with God on behalf of his entire household. It’s hard to image anyone more concerned with pleasing his God.
The term “sons of God” is simply a word picture of spiritual beings — angels. In the Ancient Near Eastern way of thinking, Satan was God’s jailer. This is a very highly privileged position, rather like a prince not in the line of succession. The moral implication is people who disappoint the ruler will be consigned to the jailer’s domain. Wishing to make the most of an unpleasant job, Satan accuses anyone who might fail to obey the royal decrees. Thus, Satan is also chief prosecutor, seeking to enlarge his share of the domain. It’s only natural he would be patrolling the earth rather like a policeman of souls.
Then surely Satan had encountered Job? He was untouchable for Satan, someone who makes his Master boast. Satan indicates Job is hardly so pure of heart. He’s only faithful because God pays off like a slot-machine for which Job can only hit jackpots. God said he had enough confidence in Job to let him be tested in terms of property.
All in one day, the messengers came in sequence, each with horrific news. The Sabeans (today’s Yemenites) raided and took all his plowing oxen and killed the servants. The next said lightening fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and shepherds. Chaldeans from Mesopotamia raided his camel herds and took them all, killing the servants. Then a windstorm struck the house of the eldest son where Job’s adult children were feasting, killing them all when the structure collapsed.
Job was the model of moral composure. He assumed the normal ritual posture and declared the truth, that anything he had was a gift from God in the first place. God can take it all back when He likes and it changes nothing. The Lord’s name was still sacred to him.
One argument might be a person would be well served by not being conspicuously righteous to the point of drawing attention to himself. Becoming the focus of a wager between two powers of that size, neither of whom has the best interest of the experimental rat at heart, mightn’t be an ambition for the average person to aspire to.
Well, the story indicates God does have Job’s back in the long run. Might not look like it to most folks, but that’s part of the point of the story.