You might be wondering if I'm on drugs or drunk to say something as potentially preposterous as this. However, I made an interesting observation.
In the Book of Job in the Old Testament, God was visited by Satan himself. God strikes a conversation with Satan, asking him to reflect and look at His (God's) servant Job. Satan said that Job would curse the Lord's name if Job had everything taken away.
Job 1: 8-11 (ESV)
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
Satan is making a pretty strong statement and assumption, playing on human nature. This is the same guy that made evil exist in the world today. But getting back to the topic at hand, God replied to Satan.
Job 1:12
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
God allowed Satan to test Job to prove himself wrong, that Job is a man of faith. Here's what happened.
Job 1:13-22
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,“The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
God has indeed proved Satan wrong but there is something else I noticed. Maybe this is something we may miss. Earlier, God had said to Satan "Behold, all that he has is in your hand," but after that He said, "Only against him do not stretch out your hand."
...and that is what Satan did. He took everything but he did not touch Job. The same guy that tempted Adam and Eve and helped create evil in the world could've disobeyed God's command to him and harmed Job. What's amazing is that he DIDN'T.
Going further into the book of Job is another example.
Job 2: 3-7
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."
So Satan wanted to go further with Job and challenges God that if Job starts to get sick, then Job will curse God. God allowed Satan to prove himself wrong again, but God specifically said to Satan "spare his life."
Did Satan spare Job's life?
The book of Job is 42 chapters long, these two excerpts are from the first two chapters, and he does live, and talks.
So Satan, again, the prince of darkness, could have just killed Job...but he DIDN'T.
What does this say about God's power, especially over Satan? What does this say about Satan, especially?
It's that God powers over Satan, and even Satan listens to God's command.
If you are a child of God that praises His name, even Satan cannot destroy you. As a child of God, He protects and commands evil away from you. If you have faith, as Jesus says, as small as a mustard seed, then you can tell a mountain to jump and it will jump (Matthew 17:20). If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, then could you even command evil to be defeated?
Faith in God is indeed the most amazing thing. Becoming a part of His family has great rewards and gifts for you. Will you make the choice to have faith and power to command away evil?
I think we read book of Job and wonder why does bad thing happen to good people, while there is something else amazing.
Note: All Bible verses are courtesy of www.biblegateway.com and are in English Standard Version (ESV).
In the Book of Job in the Old Testament, God was visited by Satan himself. God strikes a conversation with Satan, asking him to reflect and look at His (God's) servant Job. Satan said that Job would curse the Lord's name if Job had everything taken away.
Job 1: 8-11 (ESV)
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
Satan is making a pretty strong statement and assumption, playing on human nature. This is the same guy that made evil exist in the world today. But getting back to the topic at hand, God replied to Satan.
Job 1:12
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
God allowed Satan to test Job to prove himself wrong, that Job is a man of faith. Here's what happened.
Job 1:13-22
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,“The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
God has indeed proved Satan wrong but there is something else I noticed. Maybe this is something we may miss. Earlier, God had said to Satan "Behold, all that he has is in your hand," but after that He said, "Only against him do not stretch out your hand."
...and that is what Satan did. He took everything but he did not touch Job. The same guy that tempted Adam and Eve and helped create evil in the world could've disobeyed God's command to him and harmed Job. What's amazing is that he DIDN'T.
Going further into the book of Job is another example.
Job 2: 3-7
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."
So Satan wanted to go further with Job and challenges God that if Job starts to get sick, then Job will curse God. God allowed Satan to prove himself wrong again, but God specifically said to Satan "spare his life."
Did Satan spare Job's life?
The book of Job is 42 chapters long, these two excerpts are from the first two chapters, and he does live, and talks.
So Satan, again, the prince of darkness, could have just killed Job...but he DIDN'T.
What does this say about God's power, especially over Satan? What does this say about Satan, especially?
It's that God powers over Satan, and even Satan listens to God's command.
If you are a child of God that praises His name, even Satan cannot destroy you. As a child of God, He protects and commands evil away from you. If you have faith, as Jesus says, as small as a mustard seed, then you can tell a mountain to jump and it will jump (Matthew 17:20). If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, then could you even command evil to be defeated?
Faith in God is indeed the most amazing thing. Becoming a part of His family has great rewards and gifts for you. Will you make the choice to have faith and power to command away evil?
I think we read book of Job and wonder why does bad thing happen to good people, while there is something else amazing.
Note: All Bible verses are courtesy of www.biblegateway.com and are in English Standard Version (ESV).