24 September 2014 by Dr Yeo Teck Thiam –
I think many people who read the book of Job are struck by the terrible sufferings he endured in this earthly life. Yet, as the story candidly informed us, Job was a godly man and righteous. There seemed no reason why he had to face such terrible things, except that God permitted Job to encounter these disasters.
As Scripture tells us, Job was viciously attacked by Satan because God permitted it. Would this seem good, when we say God is good all the time? Why does God permit such sufferings?
These questions and many similar puzzles in our world need answers, and I think we can see Scripture is aware of the issues involved, such as encountered in the sufferings of Job. So, it seems good to find out what Job’s story has to say to us.
The Background Story of Job
In the opening scenes in the book of Job, we are presented with the sons of God coming to meet the LORD God. And Satan also came. This scene is hardly possible to be on earth, for God is in heaven. The gathering is therefore of celestial beings reporting to God. For Satan is also not an earthly being. Yet this reporting has curious aspects to consider.
In the first place, Satan is no longer an angel of light, for he is a fallen angel. He had lost his place in heaven. Satan, therefore, was unlikely invited to heaven after being cast out. Yet Satan came, to present himself before God.
Satan was evidently summoned, for he still had to report to God whether he liked to or not. He was not going there to enjoy himself. The question to Satan showed he had to answer to God, for Satan was asked where he had been. God asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” God is Sovereign!
Nevertheless, Satan took the opportunity also to bring accusations against God’s Creation, for he was certainly not reporting the good things he saw, when he said that he had been “roaming through the earth, and going back and forth in it.” Job 1:7
Satan Roams the Earth
Here we have another aspect. It concerns a special interest about the earth and God’s Creation of this world. However, Satan’s purpose was not exactly about having a holiday on earth when he said he was roaming the earth. Rather, the underlying intentions were evil. Satan was seeking rebellion and bringing accusations against God because of sins on earth.
Nevertheless, the consideration put to Satan was unexpected. God said, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job1:8
God’s challenge to Satan is obvious. Yet it is necessary to grasp the purpose, for God does not tempt anyone to do evil. Thus, we need also to know why this challenge came about, when God spoke of Job.
Satan is the Accuser and Adversary of mankind and it is in this context that we have an understanding for God’s challenge to him. This is because in accounting himself before God, Satan must justify his actions, for Satan roams the earth seeking to do evil.
Hence Satan brings accusation against every sin in man. Here, Satan was also presenting his case and his rights to demand punishment on account of sin on earth, just as he had been condemned to. The accusations were from his evidence in roaming this earth.
Yet, Satan might have his case to demand punishment for sins. But he has no case against the godly. He had no case against Job because the man of God was blameless and upright. What sins could Satan demand that Job be punished for?
So God’s consideration presented to Satan was clear. Satan’s accusations fell apart in the case of the godly. Before God, Satan had no case against Job.
As this story unfolds, it is evident also that Satan was seeking for ways to attack Job, but he was unable because he had no case to demand punishment for Job. Instead, Satan accused God of protecting the godly man from being attacked. Obviously, this was Satan’s counter challenge to God in the case of Job.
The Accuser of the brethren contended that Job was godly only because God protected him. If God took away His Presence and Protection, and allowed Job to be tested without the safety of the hedge that God had placed around him, then Job would denounce God. Job 1:9-11.
The Hedge of Protection around the Godly
It may seem obvious that God protects the godly from harm and from Satan’s attacks. Yet, I think it is useful to consider how this protective shield is given.
When a danger confronts us, we will naturally seek to step aside to avoid it. Our evasive actions may be timely in many circumstances, but our actions often cannot fully account for our being saved. In a car crash, or accident, some get hurt but others miraculously escape. The outcome cannot be explained by luck.
So, I think of the hedge God gives to cover godly men. If demons and evil spirits are there to cause trouble, we also know God has His angels camped around us to give us protection.
For it is written:
“Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place —
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.”
Psalm 91:9 – 11
To this end, we give thanks that God sets His angels to guard over us and protect us from danger and harm thrown against us by Satan. This is the hedge that Satan was complaining when he said that he was unable to attack Job. It is in the charge that God gave for our guardian angels.
The Struggles on Earth
Satan was asking for permission to test Job when he 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? But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to his face.” Job 1:9 – 11
Clearly, Satan is a formidable accuser and awesome adversary. Satan was demanding that God remove this protection for Job so that his faith might be tested!
Satan’s contention demands a test of faith for the children of God. It is evident in the trials of Job. There is always a test of obedience for godly men and women, whether their faith is genuine.
It is in the struggle between good and evil. It is because life is not meant to be robotic. If life has a choice, coercion makes obedience meaningless. Therefore the struggle is whether Christians will also choose to obey God without coercion.
Blessed be the Name of the LORD
Thus, many know that Job also was subjected to fiery tests on his faith, as the book on Job tells us. Job suffered bodily in the flesh, for he was inflicted with many hurtful diseases. His wealth was also attacked and he suffered many misfortunes. Even his children were not spared. Their house collapsed and they died under the rubble. Job 1:18
Yet, as we know, Job did not sin in all these calamities. Instead 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.” Job 1:21
Some may question whether this test of faith is necessary. It seems sufficient that God provides the righteous and the godly with a protection for their lives on earth, and hence there is no further need to resolve.
However, this is incomplete. It is because the question of sin is not resolved for mankind. Everyone must die to this life because of sin. For it is appointed for every man to die once and after this, the judgment. Hebrews 9:27
God’s decree is in His judgment on sin in Adam. Death is the condemnation for sin, so Adam died because of sin. Even the godly must die in this earthly life because all men are sinners.
So where is the hope for those who choose to follow God? What then, is there for those who are godly?
God’s Redemptive Council for Men
It is in the covenant given through Abraham on account of his faith. God swore by Himself to provide this, “Surely I will bless you and give you many descendants.” Genesis 22:17, Hebrews 6:14
Thus in God’s promise to Abraham, there is a redemptive council to provide a complete way for mankind to be saved from sin. The blessing is given by grace through faith for our salvation. God did not intend that His blessings are only confined to earthly life.
Rather, God purposed that life will be eternal for those who are godly, and walk with Him. To achieve this, God ransomed us from the judgment of death meted for sin. It is necessary that sins must be atoned for, in order that God may endow us with the right to have eternal life. A sacrificial atonement for sins to God is necessary to remove the curse of sin from mankind.
Yet this atonement is not man’s right to have because we cannot work for it. The atonement is therefore sacrificial because it redeems us by the blood of the sacrifice, and given by grace.
My Redeemer Lives
God’s hedge for the godly is for this earthly life. It is sufficient for our time on earth. But God has a far greater plan and council to deliver us from sin completely, so that we may have life eternally. This salvation will come through faith, through believing in Jesus, and committing ourselves to God to save us. We cannot save ourselves from sin and death is evident.
So, in Job’s story, his faith is summed in his defiant confession, “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!”
“For I know my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
I shall see him with my eyes,
I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!”
Job 19:25, 26 (NIV)
Job’s faith in God sums up the hope of every man. We shall die to this life, but God will raise us up again. We shall have life after this death, for our Redeemer lives to save us.
So the confession of faith declares that the righteous shall live by faith. Habakkuk 2:4
Jesus died to redeem us from sin. His resurrection is God’s guarantee that we shall rise from the dead, for God accepted the sacrificial atonement Jesus made for sins on our behalf.
It is God’s design in Job’s example that Satan cannot falsely accuse those that God saves by faith because the believers choose God. Satan cannot accuse the faithful that they obey God because of God’s protective hedge given for this life.
Like Job, those who faithfully endure sufferings and trials due to Satan’s enmity show that Satan’s accusations are groundless.
For it is written: “I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I live in this body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
NB: Scripture texts are from ESV, unless otherwise stated.
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