Year One, March 3

We Are Not Ignorant of Satan’s Designs1

It is the general opinion that Job lived at some time between the age of Abraham and the time of Moses. It is probable that Moses wrote this holy poem that records the discussion between Job and his friends. Therefore, at this time, we will consider his history and gather a few gems from the remarkable book that bears his name.

  

Job 1:1-12

1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, (He was just an ordinary “man.” He was not a prince or a king. Yet he was nobler than any of the nobles of his time.) and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. (This description of his character is given him by God’s perfect inspiration. No one could hope for a higher honor. His life was well balanced and showed that he was righteous, toward both God and man.) 2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.

We see here that a rich man may be a good man even though “gold and the gospel seldom do agree.”2 It may be rare, but a man of riches may also have riches in heaven. Job was gracious in prosperity and therefore was supported in hardship.

4His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (They probably celebrated their birthdays in this happy and united way. It is a great happiness to see brothers and sisters knit together in love.) 5And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. (He did not forbid their parties, because they were not in themselves sinful. But he knew how likely people are to forget their God and even themselves during a party. He was eager to remove any spot of sin that might result. It is to be feared that few parents are as careful as Job was in this matter.)

6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

This meeting did not need to take place in heaven. God’s assembly room includes all of space. What nerve Satan had to come before God! What equal impudence when hypocrites pretend to worship the Most High.

7The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Satan is a busy traveler. He is never idle.

8And 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?”

Satan had “considered” Job and watched him closely. He thinks carefully before giving his clever answer.

9Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10Have 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. (Why should God not treat his servant well? If Job had been poor and miserable, Satan would have said that the Lord paid his servants lousy wages.) 11But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has and he will curse you to your face.” (A cruel suggestion, but Satan was measuring Job’s corn with his own bushel.3) 12And 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.

The Lord intended to glorify himself, to further perfect the character of Job, and to furnish his church with a grand example. This is why he challenged the archenemy. Satan went off on his errand willingly enough, but little did he dream of the defeat that awaited him.

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¹ 2 Corinthians 2:11

² Attributed to John Bunyan

³ An old country saying meaning “to measure others by oneself”