Satan is a spiritual being whose limits appear clearly in the story. Trend of the relationship between god and satan in the bible. God withdraws his protection from jobs possessions. The common belief that god gives power to satan by permission to test our faith or teach us some lesson is one reason that many believers in christ have departed from the faith or resent god. In it, satan is a member of gods divine court who walks the earth looking for sin and reports back to god. You must understand who god is and who satan is, what they know, and what their motivation is. Satan visits heaven and asks for permission to torment job. We shall then use this model to solve the puzzling mystery of who is satan in the book of job. In the book of job, how was it possible for god and satan to. Satan s first attack 6 one day the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord, and satan also came with them. The important thing to understand in job is that satan has to request permission from god to test. Which is something i pointed out at the end that satan, job, and job s friends were all wrong in this.
The first test satan did was to take away all of job s animals, killing the servants that were with the animals, and killing all of job s sons and daughters while they were eating together. Rather, it begins with a typical day in the divine oval office, and the topic of god s just operation of the cosmos is put on the table. When satan rebelled it was by calling into question god s integrity and fairness as well as his love. Book of job simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
God withdraws his protection from job s possessions. From the holy bible king james version, book of job, chapter ii, 310 3. The scene shifts to heaven, where god asks satan hebrew. God discusses a number of unusual animals in the king james translation of job. Thomas explores the difficulty of jobs suffering, satans involvement, and gods sovereignty. God allows satan to torment job to test this bold claim, but he forbids satan to take jobs life in the process. In the story, job, a man of faith, is tested by god through various horrible afflictions.
Job 1 niv bible in the land of uz there lived a man whose. So, the question is why would god allow satan to do this. God brags to satan about jobs virtue, but satan contends that job is only righteous because god has favored him generously. Aug 02, 2010 in the book of job, satan is sent by god to torment job. Satan challenges god that, if given permission to punish the man, job will turn and curse god. Job would, if he knew the plot hatched in heaven against him, consider satan the worst sort of enemy. Right after introducing the hero of the drama, the author of the book of job takes the. The first test satan did was to take away all of jobs animals, killing the servants that were with the animals, and killing all of jobs sons and daughters while they were eating together.
The book begins with the description of job as a just and upright man. Waters ritten by an unknown author, possibly the most ancient literary account in the bible,1 the book of job is a mixture of divine and human wisdom that addresses a major life issue. Job 2 icb satan appears before god again bible gateway. For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is. Satan s a catalyst, sure, but the moral of the story lies in mans relationship with god. The dialogue between god and satan about job was, by no means, a friendly conversation. In the book of job, satan first establishes his role as the accuser. God boasts to satan about jobs goodness, but satan argues that job is only good because god has blessed him abundantly. The book of job god did not give satan power biblebro. Can a favored, righteous person hold on to their faith in god when things go wrong. Where does the communication between god and satan take place. As the story goes, the sons of god, angels, presented themselves before god.
Now there was a day when the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord, and satan came also among them. Even though satan is the god of this world 2 cor 4. Satans point was that gods law was unfair and unjust. For job said, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed god in. In the book of job satan accuses god of putting a hedge job 1. Job 1 there was a man in the land of uz whose name was job. Job 1 there was a man in the land of uz whose name was. He says that the only reason job fears god is to get rich. If job was blameless, why did god allow satan to afflict him. Job chapter 1 vers 6 12 talks about god and satan having a conversation. God then allows satan to visit terrible trials upon job to test him. He bets god that the only reason job is faithful to god is that job is successful in life.
Satan answers that job is pious only because god has blessed him. The issue is not jobs faith or loyalty, and is not about god proving to satan jobs loyalty. Satans first attack 6 one day the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord, and satan also came with them. Jun 09, 2014 god is pointing out satan was wrong that job only worshipped his stuff. When god calls up the name of job before the accuser and testifies to his righteousness this creature in whom god takes special delight satan attempts with one crafty thrust both to assail god s beloved and to show up god as a fool. Satan was there and a conversation ensued about jobs goodness. Interpretations of this profoundly odd book are as many as the centuries of commentary it has undergone, but it is arguably one of the most beautifullywritten books of the bible even the most secular of literary scholars still. God gives satan permission to take jobs wealth and kill his children and servants, but job nonetheless praises god. Satan is labeled an accuser and depicted as an opposing force to god. For job said, it may be that my children have sinned, and j cursed 1 god in their hearts. Job accuses god of being unjust and not operating the world according to principles of justice, and his friends believe that job s sin caused his suffering. The book of job is a canonical work in both christian and jewish liturgy.
Let that day be darkness, as the king james version has it. It was orchestrated by god to show billions of people, who would read and hear about this account throughout the ages, that satan can do nothing without god s authorization and consent. Satan challenges god by stating that job will denounce god if afflicted. Satan smiting job with sore boils, william blake, c. True to one of his modes of operation, he accuses job before god. Satan is seen as the adversary or prosecutor, an agent of gd, very.
Was it unfair for god to allow job to suffer over what was basically an argument between god and satan. This was to show satan how job loved worshiped god. Oct 19, 2015 yet, god puts limits on satans power in the world. The book of job begins by introducing us to its three most significant characters. The book of job is ancient israelite wisdom literature, and its purpose isnt to teach us about how satan and god make bets and leave innocent peoples fates hanging in the balance. So god says to satan, you there, what have you been up to. May 18, 20 the issue is not job s faith or loyalty, and is not about god proving to satan job s loyalty. A surface reading of the book of job usually evokes a reaction such as why is god making a bet with the devil. The book is often understood as an exploration of the question of theodicy that is, how god can be declared just in the light of innocent suffering. Rather, it begins with a typical day in the divine oval office, and the topic of. From roaming through the earth, he replied, and from walking back and forth in it.
If job was blameless, why did god allow satan to afflict. Throughout the book, job, his wife, and his friends speculate on why he, an upright man, suffers. In gods sovereign purpose, satan has been permitted to exercise a great measure of authority and power through the duration of this age. Job 2 icb satan appears before god again on bible gateway. Why does god allow satan to enter heaven, as recorded in the bible. It was orchestrated by god to show billions of people, who would read and hear about this account throughout the ages, that satan can do nothing without gods authorization and consent. The book of job opens with a scene in the heavenly throne room where satan meets with the lord. Analysis this is a key passage for setting the stage for all that follows.
For the rest of the lesson, the role of satan in the book of job is covered. The battle between god and satan in the book of job adventist. The doctrine of satan in job chronological bible teaching. Jobs fear of god has endeared god to job in a very deep way. You missed to mention that job was chosen by god to prove satan. Even though satan did these things to job, job did not curse. T he mainstream jewish view of satan emanates from the book of job. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim writings section of the hebrew bible tanakh, and.
In this weeks sermon, the historical dating and literary criticism is commented on in the beginning. When it was written, the conception of satan was that he was part of gods court court as in a kings court, not as in a legal court. Rather, it begins with a typical day in the divine oval office, and the topic of gods just operation of the cosmos is put on the table. Satan is seen as the adversary or prosecutor, an agent of gd, very much part of the divine council, that searches out the. This clearly illustrates that, despite having far greater natural powers than a man, satan can do nothing against any of gods children that god does not permit. May 20, 2017 the book of job is ancient israelite wisdom literature, and its purpose isnt to teach us about how satan and god make bets and leave innocent peoples fates hanging in the balance. Like adam they also came before god on a regular basis, just as we do, and on one of those occasions satan was found amongst them, probably there to cause trouble, and god chose to speak to satan regarding job. This is an obvious reference to the angels, and we know that satan is an angel even though a fallen one.
Satan was not in heaven before the throne of god as can be seen later in the book of job, but god engaging satan on earth. There is another good book to read called the conflict of adam and eve with satan. Because, ultimately, this fight is between job and god. But it also makes us think of satan as the bad guy. In verse 9, he insinuates that job is not such a great specimen of reverence for god.
The human author of book of job i believe received a vision and overheard a conversation and through god s grace gave him the wisdom to write the inspiration for purpose of stating that all the action of satan are subject to divine providence. Finally, as his wife speaks to him bitterly, job curses the day he was born in a full chapterlength poem of woe. Satan tells god that job is only virtuous because he is well off. And the lord said unto satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power. Was it unfair for god to allow job to suffer over what was. He certainly isnt raining down sunshine, rainbows, and love. God is pointing out satan was wrong that job only worshipped his stuff. Satan was there and a conversation ensued about job s goodness. Job 2 international childrens bible icb satan appears before god again. Job 1 gnt satan tests job there was a man named bible. Satan answered the lord, i have been wandering around the earth. When satan rebelled it was by calling into question gods integrity and fairness as well as his love. In the absence of answers, job has been held up as a model of quiet faithfulness.
Satan was originally one of gods holy angels, but he rebelled against god and was cast out of heaven luke 10. God is overseeing our preparation for his kingdom, and the devil is, in reality, a dupe in gods hands to that end. The meaning of the book of job is found in gods and satans conversation in heaven. The book of job in the hebrew bible was crafted to address human suffering and why bad things happen to good people. In a new translation of the book of job, the famously repentant hero gives god a piece of his. God s hedge must be lifted which job clearly does not discern job 3. In egypt, both of these represented setnthe god of the underworld and the most dreaded enemy of order and resurrection life. With gods permission, the adversary possibly satan kills jobs children, destroys all of the mans possessions, and strikes job with hideous diseases. Satan, the thief, has come to kill, steal, and destroy john 10. Job fears god because it will mean health wealth and prosperity, thats all.
The book of job begins with a prologue job 12, which describes a wager between satan and god, in which satan the adversary bets god that joba particularly pious manwill abandon his piety and curse god if all his wealth and wellbeing are taken away. Watch full episodes for free in the superbook app or on the superbook kids. Satan had openly challenged god before all the hosts of heaven. Which is something i pointed out at the end that satan, job, and jobs friends were all wrong in. Jun 24, 2014 satan visits heaven and asks for permission to torment job. Misfortune befalls job, and, in three cycles of speeches, his three friends give the explanation that this must be. Satan s point was that god s law was unfair and unjust. The battle between god and satan in the book of job. He cannot go beyond what god permits, and when his time period is ended, god turns the captivity of job job 42. All of this is to say that the satan in the book of job cannot be entirely identified with the devil or satan in the new testament. In a conversation with satan, god argues that such a person can indeed persevere, and points out his servant job as an example. Jobs story invites us to consider what it means that god runs the world by. But satan the accuser comes before the lord, and god allows him to test job.
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