Mysteries Above our Paygrade

There is always curiosity as to what is going on just above our understanding.

illustration, young boy filling nail holes at clubhouse, running fir through planer, looking in windows.

This is natural in life and also applies to the supernatural, the spiritual realm, because we are born, I believe, with an innate knowledge that there is more than meets the eye.

So it is with God’s realm and God’s rule.

When God reiterated his law to the people in the book of Deuteronomy, he stressed that there are things that are very practical, very “logical” as we might say, things that make sense. We do them because they are good, we don’t because they are bad, the consequences match the incidents, so to speak.

An example of if they don’t do well, people will ask “why did all these calamities come upon them?” And the answer will be “because the people abandoned their covenant with almighty God...”

Yet, there are things that we won’t be able to understand - example, that wandering in the wilderness their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

This passage in Job is, to our eye, a place where the “secret things” are opened up a bit to our reading.

It does not mean we can be experts on these subjects, but what has been revealed is for us.

God graciously gives us a window in the book of Job into the things above our paygrade as a means to help us walk with Him and in His ways.

Our God is always in control, but that does not mean that things will always appear “under control” from our perspective.

1. A Reporting to Yaweh - 6

We are introduced here to the “Sons of God”

The record of Scripture gives us, as one of the names of the Lord, “The Lord of Hosts.”

He is designated as the creator of all things and creatures, here and there, great and small. He is over all, above all, and rules all.

Scripture does not, however, indicate that it is simply “us and God” in this created order. Rather, it tells us quite explicitly that there are other creatures, creatures greater than us, in the interworkings of God’s design.

We think of heavenly beings, or “angels,” often in cartoonish imagination. Thinking of Cupid floating around and shooting people with arrows of love. Thinking of the Devil even as a shiny red figure with a forked tail.

While there is not enough in scripture to have a complete understanding of all the beings God has created, we can have a sense of them and their purpose.

Even in Job, we see that “angels” or messengers are synonymous with “servents.”

Job 4:18 ESV

Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;

There are those who seem to be God’s associates who are called “holy ones”

Job 5:1 ESV

“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

In Daniel, they are called “watchers.” Dan. 4:13

In Zechariah, they are seen much like they are here in Job, as patrolling heaven and earth (Zechariah 6:5)

In the psalms, there are even designations of other “gods.”

There is a designation for such a thing as a “divine council”

Psalm 82:1 ESV

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

Psalm 89:5 ESV

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

So there are “holy ones,” “mighty ones,” “Sons of God” who are not “God” as scripture presents Him.

And that is explicit even here in this passage, for it tells us that the sons of God came to present themselves before “YahWeh”

In your bible, you probably have it as LORD - the covenant name of God. The I Am - self-existing one.

God’s supremacy is not questioned here, it is actually elevated. For all these other glorious, mysterious, divine creatures with much power and authority come to report to this one being - the LORD Himself.

In His council, The LORD is not first among equals, he is the first and the last.

In his creation, he is not a behind-the-scenes lowly inventor, He is the ruler and King.

There is a myriad of mysteries that we cannot comprehend, but the LORD is still at the center of it all.

And that helps us tremendously when we see what the verse tells us next

“The satan also came among them.”

The satan, throughout the book, literally “the accuser” or “the adversary”

We see Him as the leader of a heavenly rebellion, though the brightest of the stars and one who led a third of those “stars” with him in rebellion, yet he is simply here one who presents himself before Yahweh.

Two things, then, are of note when we consider this. There is no notion of equality of rank, ability, or sovereignty when it comes to the Satan and the Lord. The Lord is clearly and always higher.

Second, The LORD, the I AM, has come to us in the person of Jesus Christ, who throughout his life taught that he is the I Am.

bread of life

light of the world

door of the sheep

good shepherd

resurrection and the life

the way, truth, life

the true vine

So already, Job points us to Jesus, because though the Accuser, the Adversary is real, the LORD is above all, and Jesus is Lord.

2. A Question for Satan - 7-8

It is funny to imagine this conversation being so normal and casual, but it is presented to us as such.

“Where did you come from?” Is probably not a question looking for information, but establishing order.

In other words, the Satan wasn’t there in his normal place.

Satan doesn’t give a straight answer though, he gives an answer that is almost wrapped in evasiveness and sarcasm.

“I have been nowhere at all and everywhere”

While we’ve just established the correct emphasis that the LORD is above all without question, Satan’s answer does remind us of his relative greatness to us, though. He has access and seemingly free movement throughout all of creation, physical and spiritual.

The LORD knows this, but yet in asking the question, there is still a sense of rulership, in that though Satan is quite powerful, the Lord is still keeping tabs on Him. He is still under his overall sovereignty.

The second question gets us to the heart of the book.

“Have you considered my servant Job?”

The phrase “have you considered” is not a literal phrase, it is more of an idiom.

Bite the bullet

Jump on the Bandwagon

Have you considered, though, probably doesn’t give us the full depth. Something like “have you set your heart upon...”

And this is so informative for us, because The LORD knows how the Satan works.

He sets his heart, his determination, upon the servants of the Lord.

Never for good

Never in love

Always in order to destroy

Always to subvert

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

What a comparison between the Satan and the Lord

one sets his heart to destroy

one sets his heart to love, to give life.

The LORD’s account of Job is the same that we read in Job 1:1. Blameless, upright, fearing God, turning from evil.

The LORD adds to it, though, that there is “nobody like him on the earth.”

This sets Job up as a pecuiar person, one who the Satan might like to set his sights upon.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

3. A Challenge of Integrity - 9-11

It then becomes The adversary’s turn for questions.

Job 1:9 (ESV)

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?

Job 1:10 (ESV)

Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?

The two questions are right in his nature, accusations more than questions.

“Does Job fear you for no reason?”

in other words, “Yeah, you think Job respects you? You’ve bribed him with wealth and safety!”

While one of the hidden purposes of the whole book of Job will be to prove the Satan wrong in his accusation, he brings up a topic worthy of consideration.

There is always a temptation to follow God for the benefits.

John 6:26 ESV

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

The adversary would like nothing more than for us to simply follow Jesus to have our fill of the loaves. That would be his great pleasure, because even he knows that is not genuine faith.

And so his hope of accusation being proved against Job is just that - if He can prove that Job is honoring the LORD just because of the blessings, then He will be able to diminish the worthiness of the LORD.

This is Satan’s purpose as a being. To seek to Diminish the LORD’s worthiness. He cannot see the Lord as one who is praiseworthy and great in his character. He cannot see God as one who is awesome just in who he is.

And what a sad existence. It seems that for the Satan, there is no sight in his eyes for pure good, there is no recognition of genuineness and real faith.

John 8:44 ESV

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

We must know this about our adversary. While he can mix in truth to his attacks to deceive, there is no truth that he stands on.

If we rightly say “God is truth”

We can rightly say “The Devil is Lies”

It is a thorough depiction of his very being.

We need eyes to see God’s goodness, his worthiness, his holiness, and his truth, and we also need eyes to see our adversary for who he truly is.

Not one ploy by the Devil comes from good intention. Not one offer from him has any purpose of benefit or help for us. Not one sweet enticement of his can promise any lasting satisfaction, they are a few grains of sugar to hide the bitterness of poison.

4. A Green Light for Testing - 12

We see something amazing here, though. Satan is an all-out enemy of the Lord’s but he still recognizes the rule of the Lord.

He sees Job as firmly in the Lord’s care. End of 11

- “if you stretch our your hand and touch him, he will curse you...”

There is that theme that we highlighted last week. To curse God.

For us to curse God is Satan’s desire, yet for us to curse God is our lowest failure, for it is to utter an outright lie. An outright deception.

Yet, the Lord sees fit to allow a test.

And it is right to see it as an allowance, because that is what it is. God, in His total sovereignty, allows the Satan to work his evil. He ordains it in that sense, that it wouldn’t happen without him allowing it.

That boggles our imagination. How can it be? How can God be in control and allow such chaos?

How can God be good and permit such evil?

Well, we will allow the book, and God, to answer those questions as we walk through it.

But what we can do here is frame those questions in helpful ways.

Is God so good that he can be loved and honored for himself, not just because of the good gifts he provides?

Can we accept the sovereignty of God, even in ordaining and allowing these kinds of tests, based on his goodness of character?

And really, there are three characters up on the blackboard for examination.

There is God, who the Satan would like to prove as “not good” and “not worthy”

There is Job, who the Satan would like to prove as “shallow” and “insincere” in his faith.

There is the Satan, who is really proving himself as destructive, deceptive, and selfish.

These three characters are involved in every test of life.

God’s character, who allows and ordains the test to prove, to strengthen, to teach, and to ultimately bless.

Satan’s character, who works in the test to destroy, to turn away, to cause us to curse.

Our character, which is on trial, so to speak.

Know this, as we close.

God uses Job to show us that we are not guided by chance or fortune, but that we are His, he watches over us, he knows us, and any trial that comes our way passes through his good hand.

To borrow a couple quotes, there is no maverick molecule in this universe, but all are subservient to the Lord. And the Devil, even though he is an adversary, is God’s Devil. Not even he has completely free will and reign.

There is so much more to our existence than meets the eye. God is in control even when things seem “out of control.” Will we see him as good even in this?