Job 1:6–10 KJV 1900

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

WHO’S BEHIND THE CURTAINS

SATAN, THE ACCUSER OF THE SAINTS

There came a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.

The Lord said unto Satan, "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth?"

Satan quickly replied, "Doth Job fear God for nought (Nothing)?"

Hast not Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?

Then Satan said to God, "Put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face."

1. We have before us a loose devil, going about seeking whom he may devour

Satan is not chained as some would believe.

He is the Prince of the power of the air.

He is seeking to entangle every possible child of God, and to lead them into sin and disobedience.

2. Satan's complaint

When the Lord asked Satan if he had observed Job, Satan complained that God had put an hedge about Job so that he couldn't touch him; and, in addition, God had blessed the work of his hands.

This admission on the part of Satan is very comforting to believers.

Our security does not lie in our perseverance, but in His preservation.

God may allow Satan sometimes to "sift us as wheat," as He did Peter; however, no matter what testing is permitted, God will prepare a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.

If the Lord had not said unto us, "I will be thy shield and thy strong tower," we know not what might have befallen us.

Thank God, we are held in the hand of omnipotency.

3. Satan's insinuations

Satan insinuated that Job's obeisance to God was not genuine.

He said that Job, in his heart, had no trust in Jehovah, that he was serving Him alone for what he could get out of it.

SATAN REQUESTING THE PRIVILEGE OF TESTING JOB

Job 1:11–12 KJV 1900

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

1. The challenge made. Satan said to God, "Put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face."

The challenge had been made; Satan demanded that God should try out Job. During the dark days which followed, if Job had only known of this challenge on the part of Satan, and the reason why he was being put to the test, it would have made it a thousand times easier for him to suffer.

On the other hand, if God had told Job the objective, and had smiled upon him as he suffered, it would have upset the whole purpose of the test.

The trial of Job's faith brought God honor, because it proved that Satan was a liar and a false accuser, and that Job did, in reality, serve God because he loved Him, and not because of what he profited thereby.

2. The challenge accepted

"And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand."

Many Christians have felt, at times, that God had forgotten them; and, perhaps, that He had set Himself against them.

This could not be. God loves His own with an everlasting love, and every man, when he is tested of God, is tested for his good, and not for his harm. Satan's purpose in this temptation and trial was the utter undoing of Job. God's purpose was Job's ultimate enlargement.

THE COMPLETENESS OF SATAN'S WRATH

1. The scope of Satan's power

There are many who underestimate the ability and strength of the devil. Michael, an archangel, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, and yet, there are many men, women and children who possess nothing of Michael's power and authority, who dare to jest about Satan.

They call him the "Old Nick," or the "Old Scratch," and speak as though they had victory over him in some imagined personal combat.

It is with such an one that we have to deal, so if we would go forth to battle, we must be clothed with the whole armour of God that we may withstand in the evil day.

2. Satan's power at work

With God's permission obtained, Satan stretched forth his hand. In order to make his devilish work forceful and more trying to Job, he arranged matters so there would not be a long-drawn series of temptings, but one great stroke in which all of Job's substance would be swept from him.

(1) While Job's sons and daughters were feasting, a messenger came to Job, saying, that all his oxen and asses had been captured by the Sabeans, and the attending servants slain with the sword.

(2) While the messenger was yet speaking, a second one arrived, saying that all of Job's sheep had been burned, and his servants consumed with them.

(3) While the second messenger was speaking, a third came saying that the Chaldeans had fallen upon the camels, and had carried them away, slaying all the servants.

(4) While the third messenger spoke, a fourth arrived saying that all of his sons and daughters had been smitten and slain by a great wind from the wilderness.

No one need doubt, as this fourfold wreckage comes before them, the thoroughness of Satan's malicious maneuverings.

JOB'S FIDELITY AND FAITHFULNESS VINDICATED

Job 1:21–22 KJV 1900

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

With everything swept away, and with Job in absolute darkness as to why God had permitted such a disaster, yet Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.

The mighty man of the East said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord."

Job did not alone refuse to complain, but he even blessed the Name of the Lord. With everything gone, he said both Amen and Hallelujah.

All will agree that Job possessed a very high standard of Christian integrity. All will agree that Satan's words concerning Job were no more than a mere slander.