Hi all,
We’ve established the truths of I Corinthians 10: 13 and James 1: 13: God will not let us be tempted/tested/tried above what we are able to handle. He also limits Satan AND makes a way of escape. God is not tempted with evil, so He does not tempt/test/try anyone with evil. This brings us to the man named Job.
Remember, we interpret the Old Testament through the eyes of the New Testament. Why? Because the NT is a higher revelation of the Father God. Paul wrote of this in I Corinthians 10: 6 & 11, twice saying the things that happened to Israel in the OT were for examples for us. So we look at the Old through the eyes of the New.
When you were a child you saw specific events in your life through a child’s eyes. But when you became an adult you saw those same events as an adult. That perspective causes a reinterpretation from when you were a child. Same with OT/NT. We see the OT through Jesus to those events.
God, Satan, and Job
Job lived after Noah but before Abraham. We understand this due to his long life – after his trial he lived another 140 years. There was no priesthood, he made his own sacrifices to God. And the Lord appeared to him supernaturally, out of a whirlwind.
The book of Job is Hebrew poetry and is the oldest book in the Bible, therefore placed 1st with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy about 1400BC. Job is older than that, most believe it was written around 1800BC – 400 years older than Genesis was written. It’s style of writing is that of similar Babylonian writings of that same time.
We are told in Job 1: 1-3 he was the wealthiest man in the east.
He had thousands of sheep, cattle, camels, donkeys and many employees. Camels were for desert caravans/import/export. Donkeys were city and short haul trucks (lorries.) He also had sheep (food/wool), cattle (meat/leather), crops and several other business interests.
In 29: 1-17 we learn Job was a nobleman and their chief (v25), sitting at the gate of the city to govern. He was so esteemed young men ran from him, other nobles stood to their feet and became silent as he approached. He was in his own words, ‘eyes to the blind and feet for the lame’. In 31:1 he said he had made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look on another woman. In that chapter he also says he invited the poor and hungry to eat with him, and clothed those in need with clothing of his own wool. He was a very good, wise, and generous man.
Fearful for his children’s salvation
Job 1: 4-5 reveals he was so worried about his children’s spiritual life, that he regularly made sacrifices to God on their behalf. This would be like a mom or dad so worried about their children’s salvation they attended services regularly on their behalf, or gave money in the hope God would see and bring them to Him. He worried continually about their walk with God.
Job’s emotional, mental, and physical conditions
In 3: 24-26 Job reveals: “My distress and crying has become my daily food. My groans pour out of me like water. The thing that I greatly feared has happened to me, and what I was afraid of happened. I have had no peace, no safety, I could not sleep, and turmoil has happened to me.”
We know Job developed a skin condition, and we can see though he was very wealthy, he was a man of fear, worry, and stress. What if you are a modern doctor and Mr. Job comes to see you. He tells you his duties as Mayor, his wayward children and fears for them and his many businesses. He can’t sleep, he is always in fear and worry, and he has what may be eczema, shingles, psoriasis, rosacea, boils, and/or other skin and stress related conditions.
As his doctor we would prescribe medicine for stress and sleep, and tell him to take time off, see a counselor to deal with the stresses and fears of life. That’s what was going on in the natural.
Spiritually speaking: Satan sees his fears and stress, which are open doors to attack him.
With all that in the natural, behind the scenes Job 1:6 tells us Satan came before the Father, and that he had been wandering the earth. (v7). The terminology, ‘presented themselves before the Lord’, could suggest physically coming before Him.
In our day we often say, ‘Let’s go to the Lord in prayer’ or ‘Let’s bring our burdens to the Lord’, but no one believes we physically come before Him. So in this poetry, it is unclear whether this was literally a situation after Noah’s flood where Satan was given access to the Father, or if it is like we say ‘we are going before the Father’. We do know that since the cross Satan has no access to heaven – as per Ephesians 1: 20-23, Colossians 2: 14-16, Hebrews 9: 11-15, 23-25 and so on.
Satan was walking on the earth seeking whom he may devour.
In Job 1:7 he admits this, which is consistent with I Peter 5:8 which states Satan wanders like a roaring lion looking for whom he may devour. Then the discussion turns to Job, and with each opportunity to kill Job, the Lord steps in to place limitations.
This is consistent with I Corinthians 10: 13 that says when the test comes, he will limit that test AND make a way of escape. God is not tempted with evil, so this was purely an act of our good Father limiting what Satan did to Job. Job’s way of escape was presented to him many times, even in his sleep the Lord tried to reach him. Finally, repentance became his way of escape.
Proverbs 26:2 says; “…A curse does not come without a cause.”
Satan had open doors into Job’s life – his children weren’t walking with God so they were wide open to attack. Job could have suffered a heart attack due to stress and fear. There was a reason Satan attacked Job and his family, God’s part was to limit what could be done to him.
Without going into further detail, 3 of Job’s friends accused him of secret sin, but a 4th, Elihu, spoke rightly of God and Job. He said God had been trying to reach Job for some time, even in his sleep, but Job wouldn’t listen. Job 33: 14-30 and 36: 1-12.
Elihu also told Job that God did not do this to him, in 37:23: “Concerning the Almighty, He is beyond our reach and mighty in power and judgement. He will not afflict.”
Elihu spoke rightly of God and Job
He was the only one in the whole story God did not required to repent. Starting in chapter 38 of Job God demands Job repent: “Who is this who darkens counsel with foolish words? Stand like a man and I will demand of you!” The Lord asks Job if he was there at creation, did he create the eyes of an eagle to see so far off, and many other questions about nature and Job’s presence or knowledge.
In Job 40:2 God asks: “…does Job instruct Me? Let him who accuses Me answer Me!” Job wisely repents, saying in v4: “I am vile. Who will answer you? I will lay my hand on my mouth.” But God continues to demand of Job in v7: “Get dressed and face me like a man! Do you discredit my justice? Do you blame me to justify yourself?”
Finally, when the Lord is done, Job answers in 42: 1-6:
“Who was it who spoke in ignorance? It was me. I abhor myself… I spoke of things I do not understand, foolishly, things beyond my knowledge, yet I spoke as though I knew… I’ve heard of you, but now I’ve seen you. I despise myself in sack cloth and ashes. (repentance)”
The final thought concerns 42:11, where his friends comforted Job for ‘all the things the Lord brought upon Job.’ The Hebrew word ‘hebi’ from the root ‘bo’, is in the permissive rather than causative. It says things the Lord allowed to happen to Job, not that He was the source of it, but allowed it. This is consistent again with the NT which says God doesn’t test man with evil, and when the enemy comes in He places limits and makes a way of escape.
As Elihu told Job in so many words; ‘God didn’t do this to you, and He has tried to reach you even in your sleep, but you ignored him.’ Job did repent, and his life was restored and blessed.
Next week how we open the door for the devil and how he uses our authority against us.
Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
