In summary, god allowed satan to mess with job to prove job s faithfulness, and god is not required to answer why he did it. Because the book of job is so often neglected, yet presents a valuable lesson and is so highly praised by even people of the world, christians should certainly take the time to study this portion of god s word. The first two chapters present a series of descriptions and dialogue about a man named job through the lens. Job, a just and perfect man, is blessed with great riches satan obtains permission from the lord to tempt and try job job s property and children are destroyed, and yet he praises and blesses the lord. The book of job begins by introducing us to its three most significant characters. What does god allow satan to do, and how does god think job will react. What does the book of job teach us about the coronavirus. What limits did the lord set on satan s power to test job.
Satan s reply to his defeat at this point was to challenge god again. Satan s accusation that if blessings were taken from job, he would curse god was proved to be a lie, and we might say that god was justifiably proud of his servant job. 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. But that is what job did, in a measure, as he languished under the sustained and numbing blows of satan and yes, it was by the permission of jehovah. From the start we know there are limits to jobs trial, and we know what those limits are. God says to job, now i want you to pray for your friends these three dear men, so stubborn, so sure that they had all the answers, so well meaning, so sincere, so dedicated, but such utter blunderers. When god says prove it not really, satan destroys job s property, possessions, and family. As we proceed in our study, we now know about god s conversation with satan, but neither job nor his friends know about it. How is this similar to our own suffering and what can we learn from this. 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.
But it also makes us think of satan as the bad guy. Apr 05, 2017 job chapters 1 and 2, part of the bibles oldest book, say that satan has access to heaven. Satan by permission from god strippeth him of all his substance. 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. Study guide for job 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. Job, however, was one such friend and his story reveals that what satan wants the most is to destroy god s reputation to bring us to false picture of god s character.
Jun 17, 2014 this tells that job was a godly father who was unspoiled by his prosperity. Satan says to god that if he removes the blessings he has so richly bestowed on job, he will curse you to your face job 1. Job is the first of five books commonly referred to as the books of poetry. May 18, 2011 since the book of job is most assuredly ancient, most of the rest of the book probably reveals the ancient theology of the writer, and perhapsprobably of his god fearing contemporaries. In egypt, both of these represented setnthe god of the underworld and the most dreaded enemy of order and resurrection life. Analysis this is a key passage for setting the stage for all that follows.
Remember, god doesnt inflict anything nasty on job with his own divine power. Apr 11, 2016 the book of job is a testament of our being able to see or directly and immediately experience god, god s essence and the things of god. Get outside under the big sky and remind yourself who your god is. What the book of job reveals to us about nature bible study. Was it unfair for god to allow job to suffer over what was. Job questioned the way the lord was governing the earth, and he did not hesitate to tell his maker a thing or two about that matter. Job is definitely hedged into the earths natural and has never seen god or been to heaven. Job chapters 1 and 2, part of the bibles oldest book, say that satan has access to heaven. In doing so, satan would have removed the most righteous man alive and would be able to slander god. Thats right, god gives satan permission to mess with job. To prove job s loyalty, god allows satan to first destroy everything job has and then cause illness, sparing only job and his wifes lives. Satan in job is those who oppose god s opinion of righteous job. Satan returns in job 2 and essentially says, well, he still has his good health.
Now you may be wondering why satan was in god s presence along with all the angels. Youll find david jeremiahs introduction to the book of job on page 661662 of the jeremiah study bible. He did not know why all these things were happening to him. Satan wanted job to suffer even more, so he caused sores to break out all over job s body. Rather, it begins with a typical day in the divine oval office, and the topic of gods. Satan was allowed to afflict all that job had, but he was not allowed to harm job. Oct 09, 2008 why did god allow satan to harm job s health and wealth. The book of job is a very interesting book in the bible. Unexpected lessons from the book of job bible study tools. Sep 10, 2010 satan is a created spiritual being and he is capable of coming and going from the earth back and forth to the spiritual realm in heaven. God blessed the work of job s hands god arranged circumstances so job didnt have to work. In the book of job, the character is described as a righteous man, indeed the most righteous man to be found on the earth, but one whom satan claims is righteous only. It is not rocket science but as with many other things, this verse is contorted from something simple into something complex so that it v can be used to justify other incredible theories elsewhere in the bible.
God had blessed job, and that was quite enough to fill the heart of satan with hatred. Blow after blow falls on job, depriving him of his possessions and of his children. The same thing can happen to us whenever we succumb to the devils lies. At the conclusion of the story, god rebukes job s friends, you did not speak the truth about me, the way my servant job did job 42. If satan s plan had worked out the way he wanted it, god would have personally tortured job until he either cursed god or died from the torture, and if job cursed god, god would have killed him. Once again, god allows satan to afflict job, this time with a horrible skin disease.
Initially, god restricted satan from harming jobs health. God wanted to prove the character of believers to satan and to all demons, angels and people. This evil thought made job bitter and suicidal, and for a while satan seemed to have won the day. The remainder of the book is the dialogue of job and his friends attempting to determine why this is happening.
What job taught me about courage and honesty working to. The book of job is ultimately about the value of god in the midst of pain and suffering. Apr 01, 2021 when we think of the book of job, we often think of the opening chapters, where satan argues with the lord in heaven and attempts to destroy job here on earth. The book of job is one of the earliest bible books written. In job 1, god calls all the angels, satan included, to give an account for what they were doing. The book of job god did not give satan power biblebro. How could satan access heaven in the books of job and the. Then, get into his word and learn more about gods love for you. In this first round of spiritual warfare satan was singularly unsuccessful in shaking job from his standing in faith. For much of the book, job curses his life, argues with three friends about the cause of the tragic events, and talks about the capriciousness of god. God saw all of this, and he was very pleased with job.
Job 12 niv prologue in the land of uz there bible gateway. Through all this job did not sin nor did he blame god. Its crucial to realize that the satan is not a sinister figure bent on hurting job. In the book of job, satan is sent by god to torment job. Thus accompanied, it is less a proper name than an appellative the adversary comp.
In the book of job, the character is described as a righteous man, indeed the most righteous man to be found on the earth, but one whom satan claims is righteous only to receive blessings from the hand of god. Thomas explores the difficulty of jobs suffering, satans involvement, and gods sovereignty. At the same time, the book of job radically debunks anthropomorphism as an acceptable alternative to personally experiencing and knowing god directly and immediately. But the first two chapters describe a dialogue between god and satan, which sets jobs. The adversary satan insinuates himself among the angels of gods court and argues that jobs virtue is not genuine. Satan dares god that, if given the approval to inflict suffering, job will change and curse god. The last of the book is a beautiful picture of what james calls the tender mercies of god toward job james 5. The conversations between the lord and satan in the. The traditional view of satan as an evil angel opposing the work of god in the book of job is more likely than the alternative view of michael heiser and others who promote similar views. As an angel, satan was also obligated to give an account for his actions in the world. What does this tell us about the place of evil in the world.
In times of suffering, jews may turn to the book of job. Jan 02, 2020 however, a deeper look reveals a more redemptive dynamic in this trial. Satan allowed to test job 6 now there was a day when the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord, and satan a also came among them. When we begin reading the book of job we learn that, while god allowed satan to afflict job, he set limits beyond which the devil could not pass. Learn about the figures in book of job found in the bible. University of groningen godtalk in the book of job keulen, emke. Scene two shows satan entering the divine presence of god and insinuating that job selves god because of his blessings. Job 2 commentary bible study guide explaining the book. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it.
There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job. 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 job a particularly pious manwill abandon his piety and curse god if all his wealth and wellbeing are taken away. Thomas explores the difficulty of jobs suffering, satans involvement, and gods. David guzik commentary on job 1, where satan asks god for permission to. The last brief glimpse of job before he encounters trouble, is his worship of god job 1. With the real child of god, satan is sure to outwit himself. Having satan do the dirty work is a very greekmythology thing to doyou know, let a demigod do the dirty work, then assert your dominance anyway. He yielded to the devils lies by believing that god was out to get him. Readers may wonder why god allows satan to afflict job. Satan is a fallen angel, not another deity who opposes god. God allows satan to take away job s possessions, children and health.
The word blameless doesnt mean sinless, but rather, that he had a good standing in the eyes of. Even though job is described as, upright and blameless, satan accuses job of serving god only because job is prosperous. God s question seems to have reference to the fact that he desired to call satan s attention to job. This is the jealousies of men that contradict the truth of god that job was an upright man, job 1.
Faith, humility, and worship theology today in the word. Job s god, or at least the god of the book of job, is the lord, the covenant god of israel. The book of job the book of job, named after its protagonist apparently not an israelite. After these events, god again brought up the case of job to satan, saying that job still held to his integrity despite all of his losses and suffering. The battle between god and satan in the book of job. Job 1 gnt satan tests job there was a man named bible. Satan suggests that job would not worship god if god did not protect hi. The accuser satan hopes to set just such a trap for job. The patriarch challenged god to meet him in court, as it. Revise and learn what judaism teaches about the concepts of good and evil and what causes suffering in. The remainder of the book is the dialogue of job and his friends attempting to determine why this is. The word satan has the article prefixed to it here and elsewhere in job, as in zechariah 3.
But job remains faithful and then is attacked personally. Now there was a day a certain time appointed by god. And never are we permitted to be sifted by satan, but there is a needs be. The book of job god did not give satan power 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.
If satan can get job to believe he is being punished by god, job may be caught in either of two snares. So, god and satan in some mysterious combination through natural disasters and human agents took from job his sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and children. Gods conversation with satan part 2 calvary chapel ft. This book marks the end of a period of study and time spent in groningen. Job is described as an upright man who follows god s commands, and is blameless in god s eyes. Study questions on the book of job concordia college. Why michael heiser is probably wrong about satan in the. Oct 29, 2017 satan insinuated that job would stop worshipping god and become just like satan basically if god withheld and took material blessing from job.
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