Good morning!
Text: Job 1-3; Psalm 119:145-160
Job is characterized as the most intellectually challenging books of the Bible. Many scholars also believe it to be the oldest – written before the time of Moses. The stage is set when Job, a man who “was blameless and upright,” has his possessions, his children and his health stripped away be Satan. Satan is attempting to demonstrate that Job’s faith in the Lord is false. In these opening chapters, we learn some about Satan. Satan, a fallen angel, appears among the assembly of angels before the Lord in heaven. It is the Lord who brings up the man, Job:
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job…? (Job 1:8)
And it is the Lord who gives Job over to Satan:
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” (Job 1:12)
This is vital to our thinking about spiritual warfare. Satan is a crafty and cruel enemy, but all that he does is always under God’s mighty hand. Whenever we feel like we are “under attack”, we can remember that God is good, He is under control, and if we are His, He is doing something for our good and His glory. Attacks from the enemy are always unpleasant, but always under control – God’s control – and that is a good thing.
in Him, Mike