Podcast 16, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 2”

Podcast 16, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 2”

Again, we have a dialogue between the Lord and Satan.

Job 2:1-2

1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

2 And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

We get a slightly harsher view of Satan from Peter.

1 Peter 5:8 

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

We must remember that Satan is a fallen angel of unimaginable power. There was no veil drawn over his mind when he was cast down to earth. Satan led the war against Michael in heaven. He would recognize his enemies even on earth who helped Michael cast him out. He would target his biggest enemies, one of whom would have obviously been Job. We live in a kind of vacuum, not remembering our former home. Satan doesn’t. Satan would have recognized Job as one of the noble and great in heaven. In Matthew Christ said,

Matthew 24:24

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

The ‘very elect’ would be people like Job. We can assume that Satan has already marked Job as a particularly desirable target.

Job 2:3

3 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? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

5 RON

 It is clear that Satan does know Job.

Job 2:4-5

4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

The story of Job is the story of all of us. We were sent to earth to be enticed by Satan and by Jesus Christ, that we might know good from evil. Job is not being sacrificed. He must go through the trials of life just like everyone else. What sets Job apart, however, is the extent of his trials. Perhaps no one, save Christ alone, endured greater trials though their suffering may have equaled Job’s, yet he remained faithful to God. God is placing Job before us that we may see him as a model on how to endure to the end.

We must also keep in mind a scripture referred to earlier.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

God knows Job’s limitations, and because of Job’s faith, God does not allow Satan to tempt him above that which he was able to withstand.  It is perhaps fair to say that God uses Job to be a model for all mankind. God has called many prophets, yet he allowed many of them to become martyrs. Job’s position is no different. Job is a prophet as we will see. He foresees the coming of the Messiah.

I suspect many, over the centuries, have wrestled with the same questions Job had to contend with while enduring his suffering, and many have looked to Job as their model. Perhaps they found strength in his endurance. All of the Lords’ true prophets have been held up as models. Some prophets, such as David, Solomon, and Balaam, fell from grace even after serving the Lord faithfully. Yet we still study Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes for their prophecies are still true today. Truth rises above the foibles of fallen man.