“Prove God Right By Keeping The Faith During Trying Times!”(Job1:6-12).
Welcome to Day Seven of Lent 2023.
The CEO of Heaven and Earth(the LORD) convened a Meeting of Departmental Heads(Angels with Satan inclusive). They came to report on how their departments were faring. In this meeting they were to also take resolutions for a roadmap.
As the Chairman opened the meeting he turned to Satan and sought to find out where Satan was coming from.
Mischievous as Satan has always been he answered, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Yes, that’s what he is good at! Always roaming like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour.
The LORD asked to know if Satan had considered his servant Job? “There is no one on earth like him, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” I wonder if the world still has such a person who can be given such accolade from the LORD himself!
Satan is nonplussed with God’s praise of Job. He dares God with this challenge:“Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him with his household and everything he has? You have blessed the works of his hands…But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” What a bold challenge!
God accepted Satan’s proposal and told him, “Very well then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
So with firm instructions from above “Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”
Some challenging points from the above:
- When there is a meeting of angels satan is also present.
- The discussion between God and Satan was initiated by God.
- As in the garden of Eden where Satan told Eve that God lied to them concerning the forbidden fruit, Satan is here again saying that God is wrong concerning Job.
- In the third temptation of Jesus in the desert, Satan tried to lure Jesus to worship him and he will give him all the kingdoms of the world(Mt.4:8-9). Satan deceives himself by thinking that wealth and riches and diverse blessings are the reasons why Job is faithful to God. As such he is confident that if Job is dispossessed of all that he has, he would curse God to God’s face.
- God gives Satan the go-ahead but on the condition that Job’s physical person is not harmed.
Someone said, “God and Satan have chosen to fight and the soul of man is the battleground.” This is false because it seeks to equate Satan with God promiting the doctrine of dualism. The conversation between God and Satan clearly show that God is the Founder and CEO while Satan acts only on God’s permission.
You see my friend, when life gets rough, when the tides turn against you and you seem to think that you have lost it all, just remember this: God is watching your back! He has told Satan to keep his limits and not lay a finger on you.
You are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ! When hard and tough times fall on you, proof Satan wrong and proof God right by remaining faithful to God.
Prayer: Thank you LORD for ensuring that Satan does not lay his finger on me. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.