Job 1 -- Seeing The Truth

My commentary brought out something really important:  As God and Satan were discussing Job in heaven, “God found no fault with Job, but Satan did … The word ‘Satan’ means ‘adversary, one who opposes the law.’  This is a courtroom scene, and God and Satan each deliver different verdicts about Job.  As you study this book, keep in mind that God said, ‘Not Guilty!’ … But Satan said, ‘Guilty!’ because he is the accuser of God’s people and finds nothing good in them.  Satan’s accusation against Job was really an attack on God … he was saying ‘The only reason Job fears You is because You pay him to do it… You are not a God worthy of worship!  You have to pay people to honor You.’ “

 

After Job lost everything, he looked back, remembering that he’d had nothing at birth.  He looked forward, knowing that he’d take nothing with him in death.  Finally, he looked up … “Instead of cursing God, as Satan said Job would do, Job blessed the Lord!  Anybody can say, “The Lord gave” or “The Lord has taken away”, but it takes real faith to say in the midst of sorrow and suffering, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

Satan is absolutely rotten.  Miserable himself, he tries to get us to be miserable with him.  That seems to be the only thing he takes joy in!  Yet he tries his very best to make us think that God is cheating us out of our joy with His rules.  Why do we listen to such drivel?  The only reason would seem to be that he sows doubt in our hearts about just how much God really loves us.  We don’t have to be a sucker for that line, for Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross and answered, “This much!”  And He died for us.

 

Father, this whole chapter was a battle in the heavenlies that You could win with both hands tied behind Your back.  As my commentary said, the fundamental reason for Job’s suffering was to silence the blasphemous accusations of Satan and prove that a man would honor God even though he had lost everything.  Satan needed to learn that You are a God worthy of man’s worship.  You knew Job’s heart, and it wasn’t mean of You to single him out for attack – You actually honored him by selecting him.  Help me to not fall for Satan’s lies.  Remind me that in Christ You call me “not guilty”.  Help me to respond in a manner worth of such grace!

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford