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power; buc lay no hand upon che
man himself'" (verse
12,
Motfacc).
Norice, will you, Sacan did chis
with God's permission.'
Sacan was che
active agenc. Bur
he
did ir with God's
express permission;
he
could go jusc
as far, in inAiccing evil, as God per–
mitted, and
no further.'
God ser a limir
on how far Sacan could go! There
is
no concesc here becween God and
Sacan - no equality. God is master of
che sicuation! He gives che orders,
granes permission, secs che limita–
rions!
"So, away wenc Sacan from che
presence of che Ecernal."
What Happened to J ob ?
Then one day a servant carne run–
ning co Job wicb che srarding news
chac Arabs in a foray had carried off
all his oxen and asses. Even while he
was scill ralking, in dashed anocher
servanc shoucing chac lighrning had
jusc srruck and burned up all che
sheep, goacs, and shepherds. While he
was yec speaking, another rushed in
brearhlessly announcing thac chree
parries of Chaldeans had carried off all
his camels in a raid, slaying all che ser–
van es excepc che one who escaped co
bring che news.
And even while he was yet speak–
ing in bursc another. "Your sons and
your daughcers," he exclaimed, "were
earing and drinking wine in che
house of their eldest brocher, when a
whirlwind swept across che deserc and
struck che four cornees of che house,
till ir fell upon che young folk ; they
are dead; and 1 alone escaped co re
JI
you" (verses
18-19,
Motfatt).
Well, now Job was stripped of all
his greac wealth - wiped out!
Worse, aU his children were killed!
Did Job blame chis ill forrune
upon God? Did he lose his temper
and curse God? D id he sin, as Sacan
expecred?
"Then J ob rose, rore bis runic,
shaved rus head, and dropped upon
che ground in humble wo rship,
crying, 'Naked 1 carne from my
mocher's womb, and naked 1 muse re–
curo: che Eterna! gave, che Ecernal has
38
taken - blessed be che Ecernal!' lo all
chis Job did not sin, nor did he give
offence co God" (verses
20-22,
Mof–
farc).
Nocice, .Job attributed
ALL
co God.
The wealth
he
had had, God gave.
Tbe good - che prospericy - all
carne from God. But also "The Eter–
na] has caken"! The Eterna], roo, was
responsible for che disasrer! Nothing
happens concrary co God's purpose!
Sacan
T ries
Again
One day che sons of God again
carne co presenc rhemselves before che
Ecernal, and among them carne Sacan.
"'Where have you been?' said che
Eterna! to che Adversary ; and che Ad–
versary answered, 'Roaming here and
there, roving abouc che earch.'
"Then che Eterna] said co che Ad–
versary, ' Have you nociced chac chere
is no one like my servant Job on
earch, a blameless and an uprighc
man, who reverences God and shuns
evil? He still holds co his loyalry: it
was idle of you co enrice me to undo
him.' But che Adversary answered,
"'He has saved his own skin! A
man will lec all he has go, co preserve
his life. Only put out your hand,
couch his flesh and bones, and see if
he
will
nor curse you co yoür face!' "
Gob
2:2-5 ,
Moffm.)
Norice, there is no conresr here be–
cween cwo equals. God sies in su–
preme auchoricy. Sacan cannoc do one
ching wichouc permission from God!
And here, in chis heavenly courc,
God permits Sacan to advance his ar–
gumencs - even ro put them ro che
test
ofexperience
on che most righteous
human on earch!
lt
is a thrilling
drama here being enacced - a drama
wich great purpose - rremendous
meaning!
"So che Eterna) said co Sacan ,
'There! He is in your power; only,
spare his li(e' "
(verse 6, Moffact).
Nocice again, all authoriry comes
from God. l e is God who put poor
Job in Satan's power. Sacan was per–
micced co devise hi s most cunning
and cruel affiiction - wi rh buc one
restriccion: "Spare his life," coro-
manded God. Sacan could go no fur–
ther rhan God had specifically
authorized ! And God did permit chis
evil! Why, we shall soon see!
So, "Away wenr che Adversary
from che Ecernal's presence, and he
smoce Job with painful ulcers from
che sole of his fooc co che crown of
his head, cill Job cook a pocsherd co
scrape himself.
"As he sar among che ashes, his
wife said ro him, 'Still holding ro
your loyaJry? Curse God, though you
die for it!'"
Was God Just and Fair?
But Job retorced ro h is wife,
" 'You are ra lking like an impious
fool. Are we ro cake good from God's
hand, and noc evil roo?' "
N ocice, aH che good had
come
from God. Also
al/ the evil!
Besides
Him chere is no God - no power
equal or superior ro His. God is
re–
sponsible for
EVERYTHING -
boch
good and evil - because God's
power is supreme - absolute! Is chis
a sin ro charge che evil, as well as che
good, ro God?
" In aJI chis," answers God's Word,
''Job sinned not
wich his lips." Charg–
ing chis evil co God, then, was no sin
- no error. l e was che cruch!
J ob's Friends Argue
"Now, when Job's chree friends
heard of all che crouble that had
befa!Jen him, chey carne, each from
his own home, Eliphaz from Teman,
Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from
Maán; they arranged ro go and con–
dole with him, ro comfon him. But
wben chey caught sighc of him at a
distance and could not recognize him,
they wepc aloud; every man of chem
rore his tunic and flung dusc on his
head. For seven days and seven nights
they sat beside him on che ground;
none said a word ro him, for chey saw
how terrible was his anguish" (Job
2 :7-1 3,
Moffact).
Here is human suffering to com–
pare with che horrors of World War
11. Here is anguish almosc beyond de–
scription! Satan inflicted it. But God
PLAIN TRUTH January 1973