Job 1:6-12 – “Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” ⁸ So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.”

⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? ¹⁰ Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land. ¹¹ But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

¹² So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

As I read, prayed, and considered the Word of God today, I was drawn to some things in Job and Hebrews.   In Job 1:9-12, the devil expressed his view of devotion to God, a view held by people.   That is, people serve God so long as the blessings flow.   He argued, “Make it hard, and they recant.”

God granted him permission to test Job and bring tragedy to his life. The devil went whole hog and stripped him of wealth and possessions and killed his kids. That is extreme.

What did Job do?  He demonstrated the truth of God’s description of Him in verse one.  He was blameless and upright, feared God, and turned from evil.   Remember, there was no Mosaic Law on conscience. Job demonstrated completeness in character with reverential fear of God and a true worshipper.   His response to tragedy debunked the devil’s theory about humanity.

Tragically, the devil is right about the mindset of the unregenerant heart. Job said in verses 21-22, “I came into this world with nothing (naked), and I will return to God without earthly possessions.” He expressed God’s sovereignty and ownership and declared that God was to be praised no matter what.

I find it incredible that God pushed the issue further and brought Job up again to the devil.   God purposefully allowed Job to be tested with the loss of the material goods of life, the loss of children.  Even Job’s wife urged him to renounce God; he held firm in his faith.  I see this second attack on his person and his health as God’s example of the power of steadfast faith and devotion to God.  Job went through hell physically.

In Job 4, Eliphaz rehearsed Job’s ministry and compassion to others and then hit him hard with a reality we need to consider.    Job 4:5 – “But now the same thing you helped others face has come to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified.”   It is easy to pray for, counsel, and console others in their plight when you are not affected by it, but when it’s you, that’s a different story.    Job’s humanity surfaced. Ultimately, he maintained his confidence in God but struggled with physical trials.

I see a connection in Hebrews 2:1 – “Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard (the gospel) so that we do not drift away.”

If we focus on God, the Gospel, and the Truth, we can endure because our anchor is Christ Jesus. Our hope is ultimate salvation. If we genuinely believe that God is the creator and sustainer of all things and He will never abandon us, we see the present sufferings in light of eternity.

Life sometimes brings bitter pills for us to swallow.  Sometimes, we must endure difficult experiences and unexplainable trials. However, we have a high priest who knows precisely what we are facing and how we feel.  He has been there.    This is something that no other human being can truly understand, but Jesus does.  Therefore, we can be assured that there is light at the end of our tunnel, and it’s not a train coming at us.    It is Jesus being our life!

Lord, help us trust You in all things and at all times. Give us the grace to be and see and the settled confidence that You will NEVER fail us. Thank you! Amen.  No matter what, trust God!

Have a fantastic day and be confident that when the devil goes whole hog against you, God will enable you to stand.