Conversation of God with Satan:

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. (Job 2:2 ) Spiritually this is what Satan does, he tempts people of their “mind” (up) and “feeling” (down) that composed the “SOUL”. God said, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man.(Job 1:8).

[Note: God lied to Satan but He has a purpose. Rom 3:10  “There is none righteous, no, not one.”] For details visit Adiel’s Blog “Palm Sunday”

He feared God and abstained or kept away from evil? And still he hold fast his integrity, although thou moves me against him, to destroy him without cause (Job 2:3). And Satan answered the Lord, and said, skin for skin (simply means) Satan is asking to do physical harm to Job to see if he will remain faithful to Him (Job 2:4). Let me put my hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (Job 2:5-6). Could it be that  GOD wants to reveal something that many Bible believers overlooked? This is another truth, perhaps many people could not imagine. God said:

·     Isaiah 45:7  "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."

·      Amos 3:6  "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?"

In the omniscience of God, He does all these for His glory! Here He allowed Satan to do harm to Job. Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? (Job 1:9) Satan justified Job’s faithfulness to God for bestowing him with material things. He has 7 sons and 3 daughters.  He has 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, and 500 she asses; so that he was the greatest of all men of the east. Satan refuted Job’s  sincerity, saying if you allow me touch all his possessions, he will curse thee to thy face.  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (Job 2:6 ).

Satan took Job's possessions

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away and slain the servants. I escaped alone to tell thee . While he was yet speaking, another servant said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, burned up the sheep, and killed the servants, I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, another servant said the Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee (Job 1:14-17 ).

Satan takes his children

While the servant was yet speaking, there came another servant and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee (Job 1:18-19 ).

Job’s faithfulness

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped God. He said naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (Job 1:20-22 ).

Satan attacks Job's health

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. Therefore, Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD and began hurting and harming Job. He smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his  head. Job simply took a potsherd to scrape himself; and he sat down among the ashes (Job 2:4-7).

Job’s wife denigration

Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, thou speakest as one of the foolish women. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips (Job 2:9-10). This revered attitude makes Job “religious people” their model comes deprivation in life.

Job laments his birth

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day. He spoke and said, let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, there is a man child conceived. Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Thereafter Job was full of sorrow and misery. Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly (Job 3:1-11)? Job cannot resist human frailty!

Job's three friends

When Job’s friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar heard his misery, they had made an appointment together to mourn and to comfort him. They fully sympathized with him, wept and rent their mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads. They sat down with him on the ground seven days and none spake a word unto him: for they saw his grief was too great. His three friends fully sympathized with his great misery and misfortune (Job 2:11-14).

Eliphaz the Temanite tells Job that those who are truly good are never entirely forsaken by God, but punishment may justly be inflicted for secret sins. He tells Job to trust in the Almighty and not to lose faith in the face of adversity, quoting : "Happy is the man whom God corrects". (Job 4:…

Bildad the Shuhite said, doth God pervert attitude and justice? God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil does. So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:  Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall bea spider's web.

Zophar the Naamathite quote a man saying, my doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee. God knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?   For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; if iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. (Job …8)

The Speech of Elihu

Elihu contradicts the fundamental opinions expressed by the 'friendly accusers' that it is impossible for the righteous to suffer, all pain being a punishment for some sin. Elihu states that suffering may be decreed for the righteous as a protection against greater sin, for moral betterment and warning, and to elicit greater trust and dependence on a merciful, compassionate God in the midst of adversity. These men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

The wrath of Elihu kindled against Job because he justified himself rather than God (Job 32:1-12 ). Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned him. Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When he saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, then his wrath was kindled. I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and not show you mine opinion.

Elihu anger against the three older men was so strong he could not contain himself. Bildad the Shuhite in speaking with Job, his purpose was consolation, but he became an accuser; asking Job what he has done to deserve God's wrath. Zophar the Naamathite one of the three comforters of Job articulated that misfortunes are undeserved. He lectures about the act of  evil man's pleasure (Job 2:11, 11:1, 20:1, 42:9).

Job’s protestation

Job is deceived by his intellect and feeling! “I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me (Job 33:9). I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment (Job 34:5).

Truth Revealed!

We will be surprised Job did not even know God! Hence, everything he did was an abomination to HIM:

·     Rom 3:10  "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one"

·     Hos 6:6  "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

His protestation are all anathema to God:

·     Prov 16:25  "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death".

·     1 Cor 1:19  "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent".

Job became religious people’s divine inspiration. His love of God with supreme sacrifices make them steadfast with their devotion,  great deception!

Let us now listen to God

The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee and answer me. Very clear God was not happy with all the things Job did unwittingly are but abomination to Him. Hence, God sharp rebuke: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof (Job 38).

Job Promises Silence

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will       proceed no further. (Job 40:3-5)

This is the fundamental truth Bible believing people have overlooked admitting “God is a mystery incapable of clear identification”; further justifying “to know Him would make you crazy”! The truth is “to know comes before love”. The wisdom of God, therefore, is revealed:

·     Rom 11:2  "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew…"

·     Eph 1:4  "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…"

·     1 Pet 1:20  "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world…"

·     Joh 15:16  "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…"

Conclusion:

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Very clear Job did not know God; however with His foreknowledge Job would be among His chosen. So Job's confession and repentance:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear Lord, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:2-6)

Job's restoration of fortune

The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days. (Job 42:10-17)

Addendum:

Since what we read is “literal-physical”, Job’s restoration of fortune actually is “spiritual”. (2 Cor 3:6)

                                                                     END

Identity of God in a nutshell.

In the beginning GOD was alone. He created the angels to minister to Him. However, for Him to have eternal companions God created man in His own image (Gen 1:27). But man sinned, so God had to rescue him with His covenant or testament of salvation (Gen17:7). The testament requires the “death of the maker” (Heb 9:16). Therefore, God manifest Himself in the flesh (1Tim 3:16). On earth JESUS CHRIST was performing two distinct roles as “Father” and “Son” (many verses). Jesus in His role as “Son” is model in humility the key to salvation (Rom 8:29). Ultimately JESUS CHRIST took His final persona as HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 2:1-13).

For detail at YouTube listen to “Purechristianity: God of the Holy Bible”.