Dale Ridge church of Christ

(Links for the crossword puzzles on Job 7-12 are at the end of this article; puzzles for Job 1-6 can be found by following this link).

“Satan” means “adversary,” and that characteristic is displayed in its fullest sense in the first two chapters of the Book of Job.  After Job’s pure and pious character is introduced in the first few verses of chapter one, the scene shifts to heaven where the angels appear before the throne of God.  Note the following adversarial characteristics of the devil as is seen in these particular passages:

He is Real

                Skeptics and even some in the religious realm sometimes claim that Satan is just the personification for evil.  These also will refuse to admit the reality of evil itself.  Barna Research provides these statistics in relation to the question of peoples’ belief in the devil:

• In 2007, more than half of adults (57%) said that the devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.
• In 2007, 46% of born again Christians denied Satan’s existence.
• Two-thirds of Catholics (64%) said the devil is non-existent and only a symbol of evil.

While it is true the Scripture sometimes portrays various concepts as personifications (such as lady Wisdom and Folly in the Book of Proverbs), the devil is a real person.   Consider the following:

•             Did a personification of evil in the form of a serpent actually speak to Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:4-5), or was it, in reality, Satan who spoke to her through the serpent (2 Corinthians 11:3)?
•             Did the real person, the devil, tempt Jesus in the wilderness, or was this just an imaginary event (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)?
•            Did the apostle Paul provide an imaginary or a real example of “falling into the condemnation of the devil” when considering one of the qualifications of the office of a bishop?

He Has No Reverence for God

Satan ranks below zero in his reverence to God.  The adversarial nature of Satan comes out strongly in his responses to God regarding the consideration of God’s special servant, Job.  As one reads Satan’s sinister replies to God, you can just hear his sneering, scornful tone as He speaks to the heavenly Father. 

His lack of reverence, though, is not only heard, but it also is readily detected by implication from his response.  First, Satan says, “Doth Job fear God for nought?  Hast not thou made an hedge about him . . .” (Job 1:9-10)?  One should infer from this statement that Satan means to say to God that God is not worthy of such fear and reverence from man. 

In effect, Satan says that the only real reason Job (and anyone else for that matter) serves God is because of what they can get.  In other words Satan irreverently charges God with needing to bribe man for his service and worship.   Job’s refusal, though, to give up on God is positive verification that Satan was wrong in his irreverential charge against God (see earlier article).  God is indeed worthy of man’s worship and service.  He is indeed the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (Isaiah 57:15).

No Regard for Man

Satan has no real regard for man.  In the Book of Revelation, he is known as Appolyon—which is Greek for “destroyer” (Revelation 9:11).  The apostle Peter says that he goes about “as a roaring lion . . . seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). 

Not only did Satan show no reverence for God, he showed no regard for even such a one as Job.  When God asked if Satan had considered Job and the character he possessed, Satan immediately insinuated that Job had ulterior motives in his actions.  In other words, Satan looked at Job as a hypocrite.  Satan sees no good in God’s people, and his only desire is to destroy.

He is Relentless

Satan is relentless.  When asked by God what he had been doing, Satan responded that he had been going to and fro in the earth (Job 1:7; see also 1 Peter 5:8).  Satan is persistent in the work that he has to do.  The apostle John wrote that the devil is full of wrath and is very busy, knowing that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). 

When God gave Satan the go ahead to remove the hedge from His servant Job, Satan went immediately to work (Job 1:12-13).  Also, he showed the same persistence when the LORD gave him permission to touch his flesh (Job 2:6-7).

It has been said that “You can believe it that as soon as one is baptized, Satan is waiting to tempt him or her.”  Immediately after Jesus was baptized, Satan began to tempt Him.  Satan is relentless.

He is Ruthless

Satan is ruthless.  He has no remorse.  His goal was to bring Job to his breaking point.  He went to the fullest extent possible in his attacks upon Job.  Working through various groups of people and forces of nature, he cruelly compounded tragedy after tragedy into Job’s life.  Each time, he purposefully preserved the life of one of Job’s servants to bring as much misfortunate news as possible to discourage this man totally. 

In his second round of attacking Job, God permits Satan to take his health to the point where only Job’s life is preserved.  Satan thus ruthlessly inflicts Job with boils from the crown of his head to his feet.  Job is so inflicted that he is disfigured to the point that his friends do not recognize him when they arrive to mourn for him (Job 2:12). 

He is Reigned Over

                If there is one aspect of comfort that these two chapters present regarding Satan, it would be that he is reigned over.  This is the good news—Satan has his limits.  In all that Satan does to Job, he can only do what God allows him to do.  It is God that permits Satan to bring disaster and misfortune into Job’s life, and in both cases in which this is done, God sets the limits of what Satan can do to Job.  Paul reminds us of the limitations that temptation has in our lives, and that in all cases in which we are tempted, there is always a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

                Job chapters 1 and 2 reminds us that:  Satan is real; he has no reverence for God; he has no regard for man; he is relentless and ruthless; but also, he is reigned over by God.  When tragedy and suffering enter our lives, may we like Job endure unto the end (James 5:11).

~adapted from a sermon by Winfred Clark

Here are some crossword puzzles on chapters 7-12 of the Book of Job.  You may want to read the chapters a few times before working on them.  Remeber these are just a way to become more aware with the words in the chapters.  Also, keep in mind that context is always key. Look for crossword puzzles for the entire Book of Job articles on this amazing book of the Old Testament. 

• Interactive version - job_chapter_7 ; printable version – job_chap_7

• Interactive version - job_chapter_8 ; printable version – job_chap_8

• Interactive version - job_chapter_9 ; printable version – job_chap_9

• Interactive version – job_chapter_10; printable version – job_chap_10

• Interactive version – job_chapter_11; printable version – job_chap_11

• Interactive version – job_chapter_12; printable version – job_chap_12

Published by Michael  Email This Post  Print This Post
Filed under: Doctrine, Michael Carter on October 25th, 2008