As with any approach to Scripture on any given subject, it has always been a good rule to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture and not to allow experience or extra-biblical sources to interpret Scripture, particularly when it comes to the subject on the incredibly brilliant, resourceful, and malevolent spirit creature known as Lucifer.
Today, there is a virtual avalanche of Bible material available to everyone via the internet, and yet, ignorance of the Bible is rampant among God’s people. Experience is replacing the Bible as the ultimate truth, the ultimate reality, even when the experience fails to lead to personal godliness and purity of life. Satan is using experience like a two-edged sword, as in the case of pain and suffering, to divide man from God. We have to keep in mind who we are dealing with here, a very powerful angelic creature of pure evil in absolute opposition to our Lord and to us who believe.
This good versus evil kind of thing is not a dualism of equivalent powers. Though Satan is probably the most powerful creature God has ever created, he remains a creature, a finite creature in confrontation with the infinite Creator God.
This good versus evil kind of thing is not a dualism of equivalent powers. Though Satan is probably the most powerful creature God has ever created, he remains a creature, a finite creature in confrontation with the infinite Creator God.
With such an incomprehensible imbalance of power, folks, we are obviously on the winning side; Satan will ultimately be vanquished into the lake of fire once God’s purposes have been fulfilled. The only true and reliable source of information concerning Lucifer or Satan comes from God’s Word. It is here we collect the facts and formulate our hypotheses in accordance with those facts concerning this phenomenal supernatural being.
What God intended for us to know about Satan is determined by the extent of God’s revelation of him in the Bible. We need to resign ourselves to accepting that limitation and seek no further data concerning Satan. There will be some theories emerging from biblical facts but that is expected and should not necessitate that such conjectures are incorrect unless it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture. Our knowledge of the angelic realm is, frankly, very limited. There are more speculations than cold hard facts. But the things which are revealed to us are for us (Deut 29:29).
We are dealing with the deceiver who hates all human beings, especially true believers in Christ, with an unrelenting intensity. The over-arching truth concerning Satan is that he represents everything God is not. Satan is the father of all lies, and the only truths coming out of him are half-truths.
You heard the old saying, a broken clock is right twice a day. Well, Satan’s strategy is to sucker in an unsuspecting victim with just enough minute truth to sell his doctrine of devils, his deception of lies. The buy-in is that negligible portion of truth mixed in with non-truth, analogous to a piece of bait on a hook for fishing. Once the unsuspecting takes the bait, Satan skillfully reels in another fish. Usually, every fish that takes the bite winds up in the frying pan, ultimately, unless miraculously saved from the tempter’s snare. Jesus wants for us to be a fisher of men catching dead fish and making them alive. Satan is a fisher of men as well, catching dead fish and keeping them dead.
You heard the old saying, a broken clock is right twice a day. Well, Satan’s strategy is to sucker in an unsuspecting victim with just enough minute truth to sell his doctrine of devils, his deception of lies. The buy-in is that negligible portion of truth mixed in with non-truth, analogous to a piece of bait on a hook for fishing. Once the unsuspecting takes the bait, Satan skillfully reels in another fish. Usually, every fish that takes the bite winds up in the frying pan, ultimately, unless miraculously saved from the tempter’s snare. Jesus wants for us to be a fisher of men catching dead fish and making them alive. Satan is a fisher of men as well, catching dead fish and keeping them dead.
Today I want to share a few things on the subject of Satan and his involvement with pain and suffering in the world. I want for us to see God's relationship to pain and suffering as well. Defending God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil is a branch of theology known as theodicy. Let me stress this one important point in the introduction. Any experience, good or bad, that turns us away from the truth of God’s Word is evil; and wherever rebellion is, if not Satan, then one of his demonic lackeys are sure to be around in the mix of it all.
Before getting into a discussion about Satan, allow me to give you an angelic flyby concerning angels. There are only two kinds of angels: unfallen (or holy, good) angels and fallen angels (demons, bad). There are twice as many good angels as there are bad angels (Rev 12:4). With fallen angels there are two types, free and bound. The fallen bound angels branch off again into two groups: one reserved in chains forever (2 Pet 2:4) and the other that is released from the pit in the during the Great Tribulation period (Rev 9:1ff).
Let me offer a speculative sidebar on the potential power of angels. In Mt 26:53 Jesus stated He could ask the Father to provide Him with 72,000 angels. In 2 Kings 19:35 we read where one angel killed 185,000 Assyrian troops in one night. If we multiply that capability by 72,000 angels we arrive at a kill potential, at the minimum, at around 13.3 billion people in one day if given Divine permission! That is twice the number of our current population. Aren’t you glad that God is in control and not Satan!
The word Satan occurs 55 times in the NKJV (18 - OT / 37 – NT), and make its first appearance in 1 Chronicles 21:1. In Job, considered the oldest book of the Bible, the word appears 14 times. We don’t read the word Satan again until the book of Zechariah (Zech 3:1-2), appearing 3 times. In the NT the word Satan is mentioned 37 times. Satan means adversary or enemy. He is the solicitor of evil (disobedience to God) and the adversary (in absolute opposition) to God. More than likely this is not a personal name but a descriptive title, similar to the United States being referred to as the great Satan (or the great Adversary) by one of its enemies.
There is also a contention as to whether Lucifer is a personal name or title. Lucifer, like Michael or Gabriel, is a personal name. Lucifer was not originally an adversary of God. Due to his pride (Is 14:14; 1 Tim 3:6), Lucifer fell and drew one third of the host of angels with Him (Rev 12:4). When iniquity was found in Lucifer he became the ultimate spiritual adversary or enemy of God. The history of the world is the history of sin. It all started with the fall of man in the garden, and all of us having been eating the fruit of that ever since.
When it comes to the New Testament (NJKV) there are 37 occurrences of the word Satan (Mt – 4, Mk – 6, Lu – 6, Jn – 1, Acts – 2, Rom – 1, 1 Cor – 2, 2 Cor – 3, 1 Thes – 1, 2 Thes – 1, 1 Tim – 2, and Rev – 8).
Interestingly, Lucifer’s personal name occurs only once in the entire Bible (Is 14:12). Lucifer (Heb, Helel, is a masculine noun meaning morning star [cf Rev 22:16 in reference to Christ] in the sense of brightness. Latin Vulgate translates shining one).
Here are some other titles or descriptions of Lucifer in alphabetical order.
· Abaddon (Rev 9:11)
· Accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10; Devil in v. 9 comes from a Gk. Verb meaning “to slander” or “to falsely accuse)
· Accuser of the brothers (Rev 12:10)
· Adversary (1 Pet 5:8)
· Angel of the bottomless pit (Rev 9:11)
· Angel of light (2 Cor 11:14)
· Antichrist (1 Jn 4:3)
· Appollyon (destroyer, Rev 9:11)
· Beelzebub (Mt 12:24; Mk 3:22; Lu 11:15)
· Belial (2 Cor 6:15)
· Devil (Mt 4:1; Lu 4:2, 6; Jn 8:44; Heb 2:14; 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 12:9; 20:2) occurs only in the NT (NKJV), 35 times, never translated plural in the English. The word demons (devils, KJV) occurs OT – 4 and NT – 45 in NKJV. In its singular form it appears 32 times in NKJV. The descriptive phrase evil spirit (2) and evil spirits (4) are also found in the NT (NKJV).
· Dragon (Rev 12:7)
· Enemy ( Mt 13:39)
· Enemy of all righteousness (Acts 13:10)
· Evil spirit (1 Sam 16:14)
· Father (Jn 8:44)
· Father of lies (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:8)
· Father of all liars (Jn 8:44)
· god of this age (2 Cor 4:4)
· Lucifer (see remarks above)
· Man of sin (2 Thes 2:3)
· Murderer (Jn 8:44)
· Power of darkness (Col 1:13)
· Power of death (Heb 2:14)
· Prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2)
· Roaring lion (1 Pet 5:8)
· Ruler of the darkness (Eph 6:12)
· Ruler of the demons (Mt 9:34; 12:24)
· Ruler of this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. 1 Jn 5:19)
· Satan (see references above)
· Serpent (Gen 3:4, 14; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:9; 20:2)
· Son of the morning (Is 14:12)
· Son of perdition (Jn 17:12)
· Tempter (Mt 4:3; 1 Thes 3:5)
· Thief (Jn 10:10)
· Wicked one (Mt 13:19, 38
When was Lucifer created?
Some believe Lucifer lived for eons prior to Adam. Here is what we know. There is no mention of anything existing other than God prior to creation week in the Scriptures (Ps 90:2), not even any supposed debris or material floating in space from a pre-Adamic world (cf. Is 45:18; Jn 1:1-3; Rom 4:17; Heb 11:3). After creation (day 1) angels are mentioned (Gen 1:1 compare Job 38:4-7).
Since all of creation took place within six days, angels were created then (Exo 20:11). The angels of God shouted for joy over God’s creation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). God created the heavens and then the earth. Angels were created on the first day of creation for they rejoiced over God creating the earth.
All of the angels were holy and without sin through the creation week because in Gen 1:31 God described the universe and all with in it as very good. How many angels does all include, millions upon millions, perhaps billions of angels (Dan 7:10; Heb 12:22; Rev 5:11, myriads of myriads).The only thing described as “not good” by God of His creation was Adam being alone (Gen 2:18). If Lucifer and a third of the angels had fallen (Rev 12:4), God would not have described His Creation as very good (Gen 1:31) at the beginning of the seventh day.
When did Lucifer and a third of the angels fall?
Well, it happened after creation week (Gen 1:31) and before Genesis 3:1 when Satan entered into the serpent (cf. 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:9; 20:2), and walked onto the stage of human history in the Garden of Eden (Ezek 28:13) and solicited Eve to disobey God.
How much length of time transpired from the 7th day until Genesis 3:1?
It’s not known for certain. Lucifer fell sometime between the 7th day and before Eve conceived a child (Gen 4:1). We don’t know how old Adam was when Cain was born, but Adam was 130 when Seth was born (Gen 5:1). Lucifer fell and dragged a third of the angels (This amount is based upon Rev 12:4, though this verse specifically has reference to the Great Tribulation period.) with him sometime after Creation was complete but prior to Eve having her first child.
It’s not known for certain. Lucifer fell sometime between the 7th day and before Eve conceived a child (Gen 4:1). We don’t know how old Adam was when Cain was born, but Adam was 130 when Seth was born (Gen 5:1). Lucifer fell and dragged a third of the angels (This amount is based upon Rev 12:4, though this verse specifically has reference to the Great Tribulation period.) with him sometime after Creation was complete but prior to Eve having her first child.
What was Lucifer’s like before his fall?
There are two classic passages that generate an endless stream of debate, Ezekiel 28:11-16 and Isaiah 14:12-15. Both passages speak of a literal king, the king of Tyre and the king of Babylon, respectively. Ezekiel and Isaiah reveal the real but invisible power behind these worldly evil thrones, Lucifer or Satan. Satan is the principality who is behind the powers of this corrupt world system (Eph 6:12), whether the kings and rulers of this world actually know this or not. Satan is the energizer of the world system.
Ezekiel 28 describes Lucifer’s pre-fallen state:
· V. 12 – Seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in [angelic] beauty.
· V. 13 – You were in Eden, the garden God (Gen 3:1-15).
· V. 13 – Describes his rich outward adornment of precious stones.
· V. 13 – The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes. It is feasible that Lucifer was in charge of the heavenly praise.
· V. 14 – Anointed cherub. Lucifer’s exalted position was to guard the very throne of God. His position was that of protecting the holiness of God (cf. Gen 3:24).
· V. 14 – I establish you. It was God, not Lucifer that exalted him (cf. Prov 8:16; Rom 13:1).
· V. 14 – Lucifer had access to God’s holy mountain.
· V. 14 – You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. The exact identification of these stones is uncertain. What is sure is that Lucifer had access to God’s presence.
· V. 15 – You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created. Lucifer was sinless, blameless, having no defect at his creation.
Isaiah 14:12- describes Lucifer’s fall (Lu 10:18; cf Rev 12:8-10) – I will be like the MostHigh (v. 14).
· V. 12 – Lucifer, son of the morning.
· The five “I wills” the arrogance of Lucifer.
o I will ascend into the heaven (v. 13)
o I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of God (v. 13)
o I will also sit on the mount of the congregation (v. 13)
o I will ascend about the heights of the clouds (v. 14)
o I will be like the Most High (v. 14)
And the result of such defiance?
Ezekiel 28: 15; 16b,
Ezekiel 28: 15; 16b,
You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you…. Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.
What was Lucifer’s motive?
After reading Ezekiel’s account of Lucifer before his fall, you have to wonder, “What in the world was Lucifer thinking?” I mean, how stupid can an angel be to rebel against God? How do you psychoanalyze the mind of an angel anyway? It is probably safe to say at least that Lucifer’s pride got the best of him (cf. 1 Tim 3:6). Obviously, he was jealous of God. But theoretically speaking, it is within the realm of plausibility that Lucifer was also jealous of Adam and Eve and the authority given them over the earth. He does hate humans with an intense hatred. Lucifer’s sin was born out of a choice, not because he was flawed. Evil is not a creation but a choice to disobey God.
After reading Ezekiel’s account of Lucifer before his fall, you have to wonder, “What in the world was Lucifer thinking?” I mean, how stupid can an angel be to rebel against God? How do you psychoanalyze the mind of an angel anyway? It is probably safe to say at least that Lucifer’s pride got the best of him (cf. 1 Tim 3:6). Obviously, he was jealous of God. But theoretically speaking, it is within the realm of plausibility that Lucifer was also jealous of Adam and Eve and the authority given them over the earth. He does hate humans with an intense hatred. Lucifer’s sin was born out of a choice, not because he was flawed. Evil is not a creation but a choice to disobey God.
What is Satan modus of operandi (method of operation)?
We mentioned last week that the pattern of temptation used against Eve approximately 10,000 years ago was the same tempter’s template 8,000 years later with the temptation of Christ; and today, 2,000 years from Christ, Satan utilizes the same approach with his classic solicitations found in 1Jn 2:16,
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
World – This can have three meanings: (1) earth, Acts 17:24, (2) mankind, Jn 3:16, and (3) the invisible world system in opposition to God, 1 Jn 2:16.
All that is in the world – This, by the way, is an accurate characterization of the evil world system controlled by Satan in rebellion and opposition to God. It is a system where the rule of life is governed by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. This is the unseen system behind all sin that is in the world.
Lust – (Generic term, context determines usage) Here used in the negative sense for a strong desire or craving for evil things.
Satan’s strategy has always appealed to these three gateways to incite sinful desires.
Flesh – The appeal to the sensual bodily appetites of the sin nature of man, his lower appetites (Gal 5:19-21; Rom 8:7-8; contrast 2 Pet 1:4; Gal 5:17-23; Rom 7:18; Jn 6:63; Php 3:3; Rom 13:14).
Eyes – The appeal to the outward things seen in the world 2 Sam 11:2; Josh 7:21; Psa 119:37; Mt 5:27-29).
Pride of life – The appeal to man’s relation to others (boastful pride of life, NASB) arrogant assumption over one’s circumstances; bragging in order to impress people (Jam 4:16). “Feast your eyes on this!”
· The Temptation of Eve, Gen 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
· Lust of the flesh: saw that the tree was good for food
· Lust of the eyes: that it was pleasant to the eyes
· The pride of life: a tree desirable to make one wise
· The Temptation of Christ, Luke 4:1-14
· Lust of the flesh: If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread
(v. 3).
(v. 3).
· Lust of the eyes: Taking Him up to a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time… All this authority will I give You, and their glory… (vv. 5-6).
· The pride of life: Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here...”(v. 9). [about a 400’ precipitous drop]
Paul said we are not ignorant of his [Satan] devices [or schemes] 2Co 2:11).
To love the world is worldliness (1 Jn 2:15). Worldliness just doesn’t happen all of a sudden; it’s a gradual downward process. There is an erosion of godliness that takes place over time.
First, the believer becomes friends with the world system (Jas 4:4; contrast 1 Jn 3:13)
Second, the believer becomes spotted by the world by accepting and adopting the ways of the world (Jas 1:27).
Third, the world loves the Christian (contrast 1 Jn 3:13; Rom 12:2; 1 Jn 2:15).
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Pain and Suffering (reflections in the book of Job concerning Job, Satan, and God)
Let me point out a couple of things concerning Satan in this well known story of Job.
- Satan is not omnipresent (everywhere present) but only has a localized presence, in other words, he can only be at one place at a time though he can be anywhere in the world in a heartbeat (Job 1:7).
- Satan searches for victims to assault (1 Pet 5:8), that is what our adversary does. He knew about Job and had been looking for a way to get at him because Job feared God (Job 1:1). Look at his statement to God in Job 1:10,
Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has one very side?
How did he know that unless he had already been trying to get at Job, to find a breach in the security? Satan knew God was blessing Job and was trying to find a chink in Job’s armor (Job 1:10b). Satan is always trying to find a way to get at people blessed by God.
- The intensity of Satan’s hatred toward God’s people is seen in the extent he carries out his permission parameters from the LORD (cf. 1 Pet 5:8) with no remorse. He goes all the way to the boundary set by God. If God allowed Satan to go one mile and no further, Satan will go one mile. If God gave permission for Satan to go five miles and no further, Satan will go five miles; he is mission intensive and will settle for no less than what’s been granted. This is not to say that Satan does not desire to go beyond God’s boundaries; he does, but he is restrained by the Almighty hand of God.
- Satan is the accuser before God (Rev 12:10) and makes his accusation against Job (Job 1:11) in the court of heaven, taking his position to the right of the accused (cf. Zech 3:1).
- Satan’s proposition – True believers are only faithful because you bless them. Subject them to pain and suffering and loss, and I can break their faith. Do you realize what Satan is saying here (Job 1:11; 2:5)? They only love you for what you do for them! Take that away and they will desert You, curse You! Abandon You! They are only greedy, parasitical moochers.
- God promises to sustain the faith of His children ([Ps 37:32, 38], Ps 97:10; 121:4-7; Luke 22:31-32; Jude 4).
Other than Christ, Job, in my estimation, probably suffered more than any man who ever lived or will ever live, even though he never suffered a martyr's death. And through his pain and suffering and loss and having to live with that the rest of his long life, God provided the book of Job for all believers throughout the ages that we might learn from Job's experiences and through the perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures might have hope in our pain and suffering (cf. Rom 15:4). Note the sequence of events in the book of Job.
First, in one day he suffered the lost of his property, servants (all but four), and his 10 children (Job 1:13-19).
Second, Satan attacks Job’s health (Job 2:7), remember there were no pharmacies or walk-in clinics or hospitals back then!
Third, Job’s wife, the love of his life, cried out for him to curse God and die (Job 2:9).
Fourth, Job’s friends were certain that Job had sin in his life due to the severity of his situation, with friends like these you don’t need enemies (Job 2:11).
Fifth, Elihu threw in his two cents worth (Job 32:1-4).
Sixth, God answered Job (Job 38:1).
Seventh, Job is restored two-fold (Job 42:10).
Our hope is in God.
First, in one day he suffered the lost of his property, servants (all but four), and his 10 children (Job 1:13-19).
Second, Satan attacks Job’s health (Job 2:7), remember there were no pharmacies or walk-in clinics or hospitals back then!
Third, Job’s wife, the love of his life, cried out for him to curse God and die (Job 2:9).
Fourth, Job’s friends were certain that Job had sin in his life due to the severity of his situation, with friends like these you don’t need enemies (Job 2:11).
Fifth, Elihu threw in his two cents worth (Job 32:1-4).
Sixth, God answered Job (Job 38:1).
Seventh, Job is restored two-fold (Job 42:10).
Our hope is in God.
Job is compared to the likes of Noah and Daniel (Ezek 14:14-20) and for his patience by Jesus’ half-brother James (Jam 5:11). With all of the intense pain and suffering Job endured, God never told Job why he suffered so. This naturally leads to the question of why do we experience pain and suffering if God is sovereign and a God of love? There are a lot of bad things that happen to good people, like Job.
There are five possible reasons for suffering (JM).
- Because of sin (cf. Num 12:10-12)
- Chastening (cf. Heb 12:5-12)
- Strengthening (cf. 2 Cor 127-10; 1 Pet 5:10)
- to reveal comfort and grace (2 Cor 1:3-7)
- Unknowable (cf. Ex 4:11; Jn 9:1-3)
Two thoughts in this matter of pain and suffering.
1.The object and degree of trust, Job 13:15
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.
God designed it that we may never know the specific reason for our suffering, but we
must trust in the sovereign hand of God even unto death. A case must be built from
God's own silence in the book of Job.
The only answer to suffering provided by our Lord is that we trust in Him;
something the lost will never do.
Even though all things that happen to us are not good, God
in His sovereign purpose works all things [good or bad]
together for our good (Rom 8:28). What makes our
reaction to pain and suffering different than the lost man
who experiences pain and suffering? The pivotal difference
is that as true believers we trust while the lost person
without Christ questions God's goodness. We have hope;
the lost is without hope.
2. Trust is based on a proper understanding of the character
of God.
1.The object and degree of trust, Job 13:15
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.
God designed it that we may never know the specific reason for our suffering, but we
must trust in the sovereign hand of God even unto death. A case must be built from
God's own silence in the book of Job.
The only answer to suffering provided by our Lord is that we trust in Him;
something the lost will never do.
Even though all things that happen to us are not good, God
in His sovereign purpose works all things [good or bad]
together for our good (Rom 8:28). What makes our
reaction to pain and suffering different than the lost man
who experiences pain and suffering? The pivotal difference
is that as true believers we trust while the lost person
without Christ questions God's goodness. We have hope;
the lost is without hope.
2. Trust is based on a proper understanding of the character
of God.
- In the first chapter of Job, Job is called blameless and upright (Job 1:1). By the end of the last chapter Job abhors himself. Why? Job saw God for who He really is. After the Lord’s discourse, listen to Job response, I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore, I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). That's humility.
- Never did Job question God, what about the loss of my property? What about the deaths of my children? What about the death of my servants? What about my deteriorating health? Why are my friends accusing me of sin? Why? Why? Why? No, folks. He humbled himself before God Almighty instead.
- When Job received a revelation of God’s wisdom, power, providence, and sovereignty it put everything in perspective for him. God had communicated to Job through all of this about His person, not about Job’s problems. When we question rather than trust God, our pride is at the bottom of it. Our questioning takes on an accusative tone – “Why? How could you?” This is the overtones of doubt and mistrust.
- Where do we get a correct vision of God, from the Word of God. All that happened to Job was for our benefit (Rom 15:4). We must get in the Word and learn of God, who He is and what He is about. It is vital we never lose sight of God in the midst of our pain and suffering or we will fall a willing victim to the lies of the enemy as Satan fills our head with – “God doesn’t love you! He’s in charge, and He let this happen! You can’t trust Someone like that!”
- What was the extent of Job’s trust, remember we referred to it earlier in Job 13:15, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. The devil will go to the very end of his permission parameters. We must trust God who allows Satan to go there to the very end if need be. God knows our frame and how much we can bear under the stress load (1 Cor 10:13). We must trust in God even unto our death.
- Now that Job is humbled, he can be exalted (Job 42:10-17; cf. 1 Pet 5:6; Jas 4:10).
- Keep in mind that though Job was restored two-fold, his first ten children are dead and practically all of his servants are dead. This reminds us that we are engaged in a great spiritual war, and there will be casualties. Job will have to live with this terrible situation for the rest of his days, the silent suffering of days gone by.
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him (Psa 18:30).
Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies (Psa 40:4).
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Php 3:10; cf. 2 Cor 11:24-28).
Many Christians are satisfied with expenditure in which there is no ‘shedding of blood.’ They give away what they can easily spare. Their gifts are detached things, and the surrender of them necessitates no bleeding. They engage in sacrifice as long as it does not involve life; when the really vital is demanded, they are not to be found. They are prominent at all triumphant entries, and they willingly spend a little money on colorful decorations—on banners and palm branches; but when “Hurrahs” and “Hosannas” change into ominous murmurs and threats, and Calvary comes into sight, they steal away into safe seclusion. Jowett
There is a tendency not to trust that which we are unfamiliar. Unfamiliarity breeds mistrust, right? Many of God’s people are unfamiliar with the Word of God and cannot counter the satanic attacks on God’s character and His Word when pain and suffering enter the picture. All they know is that God is in charge and supposed to be a loving God; but the pain and suffering paint a different picture. They begin to question the character of God….blaming, angered, resentful, bitterness follows.
Satan always lies; God always tells the truth. We have to make a choice, beloved, in whom we are going to believe. The words of Joshua to the people of Israel is poignant,
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve [trust, added] the LORD (Joshua 24:15).
Keep in mind that when we question God about our pain and suffering, we are questioning the One who knows all about pain and suffering (Heb 4:15). Remember the cross, remember Me, remember Job.
Satan, our enemy, wanted to be like the Most High; and due to his pride, he was removed from his exalted position. God shares His glory with no one, angels or man. God has jealously guarded that honor for Himself, but to be like Christ the sons of Adam are called to be, to be holy for He is holy (Lev 19:2; 1 Pet 1:15-16), like the One seated upon the throne. He who was and is and is to come can only be described by the unending antiphonal cries of the Seraphims, Holy, Holy, Holy (Is 6:3 cf. Rev 4:8). Pride derailed Lucifer. And somehow I sense that pride oftentimes derails us in the midst of our pain and suffering when we are most vulnerable. Pride questions; humility trusts. If we are not careful we will plummet to the dark chasm of sinful thoughts while in the depths of our hurt and arrogantly come forth and ascend to the heights of protest, "I will, I will question the Most High in this matter." Beloved, only through trust will we ever be able to say like Job, Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15) and like Christ, Not as I will, but as You will (Mt 26:39). That is the answer, the only answer on this side of eternity - trust Him, no matter the experience, no matter what (Ps 34:8; Prov 3:5-6).
Satan, our enemy, wanted to be like the Most High; and due to his pride, he was removed from his exalted position. God shares His glory with no one, angels or man. God has jealously guarded that honor for Himself, but to be like Christ the sons of Adam are called to be, to be holy for He is holy (Lev 19:2; 1 Pet 1:15-16), like the One seated upon the throne. He who was and is and is to come can only be described by the unending antiphonal cries of the Seraphims, Holy, Holy, Holy (Is 6:3 cf. Rev 4:8). Pride derailed Lucifer. And somehow I sense that pride oftentimes derails us in the midst of our pain and suffering when we are most vulnerable. Pride questions; humility trusts. If we are not careful we will plummet to the dark chasm of sinful thoughts while in the depths of our hurt and arrogantly come forth and ascend to the heights of protest, "I will, I will question the Most High in this matter." Beloved, only through trust will we ever be able to say like Job, Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15) and like Christ, Not as I will, but as You will (Mt 26:39). That is the answer, the only answer on this side of eternity - trust Him, no matter the experience, no matter what (Ps 34:8; Prov 3:5-6).
