Morning Light – March 1st, 2016: Satan Accuses Job before the Throne

Morning Light – March 1st, 2016
Today: [Job One] Satan Accuses Job before the Throne. What can you learn from the book of Job? Most Christians don’t have the courage to read Job. They avoid it for fear they might bring a “Job” experience into their life. Remember that “all scripture” is given by God for our profit. There are lessons in Job that will be transformative in your life when you read it from an illuminated perspective in the light of what Jesus has done for us on Calvary.
[Job 1:1-22 KJV] 1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 And his sons went and feasted [in their] houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of [their] feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings [according] to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
What do we know about the book of Job? Job is considered part of the “wisdom literature” in the bible alongside Proverbs and Ecclessiastes. It more widely belongs to the “Poetical Books” which would further include Psalms and Song of Solomon. The book of Job is placed in the canon of scripture after the book of Esther at the conclusion of the Historical Books ranging from Genesis to Esther.
When does the story of Job take place? It is widely believed that the story of Job took place after the flood and before the time of Moses. This is approximately then 2000 years before Jesus. Some believe that Job was a contemporary with the times of Abraham. Reasons for this approximate dating are as follows:
Eliaphaz, one of Job’s comforters mentions the flood as already having taken place (Job 22:16);
Job as the head of the family functions as a priest (Job 1:5) not having access in his day to a Levitical or other priest class in worshipping God.
Job’s daughters receive an equal inheritance with his sons (Job 42:5) a practice that ended in Moses’ day.
Job’s wealth is calculated by the number of his flocks and not with money or other ancient currency which is consistent with the Patriarchal times that Abraham lived in.
Job lived long enough to raise two sets of children (estimated 200 years) which is more in line with life spans from the Patriarchal dispensation.
Who wrote the book of Job? There is no mention of the author and various scholars have suggested that the book was written either by Job, his young friend Elihu, or perhaps Moses or Solomon.
Where did Job live? The land of Uz is generally thought to have placed Job in the precincts of modern day Damascus and most certainly in the Arabian Peninsula.
The theme of Job is “why do the righteous suffer” and an unveiling not only of Job’s heart and the hearts of his friends but also of what happens behind the scenes at the throne of God where interaction takes place between men and angels and at least at one time if not now Satan himself.
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell [upon them], and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and 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. 18 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
We see now that Satan has come before the throne of God to accuse Job. How could this happen? Is it something that could happen now? In Luke 10:18 Jesus said:
[Luk 10:18 KJV] 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
This happened in the aftermath of Jesus sending his disciples out to preach the gospel. So apparently what you do on the earth has an effect upon the principalities and powers in the realm of angels and demons.
In John 16:11 we read that in Jesus’ resurrection the “prince of this world is judged…” Judgment implies a change of disposition. There were apparently liberties available to Satan before Jesus went to the cross that are now taken from him. We can conclude from all of this that while Satan may have once been able to freely come and go before the throne of God that it isn’t quite that easy for him to do so now.
However is it possible for Satan to EVER come before the throne of God today? Pay attention to verse 6. When Satan would come before God in Job’s time he wouldn’t do so by himself. He came with the “sons of God”. 1 John 3:1 says that you and I are sons of God. The name “satan” means accuser. Let us ask the question: have you ever accused someone – a fellow Christian or other person in prayer? When Satan accuses why would God listen to him? He doesn’t UNLESS the accusation inspired by Satan comes in the mouth of a son of God who otherwise has a right to stand before the throne of God.
Have you been a Job’s comforter? Who were the sons of God who stood before the throne, whom God was listening to? It was very likely the three friends who came to comfort Job in his suffering, because chapter after chapter of the book is a record of their accusations against Job for what they consider self righteousness on Job’s part.
What if you are experiencing a “Job” circumstance in your life? Remember who the accuser is. The name of the enemy of your soul also means “adversary”. If you identify that which is “adverse” in your life you have found where Satan’s seat is and where you should focus your prayers. The matter of discernment becomes very simple when you seek out the pressure points in your life whether they be people distant from you or those you are intimate with on a daily basis – wherever adversity is manifesting is the seat of Satan from which the attack is originating.
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Can Satan challenge your testimony before God today as he did in Job’s case? Much misunderstanding and wrong doctrine arises in Job. Many people read Job and in self pity and self righteousness excuse themselves and maintain they are going through something because God lifted the hedge around them. We must remember that much has transpired to change this from the time of Job until now.
Since Job’s time God has said in Heb. 13:5 “I will NEVER leave you or forsake you …”
Since Job’s time Jesus said in Luke 9:56 “the Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives but to save…”
Since Job’s time Jesus said the gospel of John:
[Jhn 10:10 KJV] 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
I submit to you that in the economy of God established and inaugurated by the suffering of Jesus on the cross there is now a different dispensation that does not afford Satan opportunity to arbitrarily go before the throne of God to impugn our testimony. Even if he could do so always remember that when you stand before the throne now (unlike Job) you have someone to defend you:
[1Jo 2:1 KJV] 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
What about Job’s comforters? What about your friends and people around you who may entertain accusation against you? What happens when loved ones or people in your life look at you through a lens that contradicts how God looks at you? This is for me the looming and insistent lesson of the book of Job. Solomon said this:
[Pro 13:10 KJV] 10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.
Notice the verse doesn’t say “with contention you know one party or the other is in pride…” No it says “only by pride comes contention…” What do you do when others are contending with you? What do you do when you walk into the room and everyone falls silent because they were talking about you? If you choose to react then you class yourself right alongside your accusers. This is what happened with Job. He answers his critics. He seeks to justify himself. This is a fruitless exercise. An alternative to this is to do what we call “go low and worship…” Choose the path of humility. You cannot humble yourself sufficiently to satisfy your accusers but you can humble yourself sufficiently so as not to accuse God foolishly as Job did manage to do.
There is a lesson in Job and many deep understandings about dealing with struggle and suffering. There are insights into the character of God and the kingdom of God that we will glean as we study through this book. Job having experienced such devastating losses doesn’t have any answers. He can only humble himself and trim his words lest he accuse God of doing something that He hasn’t done or being someone that contradicts what we plainly know about our heavenly Father.