There’s an elephant in the room. No one really comes right out and talks about the elephant. But, God did. He looked up and said, “Where did you come from?” (Job 1:7) Satan, the elephant in the room, said, “From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.(same verse) It’s obvious by the next verse that God is aware that Satan is on the prowl to see who he can destroy (I Peter 5:8).
Satan is proud enough to think that he can destroy Job if God will just quit protecting him (verse 10). God says, “Go ahead, take everything he has. You just can’t kill him.” Away old Satan goes to steal Job from God. But it doesn’t work. At the end of all the suffering Satan inflicts on Job, Job says, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
Satan was treacherous. He agitated the Sabeans who attacked and stole Job’s oxen and donkeys and killed some of his servants. He caused fire to fall from the sky and burn up the sheep and more of his servants. He planted in the minds of the Chaldeans to attack and steal Job’s camels and kill even more servants. He caused a mighty wind to sweep in from the desert destroying the house and killing all his children. The final agony was afflicting Job with sores from the bottoms of his feet to the top of his head.
Yet, Job did not waver. Yes, terrible tragedies fell on him, and he was a broken man. But in his brokenness, he turned to God. God is the healer of the heart. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalms 147:3) “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Yes, there is an elephant in the room. He’s proud (I Timothy 3:6), fierce (I Peter 5:8), powerful (Jude 9), deceitful (Ephesians 6:11), and subtle (II Corinthians 11:3). But there is a true and just God who is merciful. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) And then there is us. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Satan is proud enough to think that he can destroy Job if God will just quit protecting him (verse 10). God says, “Go ahead, take everything he has. You just can’t kill him.” Away old Satan goes to steal Job from God. But it doesn’t work. At the end of all the suffering Satan inflicts on Job, Job says, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
Satan was treacherous. He agitated the Sabeans who attacked and stole Job’s oxen and donkeys and killed some of his servants. He caused fire to fall from the sky and burn up the sheep and more of his servants. He planted in the minds of the Chaldeans to attack and steal Job’s camels and kill even more servants. He caused a mighty wind to sweep in from the desert destroying the house and killing all his children. The final agony was afflicting Job with sores from the bottoms of his feet to the top of his head.
Yet, Job did not waver. Yes, terrible tragedies fell on him, and he was a broken man. But in his brokenness, he turned to God. God is the healer of the heart. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalms 147:3) “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Yes, there is an elephant in the room. He’s proud (I Timothy 3:6), fierce (I Peter 5:8), powerful (Jude 9), deceitful (Ephesians 6:11), and subtle (II Corinthians 11:3). But there is a true and just God who is merciful. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) And then there is us. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
