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THE KING’S BUSINESS
2. The Catastrophe. Satan left God’s presence and in rapid succession sent two great calamities upon Job. First all his property was taken from him and then his beloved sons and daugh ters were snatched away. But Job sins not. Satan appears again before God and God as it were taunts him with the integ rity of Job. Satan replies, “Skin for skin (life for life), 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.” God then permits Satan to touch Job, to do his worst', but not to take his life. Job is stricken with a malignant form of lepro sy, his whole body being covered with black, burning boils. This loathsome disease accompanied by intolerable itching. 3. The Charges of Job’s three Friends and his caustic replies. (Ch. 24-32), Three of his friends (as was the oriental custom) come to comfort him in his misery. They all believe that Job is a hypocrite and insist that God is just, that He deals with everyone according to his work, that He alwhys rewards the right eous and punishes the wicked; therefore Job must be guilty of some secret sin. Of this they accuse him and urge him to con fession. Instead of comforters they are tormentors. Several times Job asks them to go away and leave him to die in peace. At times his replies to their accusations reach a height of irony which is superb. (Job 12:1, 2). In the midst of his suffer ing the question “Why, why,” is continu ally before him. The most amazing virtue exhibited perhaps is Job’s marvelous faith. When all his property was destroyed and then the heart-breaking news of the death of his children reached him, he said, “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.” When the terrible disease laid hold on him what faith his wife may have had was lost and she advised Job to “curse God and die.” And he replied, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish worn-
blessings that God had given Job formed a hedge about him, protecting him from Satan. This was a direct insult to God. To say that the best of men loved God just for the blessings he received, and not for God Himself, is to insinuate that God alone is not worthy of love or capable of inspiring it. It would be an insult to hint to a father that all that keeps his family from leaving him is the food and clothing he provides them. If Job served God only for that which he received then God, of Himself, must be lacking in perfection and that which attract’s true devotion. Satan charges God’s champion with being mer cenary and so indirectly assumes that God lacks that perfection which would inpsire man’s devotion to Himself alone. This explains the suffering of Job. God vindi cates His own honor by permitting Satan to test Job, to put him in his sieve. Job probably never knew until he was in- glory why he suffered. It is all very clear to us when we have the whole scene before us. We suffer and ask, “why,” now, but as we stand on the mountain tops of eternity and have the afterview, all will be clear. It was not so much a question of Job’s loyalty as God’s honor and power. The question was. “Is the grace of God able to keep one of His servants faithful to Him, though he be stripped of every thing men count dear?” Satan’s charges against Job could be rightfully made against many Christians. If God would suddenly take, from them all their bless ings they would turn from Him. After Abraham, out of the generosity of his great heart, gave Lot the choice of land, and Lot out of a selfish heart chose the better and richer land of the plain, leaving Abraham the hilly country, God appeared and said to Abraham, “Fear not, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.” God and God alone is the Christian’s por tion. III. The Contest. (1 :1 3 -3 8 :1 ). I. The Challenge Accepted. God accepted Satan’s challenge.
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