SATAN'S CHALLENGE

Chapter 11 of this book explained how Satan the Devil challenged God's sovereignty.  Satan charged God with lying and implied that Jehovah was unfair in not letting Adam and Eve  decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong. After Adam and Eve sinned and as the earth begin to be filled with their offspring, Satan questioned the motive of all humans.  "People do not serve God because they love him,"  Satan charged.  "Give me a chance, and I can turn anyone against God."  The account of the man named Job shows that this is what Satan believed. Who was Job, and how was he involved with Satan's challenge? (note: Job was not informed of this challenge between Satan and God )

Job lived about 3,600 years ago.  He was a good man, for Jehovah said:  "There is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad." (Job  1:8) Job was pleasing to God.

Satan questioned Job's motive for serving God.  The Devil said to Jehovah:  "Have not you yourself put up a hedge about [Job] and about his house and about everything that he has all around?  The work of his hands you have blessed, and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth. But, for a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch everything he has and see whether he will not curse you to your very face." -Job 1:10, 11. 

Satan thus argued that Job served God just for what he got in return.   The Devil also charged that if Job was tested, he would turn against God.  How did Jehovah respond to Satan's  challenge?  Since the issue  involved Job's motive, Jehovah allowed Satan to test Job. In this way, Job's love for God-or lack of it-would be clearly shown. 

Next time: JOB IS TESTED 

From the Book: What Does the Bible Really Teach? 2005 and 2006