Can I Know The Will Of God? Pt. 27 God's Permissive Will & Facing Afflictions

 In our last study of the will of God, we moved into the book of Joshua. God's will was for Joshua to be a strong, courageous leader for Israel, as God brought the people into the promised land.

Now, I want to move ahead to the book of Job. Many say that this is the oldest historical text in the Bible, for a variety of reasons. 

We know the story of Job is one of great suffering and that he was the subject of Satan's violent schemes.

A God fearing man and his family.

Job 1:1-5  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. 

God's testimony of the character of Job was that this man feared God and avoided evil. He was perfect, or complete in his standing before God because he was an upright man. 

God blessed Job with seven sons and ten daughters. In that ancient culture, a large family provided more labor to achieve more income for the family. 

Job was involved in animal husbandry and God tells us that he was the greatest man among all men living at that time.

Job loved God and consistently prayed for his children. He reasoned that one of them might have sinned against holy God and so, he offered up animal sacrifices as God commanded, each day on behalf of his children.  

What happened next in Job's life is an example of the permissive will of God at work.

Satan shows his true evil intentions.

Job 1:6-12  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? 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. 

There is a lot that we do not know about the context of Satan coming into the presence of God, but the general idea is that he was required to give God an account of his activities.

Satan's hatred of all who put their faith and trust in God was on display. He is called the accuser, and whenever a believer sins or if Satan spots a weakness in us, he will make accusations against us to God.

In this instance, the upright life and faith of Job provoked his intense hatred of God's children. Notice that God initiated this period of testing in Job's life by asking Satan if he noticed the integrity and upright character of Job.

Satan's reply was that Job only feared God because God protected him and blessed the work of his hands. The Devil claimed that if God allowed Job to be afflicted, then he would curse God.

God's reply was to grant Satan permission to attack all that Job had, but he was not allowed to attack Job himself.

Right here we see that God will allow trials and afflictions in our lives because they do a necessary work in our hearts, by making us more dependent upon God, and less dependent upon ourselves.

Satan's vile attacks against Job were overwhelming. 

Job 1:13-19 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. 

Four solitary messengers escaped the tragic events and made their way to Job to tell him what happened. All of these terrible things came from the hand of Satan and remind us how vile and powerful our enemy truly is. 

Satan assumed that Job would curse God when he endured all the heartache and loss and tragedy that hit his family.

Job did not sin in spite of losing all that he had. 

Job 1:20-22  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. 

In one day, Job lost all of his primary source of wealth (herds and flocks), he lost all of his servants who were taken captive and a violent storm caused the death of all ten of his children.

We cannot imagine the depth of despair and sorrow that engulfed Job, but it must have overwhelmed him. 

Instead of reacting with anger or questioning the goodness of God, Job fell down before God with humility and worshipped Him. He declared his faith in the character of God by stating the fact that he came into the world with nothing and he would leave the world with nothing.

Then, in an astounding declaration of faith in God, Job said the LORD gives and He takes away. Blessed be His name. Thus, Job did not sin nor did he foolishly speak against God.

Thoughts to Ponder...

It is sometimes hard to think that the will of God would be to permit unspeakable tragedy to take place in our lives, yet this is what God's will was for Job.

He looks on our hearts and He knew what was in Job's heart. God was confident in the faith that Job had toward Him. 

Yet, as the book goes forward, we also discover that there were some wrong things that Job thought about God and this is what God corrected through such a painful trial.

God's will was to allow this great affliction in Job's life, so that his faith in God would be vindicated and that God would be glorified, even as Satan's scheme did not have its intended outcome.

This attack was upon Job's children and his tremendous wealth. 

We must ask ourselves, "Am I content to just have God and nothing else?" 

"If my children would be killed like Job's were, will I still love and serve God?" 

"Will I worship God after enduring such an affliction, without knowing the details behind Satan's attack?"

"Is God enough for me, or am I depending upon my wealth, property, status or family. rather than living in dependency upon God?"

This is what the book of Job teaches us about the will of God. We may suffer some similar affliction because God has permitted it, for our good and His glory.

Let us not lose sight of Job's confession of faith. May we be able to say "Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Bob