Job 1:12, commentary and pictures

The Lord placed all that Job had in the adversary's power yet forbade him to lay his hand on Job himself, at first sparing his person and then sparing his life. The permission answered the charge that Job served God for gain and was upright only because a hedge stood about him and his house and all he had, to test whether he would remain faithful when blessing and protection were withdrawn and his goods and then his bone and flesh were touched. Once permitted, the adversary could wield the elements of nature to destroy property and life only so far as allowed, and he swept away flocks and herds, servants, houses and children with blow upon blow in swift succession. His power is limited and held under the authority of One mightier than he, who sets his bounds so that he cannot go beyond them. Such affliction is not always punishment for a sinful course, but is overruled for mercy to refine servants in the furnace and bring them forth purified and better fitted for His work. Though stripped of all and seemingly forsaken, Job held fast his integrity and loyalty and was rewarded, so the faithful need not be terrified by the enemy, for God's wisdom and providence are their sufficient defense.

Permission and Its Context

The Lord placed all that Job had in the power of Satan, giving what he owned into the adversary's hand for testing while forbidding him to put forth his hand upon Job himself. At first Job's person was spared, and afterward when Job himself was placed in Satan's hand the limit was set that his life must be saved. Under this trial Job remained steadfast in integrity, holding fast his faith in God and his consciousness of integrity though seemingly forsaken of heaven and earth, in anguish and perplexity, in contrast with those who meet adversity with murmuring and unbelief. The permission answered Satan's scornful charge in the controversy waged over Job, that Job was perfect and upright and feared God for nothing only because God had made a hedge about him and his house and all that he had. It granted the test Satan demanded, whether Job would remain perfect and upright and fearing God when blessing and protection were removed, when his possessions and then his bone and flesh were touched, or whether he would curse God to His face.

God normally shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer, restraining him from harm. Satan has control only of those whom God does not especially guard. When men show contempt for the law of Jehovah, God withdraws His blessings and removes His protecting care, leaving the rebellious to Satan.

Once suffered to act, Satan could control the elements of nature to destroy property and life, but only as far as God allowed. Having studied the secrets of nature he uses them for destruction through the elements and other means, and when permitted against Job he swiftly swept away flocks and herds, servants, houses and children. The blows fell suddenly one after another in a moment, in rapid succession, taking away possessions and family. This permitted destructive power is used to garner unprepared souls, favoring some and bringing trouble, disease, disaster, famine, pestilence and calamities by nature upon others and upon cities and the world, while leading men to believe that God is afflicting them though the trouble comes when His protection is withdrawn.

The account reveals Satan's indignation against God's servant and his contention against God's servants, acting with violence yet within limits set by God. It connects the heavenly court scene to events on earth, where Satan links himself with people who profess the truth to promote deception and evil, and accuses them.

Meaning of Affliction

Not all suffering is the result of a perverted life or sinful course, for permission was given for Satan to afflict Job, stripping him of all he possessed, breaking his family ties, taking his children, and for a time covering his body with loathsome sores that caused great suffering. The history was given to prevent regarding disease and death as punishment arbitrarily inflicted by God for sin, and to prevent regarding one on whom great affliction or calamity falls as a great sinner, showing suffering inflicted by Satan overruled by God for purposes of mercy. Job's friends wrongly insisted his afflictions came from his own sin and sinful course and tried to prove him guilty before God and deserving of punishment, becoming miserable comforters who brought a grievous test upon him and placed God in a false light. The same error for which God reproved them was repeated by the Jews in their rejection of Christ, who did not understand the lesson Israel had been given.

Affliction may come by overruling Providence and a Father's hand for purposes of His own, illustrating His hand in all events that specially affect the Christian. It is not only the result of transgressed physical law, but certain afflictions may be received as chastisement and ordering from the hand of the Lord. This gives comfort in events that are dark and whose design cannot be understood, because One who sees beyond the narrow limits of human vision is ordering events for good and will eventually bring all things out right. Such permitted trials, allowed only within the boundary God sets, may refine God's servants in the furnace, bringing them forth purified and better prepared and fitted for His work.

Though all that he had was placed in Satan's power while he himself was at first spared, Job was left seemingly forsaken of heaven and earth, stripped of all he possessed, with family ties broken and children taken. In anguish and perplexity he held fast his faith and his consciousness of integrity, loyalty and steadfastness, denied the charge against him, and did not swerve, in contrast with those who would respond to adversity with murmuring and unbelief, and God rewarded His faithful servant. His steadfastness bears witness to the faithfulness of God's promises, to God's abiding presence and sustaining grace, and to the power of faith to rest in God in the darkest hour, even when loss was joined to bodily affliction so severe that he was abhorred by relatives and friends. The plotting against him was not prevented, including the reproach and persecution that comes upon appointed witnesses for truth's sake, but it was caused to work for good by bringing Job near to God to show him his own weakness and God's strength, teaching him to lean on Him, and giving an experience in the furnace of trial and affliction worth more than all its pain.

Limited Power and Protection

Satan's power is limited and controlled by the authority of One mightier than he, for Jehovah has set his bounds and restrained him. He may be permitted to test and to tempt, but only within the boundaries God sets, and he cannot go beyond them, cannot pass the fixed limit God fixes. Even where he would gladly come to the help of those he has deceived who are devoted to his service, even by sending lightning to kindle their sacrifice, none of his devices can convey one spark where God forbids. Such permitted testing may refine God's servants and bring them forth better prepared and fitted for His work.

Because no one can act against God's people beyond what God permits, the faithful need not be terrified by the enemy. God's wisdom and strength and providence are their sufficient help and defense, and He remains the defense of those who suffer for the truth, so that injury done to His faithful servants is treated as injury done to Him. God may suffer His servants to be tried in the furnace of bodily infirmity and affliction, as Satan contends for their usefulness and lives only as God permits, but He sets limits that prevent the suffering from defeating them. He brings them forth purified and better fitted for His work.

God set a boundary on Satan's attack against James, so that Satan could afflict him but could not take his life because God would not allow it. God's protection kept the enemy from going farther, and united faith and prayer drove Satan back, with God preserving lives and answering with healing. The affliction drew the believers nearer to God and to dependence on Him. In the same way Satan sought to take Edson's life and later would have afflicted James unto death, but God restrained him within set limits, angels protected them, and prayer was answered with healing.

The same pattern applies where Satan had smitten a father in order to destroy his children, showing limited power to afflict God's people as Satan's power to afflict Job was limited by God. Job's experience is the example of the Lord proving and testing a faithful servant by acting against what he possessed while forbidding harm to himself. That testing, in which God permitted Satan to place Job's possessions in Satan's power while forbidding him to harm Job himself, is used as a comparison for the Lord's testing and proving of Elder Butler.