God Gives Blessings and Brings Trouble (Job 2:1–13)

 

God Gives Blessings and Brings Trouble (Job 2:1–13)

No one likes suffering. Yet no one is completely free from it. Job lost all his possessions and children, and now his entire body was covered with painful sores. In Job 2, although he suffered the merciless attacks of Satan, Job confessed that God gives blessings, and He also brings trouble. Satan’s claim—that if visible blessings are removed, a believer will inevitably curse God—was a lie. God has already given every believer the hope of the heavenly kingdom, whose glory and honor cannot be compared with anything in this world.

Satan Again Tests Job

1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” 3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” (Job 2:1–3)

This scene is very similar to chapter 1. It is, of course, an event taking place in heaven. Why does God continue to allow Satan to stand before Him? Even after Satan struck Job so mercilessly, why does God not remove him? It is because God’s appointed time has not yet come, and because evil has already entered the human heart. Yet in every situation, God’s justice, truth, and love remain completely perfect and holy.

It is true that we are limited in our ability to explain all of this. But at minimum, we know this: Satan can never cross the boundary God has set. And God, who is all-knowing and all-powerful, knows all things—including the limits of what Job can endure.

There is also one more truth: before God, there is no such thing as a death that is unfair or a situation that is truly unjust. This world is filled with corruption, injustice, and systems tilted away from transparency and fairness. But God cannot be deceived. He will judge everyone according to what they have done, good or evil (Romans 2:6). His judgment is just, righteous, and holy.

36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36–37)

Jesus also taught His disciples not to fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but to fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). After Job’s time of testing was complete, God blessed him and restored everything twofold (Job 42:10).

Satan stood before God as if nothing had happened. His response was the same as before—“roaming throughout the earth.” Even though Satan had incited God to strike Job without reason, Job still held firmly to his integrity and did not blame God.

Satan’s lie was exposed, and he was defeated. Yet he did not repent. This is the nature of sin. Though God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all sin, and though sinners receive the due penalty for their wrongdoing, the world does not repent but continues to sin (Romans 1:32). Therefore, trouble and distress continue (Romans 2:9). But those who repent and turn back through discipline will bear the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).

Satan Lies Again

4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 2:4–5)

Although his previous lie had already been exposed, Satan refused to submit to God and again raised objections with another lie. “Skin for skin” means that a person may give up possessions, but not his own life. So Satan confidently claimed that if God struck Job’s flesh and bones, he would surely curse God.

Satan, though a spiritual being who has seen the glory of God, did not believe and would not trust Him. Not only did he refuse to believe, he rebelled and sought to exalt himself above God’s authority (Isaiah 14:13). Jesus said that Satan was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, teachers of the law, and Jewish leaders, saying that they belonged to their father, the devil (John 8:44). They acted just as the devil desired—rejecting Jesus, the Messiah sent by God, arresting Him, condemning Him to death, and handing Him over to Pilate to be crucified.

Therefore, those who do not stand on God’s truth but act according to their own desires are following the devil. This is what it means to live according to the flesh. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on what the flesh desires, and the mind governed by the flesh is death (Romans 8:5–6).

“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7–8)

Haman in the book of Esther is a clear example of someone who belonged to the flesh. He had been elevated by the king to the highest position under him, yet he was furious because Mordecai refused to bow down to him. Eventually, he plotted to kill all the Jews in the Persian Empire, including Mordecai.

One day, the king asked Haman, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Haman assumed the king meant him, so he suggested dressing that man in a royal robe, placing a crown on his head, and having him ride on the horse the king himself rode as someone led him through the city streets proclaiming his honor (Esther 6:8–9). Then the king commanded Haman to do exactly what he had said—for Mordecai. Haman hid his anger and carried out the king’s order, parading Mordecai through the city. This is what a person of the flesh looks like.

God allows Satan to strike Job

“The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.’” (Job 2:6)

God placed Job in Satan’s hands. Satan could strike his bones and flesh but could not touch his life. God allowed this because He knew Satan’s lies would be exposed and because He knew what Job could endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). Through this, God wanted to reveal the secrets of heaven to him.

Why must human beings go through suffering and pain? It is because of God’s love and grace. After Adam fell into sin through Satan’s deception, God told him he would have to toil for food by the sweat of his brow and eventually return to the dust (Genesis 3:19). To the woman, He increased the pains of childbearing and said her desire would be for her husband and he would rule over her (Genesis 3:16).

This is not a curse but a merciful prescription for restoring humanity from its fall. Humans forget most things, but painful experiences are remembered for a long time—especially failures and wounds.

Sin says that a person can live without God. Through suffering and hardship, God leads us into the truth that we can do nothing by ourselves. This is the truth of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we can do nothing, it is as if we die. But when we die by faith—self-denial—God raises us again by His resurrection power. Therefore, while we cannot do anything on our own, we can do all things through the strength and authority of Christ (Philippians 4:13).

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Satan strikes Job’s bones and flesh, but Job does not sin

“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:7–10)

Satan struck Job until painful sores covered his entire body. The pain was unbearable. Job sat among the ashes scraping himself with broken pottery. Satan’s cruelty was once again exposed before the whole world. Job’s suffering reached rock bottom. His wife, unable to watch any longer, lashed out at him and told him to curse God and die.

But even in that misery, Job rebuked her as a foolish woman. He said that since they had received good from God, they should also accept trouble. In all of this, Job did not sin against God. Once again, Satan’s lies were exposed. Satan always ends up defeated.

Job confessed that God gives both blessing and trouble. God’s blessing is pure grace, for we do not deserve anything from Him (Ephesians 2:8–9). God gives endless blessings to those who believe and obey, including the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven.

At the same time, God also gives trouble. If blessing is grace, trouble is also grace. In truth, people deserve trouble more than blessing, for all have sinned. Yet here, trouble refers to God’s holy discipline—His refining work. Through this painful process, He shapes us into people who are fit to stand before Him.

“These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)

Job’s friends come to comfort him

“When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” (Job 2:11–13)

Job’s three friends were overwhelmed when they saw him—he was almost unrecognizable. They cried out, tore their robes, and threw dust on their heads. For seven days and nights, they sat on the ground with him without speaking, because his suffering was so severe. They were stunned into silence.

People lose words in the face of sorrow and tragedy. But this kind of misery is happening all around the world even today.

Therefore, our hope is not in this world. Not in wealth, health, or success. Our only hope is the eternal kingdom of God. Amen! Holding on to that hope, we endure present suffering and pain with patience.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

November 16, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Job Did Not Blame God (Job 1:13–22)

 

Job Did Not Blame God (Job 1:13–22)

God allowed Satan to strike everything Job had. This was not because God was randomly tormenting Job. God knew that Satan’s lies would be exposed as lies, and God also wanted to teach Job the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom.

However, not everyone receives suffering as severe as Job, and some even experience more severe suffering. But we believe that God trains each person with love and truth.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

In Job 1:13–22, Satan struck all of Job’s property and his children without mercy, but Job did not blame the LORD God. By this, Satan’s lies were exposed, and he suffered shame and defeat. From beginning to end, everything is accomplished according to God’s will.

The Sabeans seized the oxen and donkeys

13 “One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’” (Job 1:13–15)

Satan’s merciless attack began. First, the Sabeans seized Job’s oxen and donkeys. At that time, Job’s children were eating food and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house. The people around Job were potential enemies who could attack at any time. But because God set a hedge of protection around him, they could not find even a small gap. However, the moment God removed that hedge, they attacked without mercy, killed the servants, and seized the oxen and donkeys.

Abraham received God’s promise and left his homeland, relatives, and his father’s household, and moved to the land of Canaan. The surrounding area was full of warlike Canaanite tribes. There is a saying, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” However, Abraham served the one true LORD God, while the Canaanites worshiped their gods. They were the overwhelming majority, and Abraham was alone.

But because God set a hedge around him, no one could dare harm him (Genesis 15:1). Also, with a small number of men, he defeated the large Canaanite coalition army and rescued his nephew Lot. This was because the LORD Almighty was his shield and protection. Therefore, Abraham continued to hold onto the promise of the Almighty God and kept his faith.

Fire fell from heaven

“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’” (Job 1:16)

This time, the fire of God from heaven came down and burned Job’s sheep and servants. This does not mean God sent fire to strike Job. Everything is created by God and belongs to Him. Therefore, it means that God allowed Satan to have authority to bring down fire. When the Israelites complained to the LORD in the wilderness, the LORD heard and became angry, and fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp (Numbers 11:1).

Every year, wildfires cause loss of life and property. Various missiles and artillery shells can turn a city into a sea of fire in an instant. And the destructive power of nuclear weapons is frightening. God judged the world with a flood in Noah’s time, but He gave a covenant that He would never again destroy it with water (Genesis 9:15). In the future, God will judge this world with fire.

“But the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:7)

The Chaldeans seized the camels and killed the servants with the sword

“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’” (Job 1:17)

This time, the Chaldeans formed three raiding groups, suddenly seized the camels, and killed the servants with the sword. Camels and servants were valuable possessions to Job. Satan’s aim makes no distinction between life or property when inflicting loss.

In ancient times clothing and livestock were wealth, but today most people have bank accounts. Through voice phishing and various forms of digital fraud, bank balances suddenly disappear. People invest in stocks or other things, then their balances disappear or they end up in debt. Banks can fail and cause financial loss. Unexpected accidents or disease can cause heavy expenses.

In this way, even banks that seem safe are full of danger. Even houses thought to be safe can be broken into by thieves. There is no safe place in this world. You might suddenly lose your job, or be falsely accused, or cancer might develop.

God blessed David and made him king of a united kingdom and established the nation strongly. But one day his son Absalom rebelled, drove out his father, and tried to be king himself. David fled barefoot from the sword of his son, weeping bitterly (2 Samuel 15:30). He had defeated all his enemies around him and no one dared oppose him, but he was struck in an unexpected way by his own son.

After the conquest of Canaan, through the period of the judges, and then the monarchy, Israel went down the path of corruption. The glory and amazing victories of the Passover, walking through the Red Sea on dry ground, and bringing down Jericho by trumpet and shouting, and the kingdom of David — these made Israel geopolitically unmatched in strength. But after Solomon, the nation was divided north and south, and it fell into idolatry.

Thus, the northern kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed by Assyria, and the southern kingdom of Judah also had fallen into a condition where it could collapse at any moment as the Babylonian Empire was rising. At that time, God sent the prophet Jeremiah and urged the king and the people to listen to the word of the LORD, repent, and obey. But they believed the lie that because the temple was in Jerusalem, they were “absolutely” safe in every situation.

“Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!’” (Jeremiah 7:4)

Instead of turning their hearts back to God in repentance and obedience, they depended on the temple building standing on Mount Moriah. The prophet continued to warn them that if they held on to their false beliefs and did not repent and turn back, God would destroy that house.

“You have done all these things,” declares the LORD, “and I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors.” (Jeremiah 7:13–14)

Shiloh, mentioned in Jeremiah 7:14, was the place where the ark of the covenant of the LORD once was — it was the center of worship until the united kingdom was established. Then, when the Philistine army came and attacked them, they brought the ark from Shiloh into the battlefield (1 Samuel 4:1–11), because they falsely believed that the ark of the covenant would protect them. In the end, they were defeated in battle, and the ark was captured by the Philistines. It is not the temple or the ark that protects — the LORD Almighty Himself protects.

Nothing in this world — even if it is called the temple or the ark — can secure safety. A bank account or a job also cannot guarantee security. Our safety is in the hand of the LORD alone and is in the kingdom of God. Things in this world are destroyed by moth and rust, and thieves steal them, but the hope in heaven cannot be harmed (Matthew 6:19–20).

A great wind strikes Job’s children

“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’” (Job 1:18–19)

This time, a great wind (like a tornado) came and collapsed the house where Job’s sons were celebrating, and they were killed. A hurricane can swallow ships, and a tornado can instantly swallow houses and lives. These disasters strike suddenly. Today, even though weather forecasting has advanced and we can prepare to some extent, people are powerless before overwhelming forces of nature.

Job’s children were eating and drinking wine when disaster struck. It is a human limitation that no one sees one step ahead. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. When Jesus ascended before His disciples, He said that just as they saw Him go into heaven, He would come back on the clouds (Acts 1:11). But the day when the Lord returns as Judge of all — no one knows (Matthew 24:36).

In Mark 4:35–41, Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat. Suddenly, a furious storm came up, fierce enough to swallow the boat. The disciples woke Jesus, who was sleeping, and pleaded, asking if He did not care that they were about to die. Jesus got up, rebuked the wind, and said, “Quiet! Be still!” and the wind died down completely and became calm. Jesus was rebuking the evil one — Satan — who was working behind it to frighten and overwhelm the disciples.

Job did not blame God

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:20–22)

Job was devastated. In grief and pain, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. Job had only one place to go — before the LORD God. He poured out the sorrow and pain of his heart before the LORD. He said that he came with nothing, and he returns with nothing. Birth and death are not in human control — they belong to the LORD.

He worshiped, saying that the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away — may the name of the LORD be praised. In this shocking and horrifying situation, Job did not blame or curse the LORD. This exposed Satan’s lie, and once again Satan was defeated.

But Satan does not easily retreat. Until his allotted time is over, he continues to deceive, threaten, and try to make people fall. Satan tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness. Each time, Jesus defeated the devil with the Word of God. He left for a time, but until he is destroyed, he never stops deceiving.

The devil does not stop his stubborn attacks even though he knows he cannot win. Even when Jesus was crucified, he mocked Him, saying, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matthew 27:40). But Jesus rejected the voice of the devil and entrusted His spirit to God the Father. Jesus Christ obeyed the Father even unto death. Through the blood of the Son of God, He broke the chains of Satan’s lies, freed people, and gave eternal life. Amen.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Revelation 1:5b-6).

November 9, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

God Tests Job (Job 1:8–12)

 

God Tests Job (Job 1:8–12)

Job was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. One day, Satan appeared before God among the angels. The reason God has not yet removed evil is that He desires to save those who have fallen into sin. However, God will surely judge evil. Satan’s days are not eternal; they are numbered.

In Job 1:8–12, Satan suggested deceitfully that if Job were struck, he would curse God. Then God permitted Satan to test Job but commanded, “Only do not lay a finger on his body.” Through today’s passage, we want to learn the motive and purpose for which God allowed Satan to strike Job.

God Knows Everything Each One Does

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’” (Job 1:8)

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?” God knew well what Satan was doing. The reason Satan observes those who fear and obey God is to look for an opportunity to deceive with lies or threaten them with violence to make them fall.

However, although Satan watches for a chance to strike, he cannot touch God’s children without God’s permission. Just as parents protect their children, God guards His people as the apple of His eye. Nothing can harm or stop the protective hand of God.

God declared that there was no one on earth like Job, blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. God acknowledged Job as a righteous man. Job regularly offered burnt offerings for each of his children, thinking that perhaps they had sinned and cursed God in their hearts (Job 1:5).

In the same way that God knew Job, He knows all people and everything they do. God knows what is in the hearts of men. Therefore, Jesus did not need anyone’s testimony about mankind.

“But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.” (John 2:24–25)

Satan Lies

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 1:9–11)

Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” He claimed that Job’s devotion was only because of the blessings he received, and that if those blessings were taken away, Job would no longer fear God. Job had many children, possessions, and wealth—all given by God. Up to this point, Satan’s statement contained some truth: everything, from life itself to home, clothing, and food, comes from God.

Humans can choose many things in life, such as a spouse or a career, but there are two things we cannot choose—birth and death. The beginning and end of life are not in our hands. This proves that everything comes from God.

God had placed a hedge around Job, his household, and all that he owned. This symbolizes God’s protection. When God allowed Satan to strike Job’s possessions, it was as though the hedge was removed. Without God’s protection, nothing can stand.

The fact that we have daily food, clothing, and shelter is not by accident, nor by our own strength or power. Many people in the world have no home. The difference between those who do and those who don’t is not as great as it seems. Without sunlight and rain, crops cannot grow. Without God’s grace and love, life cannot be sustained.

However, Satan boldly claimed that if God withdrew His blessings, Job would surely curse Him. That was a lie. Even when Jesus was forsaken by the Father, He entrusted Himself to Him. Many believers throughout history have not denied the Lord even in the face of martyrdom.

The things of this world may offer temporary convenience, but none can give eternal life. What belongs to this world perishes, fades, and decays; but the kingdom of God endures forever.

“…an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4)

We have received eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was sent into the world to save us from what is perishable. What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen—the kingdom of heaven—is eternal.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

Satan rebelled against God by stepping beyond his appointed place. He desired to exalt himself above God and was therefore cursed. Now, through lies and violence, he seeks to draw people away from faith in God. Having been condemned for rebelling against his Creator, Satan is desperate to make God’s children fall as well.

The Lord Grants Satan What He Desires

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:12)

The Lord God permitted Satan to have what he wanted. He allowed him to strike everything that Job possessed. However, God placed a hedge of protection so that Satan could not touch Job’s body. Then Satan immediately went out from the presence of the Lord. His steps moved quickly toward Job to strike him.

Why did God allow Satan to do this?
First, because God knew that Satan’s words would be proven false. Satan can never overcome God, nor can he ever separate God’s children from His love.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

Satan, being cursed, will always be defeated, bearing disgrace and shame. Therefore, on those who plan and do evil, God’s wrath comes down from heaven, and trouble and distress never cease (Romans 2:6).

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:14)

Second, God had a lesson to teach Job. That lesson is revealed in the latter part of the Book of Job. It concerns the mystery of the kingdom of God—that God, who created heaven and earth, continues to govern them according to His plan and purpose. In this, God revealed the hidden mystery of evil that lies within humanity.

Job suffered greatly and sighed in anguish, not understanding why he had to endure unbearable pain. He did not know what was happening in heaven. He cried out to God and pleaded for answers, but his three friends could not give him any.

Finally, God spoke to Job out of the storm. Before the voice of God that thundered like lightning, Job could not answer a single word. (Job 40:4–5) Though he had insisted on his innocence and pleaded for a reply from God, now he could only remain silent.

Through the words of the Creator, Job saw and understood what he had never seen or thought before. He once believed that suffering came only upon those who did not fear God. But that was not true. Our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was without sin, suffered pain and affliction on our behalf.

Believers who are born again in Christ now come before the throne of grace, rejoicing in the glory of God. Yet, they also share in Christ’s suffering and tribulation.

“Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:2–4)

Job also did not realize that God restrains evil (2 Thessalonians 2:6). Because God holds back evil, the world still remains in order and peace. Yet a day is coming when He will remove that restraint—this will be the Great Tribulation (2 Thessalonians 2:8). That day will be a time of unparalleled disaster, unlike anything before or after (Matthew 24:21). But it is also the day when the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords (Matthew 24:29-31).

We continue to grow in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10). Through the pain and hardship of life, God reveals His holiness. This is the holy discipline of His love. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He molds us to be the pure bride of Christ.

Yet God does not leave us as orphans. The mystery that was hidden for ages has now been revealed to the saints: Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). As we carry pain and suffering in this world, Jesus Himself helps us from within. He intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26).

Above all, God sets boundaries so that we are not tested beyond what we can bear. Satan may attack ruthlessly, but he cannot cross the line that God has established. God never gives us more than we can bear and handle.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Amen!

November 2, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Job Who Feared God (Job 1:1–7)

 

Job Who Feared God (Job 1:1–7)

God created the heavens and the earth and governs all things. Yet, God and His kingdom are invisible. But what is unseen is not nonexistent. In fact, what is unseen is everything. The universe operates in perfect order according to the will and purpose of God who made it. All creation fears and reveres Him, and therefore obeys Him. Even the flowing waters obey when God commands them to stop (Psalm 77:16).

However, humankind fell into sin and does not fear God. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Not knowing or fearing God is sin. Even so, God did not choose to condemn the world, but to save it by giving His Son without reservation.

In Job 1:1–7, we meet Job, a man who feared God with all his heart. We have heard his story since Sunday school. Through today’s passage, we will learn why we must fear God, and we will pray to fear and obey Him wholeheartedly.

Job Fears God

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. (Job 1:1–3)

Job feared and revered God. His name means “hated.” He was blameless and upright, turning away from evil. His homeland was Uz (wooded), and most scholars place his time around 2500 B.C., likely before Abraham. He was prosperous, wealthy, and the most respected man of his generation.

He was called “the greatest man” because he feared God. Out of reverence for God, he turned away from evil and lived with integrity. He was generous toward the poor and those in need (Job 29:12–17; 31:16–21). He cared for the blind, widows, the disabled, the poor, and orphans. He also defended those who suffered injustice. Truly, Job was a man blameless in God’s sight.

Job Sacrificed Burnt Offering

4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. (Job 1:4–5)

For example, whenever his children held feasts on their birthdays, Job would later call them together and purify them. He would offer a burnt offering for each one of them before God. He did this because he thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.”

A burnt offering was a sacrifice for atonement—a complete offering of an animal burned before God. The animal represented the person offering it. God accepted the sacrifice of the animal in place of the sinner and forgave sin.

This is clearly reflected later in the laws God gave to Moses regarding sacrifices. The fire on the altar of burnt offerings in the tabernacle or temple was never to go out, as it symbolized continual atonement before God (Leviticus 6:8–13). This reveals that forgiveness comes only through the blood of Jesus Christ. The sacrificed animal foreshadowed the coming sacrifice of Christ.

Today, we no longer offer animal sacrifices. Even the Jewish people ceased to do so after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. In the New Testament, Paul explains that the burnt offering is now fulfilled as we offer our own bodies as a living sacrifice to God—this is our true spiritual worship.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Jesus Christ offered His own body completely to God the Father. This was not only through His sacrifice on the cross but also through His ministry—healing the sick, driving out demons, and performing miracles. In all these, Jesus presented His body as a living sacrifice to fulfill God’s saving work. Ultimately, He offered His body unto death on the cross.

How then can we fear God?

In the prayer Jesus taught His disciples, He said, “Hallowed be Your name.” For God’s name to be hallowed means that His honor, majesty, glory, and power are made known and revealed. When God’s name was revealed on Mount Sinai, the people trembled with fear before His majesty, power, and glory (Exodus 19:16). In this way, God has impressed His majesty and honor in the hearts of His people.

God is the Creator, and He rules over all things He has made with love and justice. Who can dare oppose the Creator? No one. To recognize this truth in our daily lives and to live before Him with this awareness is to fear God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, omnipresent, all-knowing, and almighty. He reigns forever in glory, honor, and power. Amen.

What Happened in Heaven

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” (Job 1:6–7)

This scene was invisible to Job. The heavenly realm is unseen, yet God reveals its mysteries little by little through His Word. The “sons of God” here refer to angels, and the scene resembles a heavenly council. It is astonishing to see that Satan was also among them, standing before the Lord.

Satan first appears in Genesis 3 as the cunning serpent who tempted the woman to sin and thus came under God’s curse (Genesis 3:14). Yet here, he is seen standing among God’s heavenly beings before the Lord.

This raises a difficult question: why did God allow Satan to approach in the garden? God, being omniscient and omnipotent, already knew that Adam would fall. The answer to this question is not easy. We cannot fully comprehend the mind of the Almighty.

Yet, based on Scripture, we can see that Satan is one of God’s created beings. His fall occurred before the creation of the world, when he rebelled against God, refusing to remain in the position appointed to him. He desired to ascend to the heavens and make himself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13–14). Because of this rebellion, Satan was judged and will receive his due punishment.

If a heavenly being like Satan fell despite seeing the glory and majesty of God, how much more prone is humankind—who cannot see God—to turn away from Him? This gives us much to ponder. But when we enter heaven, all such mysteries will be revealed to us clearly, like tangled threads finally unraveled.

The second question is, why does God not remove the fallen Satan? This question may not be so difficult to answer. Because if God were to remove evil, there would not be a single person who could be saved. This is because all people are under sin in Adam. To be under sin means not to obey the Creator God. Disobeying and rebelling against God is what Satan does. Therefore, God has not yet removed evil in order to save people from sin and death.

However, even though Satan stands before the Lord among the sons of God, his days are not eternal. The number of his days is set (Revelation 13:5). The day is coming soon when he will be cast out of heaven and thrown down to the earth. In the Revelation written by the Apostle John, there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven (Revelation 12:7–8). John describes the scene as follows:

9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” (Revelation 12:9–12)

From this, one thing is clear: Satan, the devil, can do nothing except what God permits. God created, sustains, and governs everything according to His will and purpose. Nothing happens outside of God’s will. No matter how much the devil threatens or lies, like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, he cannot harm us even a little. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have any trouble at all.

Therefore, God is eternally righteous and also love. We cannot fully understand everything about God. Yet through His Word, God has revealed His holiness, righteousness, and love. Because God hates evil, He will certainly judge it (Romans 2:6). There will be trouble and distress for everyone who does evil (Romans 2:9).

At the same time, because God is love, if one repents and turns back to Him, He will forgive sins and purify from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). He gives freedom and deliverance from hatred, jealousy, and resentment, and leads into rest and peace (Psalm 23:4). God delivers every believer from the snare of the enemy—from lies and threats—and gives living water flowing from the throne of grace in heaven. Amen!

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24–25)

October 16, 2025

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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.