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Why God Allowed Satan To Test Job: The Problem Of Satan’s Accusation

Satan Accused God of Bribing Job

In the Book of Job in the Old Testament, Satan indirectly accused God of bribing Job with possessions in order to serve Him. This accusation arose in the context of a conversation between God and Satan regarding Job, a righteous and wealthy man who served God faithfully. In this article, I will explore the context and meaning of Satan’s accusation, why God allowed Satan to test Job and its relevance to the broader themes of the Book of Job.

The Story of Job

The story of Job begins with a description of his character and possessions. Job is portrayed as a man who is “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). He was also wealthy, with “seven sons and three daughters, ten altogether, and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, in addition to 500 female donkeys, as well as very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east” (Job 1:2-3). In other words, Job was a man of great moral and material prosperity.

Why did God Allow Satan to Test Job?

God allowed Satan to test Job’s faithfulness, by taking away his possessions, because Satan argued that Job’s loyalty to God was based solely on his material blessings, and that if these blessings were removed, Job would curse God. So, God permitted Satan to take away Job’s possessions, and he did so in a series of calamities that befell Job: his livestock were stolen, his servants were killed, and his children were all killed in a single day.

Despite these tragedies, Job remained faithful to God and refused to curse Him. Satan then argued that this was only because Job himself has not been physically harmed. God permitted Satan to afflict Job with painful sores all over his body, but even in his suffering, Job remained steadfast in his faith. The book of Job is thus a meditation on the nature of suffering, faith, and divine justice.

Satan Accused Job of Counterfeit Righteousness

In this context, Satan’s accusation that God has bribed Job with possessions to serve Him took on a deeper significance. Satan implied that Job’s righteousness was not based on genuine faith in God, but rather on a self-interested desire to retain his material prosperity. By taking away Job’s possessions, Satan sought to test whether Job’s faith was genuine or merely a product of his wealth and status.

Satan’s Accusation of Job and God Revealed his own Flawed Understanding

However, Satan’s accusation also reveals his own flawed understanding of human nature and the nature of faith. Satan assumed that human beings are inherently selfish and that their relationship with God is transactional: we serve God in order to gain material benefits or avoid punishment. Nevertheless, Job’s response to his suffering challenged this assumption. He did not curse God or turn away from Him, despite the loss of his possessions and the pain of his afflictions. Instead, he maintained his faith in God’s justice and righteousness, even in the face of profound suffering.

In this way, the book of Job challenges simplistic notions of divine reward and punishment. It suggests that human suffering cannot be reduced to a simple equation of sin and punishment, and that faith is not merely a matter of self-interest. Instead, it points to a deeper understanding of faith as a relationship of trust and fidelity to God, even in the midst of inexplicable suffering and hardship.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Satan’s accusation that God has bribed Job with possessions to serve Him is a key moment in the book of Job, revealing both Satan’s flawed understanding of human nature and the deeper meaning of faith and suffering. While Satan sought to test Job’s faith by taking away his possessions, Job’s response revealed a more profound understanding of faith as a relationship of trust and fidelity to God, even in the midst of profound suffering.

FURTHER READING

Can A Christian Be Possessed By A Demon Or Evil Spirit?

Spiritual Warfare: How To Know And Fight The Real Enemy

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