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NASB | Job 1:8 The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Job 1:8 The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered and reflected on My servant Job? For there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God [with reverence] and abstains from and turns away from evil [because he honors God]." |
Bible Question:
We all know the book of Job is a hard one to fathom. There are many verses in Bible that affirm the sovereinty of the Lord. And Lord mentions that He is sovereign, He does not have any counsellor. OK. My question is why would God create Satan in the first place. And in the book of Job why He would listen to Satan's masochistic plans and nod to them too!?? Even when God reveals His Will and nature to Job... it does not compensate him justly as his relatives and family members are already dead and are never brought back to life? Q1- What about the sovereingty of God in the face of Satan's doings in God's presence? Q2. If God is all knowing and determines everything.. isnt our free will a myth?? God decides whether we believe in Him or not? This is predestination. Belief in God is not a choice but fate already decided by Him? I find it heart breaking. Please answer these two questions in the light of my comment and dont try to paint all positive and shining picture. Be realistic. Thanks. |
Bible Answer: Dear Embersky, This topic has caused a lot of controversy on the forum. Probably every one of us believes in the Sovereignty of God. The problem is how we define it. I think some of the problems arise from an understanding of the distinction between God's decrees and God's means. (Note how it is God who brings up Job's name to Satan, not vice versa.) The old divines put it this way, "God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree. (Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5)" Note the phrases "free will" and "secondary causes." Remember, we as humans live within the context of creation and are subject to that context. In addition, our level of intelligence is not sufficient to fully understanding all that God does. Consequently, the Bible gives us information in a "digestible" form. You can find many and frank discussions of this issue throughout history. The fact that you are not finding anything but "positive and shining pictures" that are not realistic is simply an indication of the level of understanding of the people to whom you are talking. Some study will reveal there is a great world of theological debate out there that is still Scripturally grounded. In Him, Doc |