Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Psalm 94:11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are a mere breath. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Psalm 94:11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are a mere breath (vain, empty, futile). [1 Cor 3:20] |
Bible Question: Wow, you are right. Satan did obey. Now, I'am just thinking outloud...Pardon if I ask a stupid question (I'm blond). God remained in control. Does God have control over Satan? If so, why does Satan live? Does he live? My head hurts, I'm going to stop now. |
Bible Answer: Satan (a fallen angel) exercised free-will and became a "resister" - the meaning of the name "Satan" - against God and God's character. Those same chapters in Job (1 and 2) contain an interesting point. Before being ousted from heaven (Rev 12:7-9), Satan still had access to heaven and God's throne. He taunted and questioned God about the motivation for Job's faithfulness. (Compare Job 1:6-11) To allow for Job to prove his faithfullnes, God Almighty "allowed" Satan to severely test Job - short of taking his life. (Compare Job 1:12) In a way, we are all Job's - worshippers of the only true God. Satan challenges of our faithfulness - even putting us under test - much like Job. Remember, he even challenged Jesus - when he was in his physically weakest state (Compare Matthew 4:1-11). An interesting proverb exists that can spurn us on to hold faithful to God. It's Prov 27:11 (KJV) "My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me." This applied to Jesus - a perfect being - and to us, imperfect beings (like Job was). Yes, we can make God's heart glad - imagine that! - when we refuse to allow Satan to use us to support his taunt, 'We only worship God for selfish reasons'. However, Almighty God will not allow Satan to go on forever with these taunts against sincere worshippers of integrity. By and large, worshippers of God have been proving Satan's taunts to be empty, as they hold on to their integrity (despite the tests and trials of this world under his control). So, we are urged to make God's heart happy and ultimately God will respond at his timetable, as prophesied in Revelation 20:1-3 (KJV) "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled..." btw: There's plenty of posts in this forum which provide further background of Satan. Search for "Satan". |