Chapter 2 of job.
Scripture:
The Lord asked Satan, "Have you ever looked at my servant Job with your heart? There is no one on earth who is completely upright and in awe of him? God, stay away from evil. Although you excited me to attack him, you destroyed him without cause; He still insists on his purity. " ..... Job said to her, "You talk like a foolish woman. Hey! Where do we start? Blessed are the hands of God, but are they not in trouble? " In all these things, Job did not sin with his mouth. (Task 2:3, 10)
Key words:
I attacked him ... and suffered ... from God.
Experience:
Why did all this happen when disaster happened inadvertently?
"Satan's attack, of course!" I don't know when this answer became the standard answer for Christians. Believers will trace all peace, health and smoothness back to God's blessing, and all disasters, diseases and hardships are caused by Satan's attacks. It seems that deep down, believers have regarded God and Satan as binary opposites and equated him with its power.
The question is, is it really completely biblical?
There was once a painting that was very popular in the online world. There is a man in white (implying Jesus) in the painting, and there is a man with horns, green face and fangs (implying Satan) sitting opposite. The question is, is Satan really qualified to be an equal with Jesus Christ?
Go back to today's reading, when the meeting in heaven is held again. God didn't blame Satan because of Job, saying, "It's all your fault, it's all your fault. You are a cruel beast! " On the contrary, God took full responsibility for Job's suffering and solemnly declared, "I attacked him for no reason and destroyed him ..."
At the same time, on earth, when the miserable Job faced his wife and advised him to die, his answer was to trace the root of his troubles back to God himself. "When we are blessed by God, aren't we also suffering?" Heaven and earth echo each other, and God's authority is exalted. As for Satan, it was completely ignored!
Think about suffering again. If the root of suffering comes from the evil side, my heart can only be filled with deep fear and despair! Because evil people's thoughts and means to people are nothing more than completely destroying everything and my body and mind!
But if the source of pain comes from God's permission, then no matter how terrible and painful it is, its ultimate goal will be good. For the Lord is good, and his lovingkindness endures forever, and his faithfulness endures forever. 100:5) Because God is good, he can never do evil!
Therefore, the poet sighed and said, "God, you have tested us and refined us like silver. You brought us into the net and added a heavy burden to us. You let people run over us with their cars. We experienced fire and water, but you brought us to a rich land. " (Ps。 66: 10- 12) "Because what happened to me came from you, I kept silent." (Ps。 39:9)
Therefore, the prophet declared, "I know what I think for you is to give peace, not evil thoughts, so that you will finally have hope." (Leaf 29: 1 1)
Therefore, the apostles exhorted their disciples, saying, "The temptation you have encountered is unbearable. God is faithful and will not tempt you more than you can bear. When you are tempted, you must always open a way out so that you can bear it. " ( 10: 13)
Pray:
Lord, since you are kind, everything I have experienced will have your good pleasure, so I am silent. Amen!