JOB: God has Complete Control of Satan and what Happens in Our Lives; the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job,..."

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job;... (Job 1:1) 

We're taking a detour from Genesis to study the book of Job, because he was a man that lived during the early time of the repopulating of the earth.  We know that most areas that people lived in during that time were named after the father or man who settled there.  We learned in Genesis, The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. (Genesis 10:22-23) Job more than likely is a descendant of Uz, because he lived in the land of Uz.

...and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. (Job 1:1-3) Job feared God, stayed away from doing evil, and God blessed him. In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly. (Job 1:4-5) Again, In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity;... (Proverbs 16:6) Job was so righteous, that he even sanctified and made sacrificial offerings on his children's behalf, just in case they had sinned against God. 

We can't save anyone, because God says, "I, the Lord, search the heart,I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:10) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,... For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:1-4) We can make intercessory prayer on their behalf though, and maybe they will be spared until they accept the gift of salvation for themselves.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:6-8) 

We studied in several previous lessons that usually when the scriptures state the sons of God, they are referring to angels.  Remember, Satan was Lucifer, son of the morning! (Isaiah 14:12) “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God;... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones." (Ezekiel 28:12-16)

So Satan was cast out of the mountain of God, he and the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode,... (Jude 1:6) But he still had access to come present himself before the Lord with the sons of God, the other angels.  So why would God "offer up" Job to him? "The purpose of the book is to show the unfathomable wisdom of God's providence, and the benevolence of God even in the trials brought upon His children.  It also explains why God allows righteous people to suffer: to expose their frailty and sinfulness, to strengthen their faith, and to purify them.  The spiritual perspective of the account and the fact that God exercised total control over Satan promotes complete trust in God." *Strong's Key Word Study Bible notes “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor areyour ways My ways,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:9-12)

God gave Satan permission to attack all Job had, even his body but not his life. “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” (Psalm 105:15) And as it is appointed for men to die once,... (Hebrews 9:27) God alone is in control of when that day will be for all of us.  Satan can mess with us and make like very difficult, but do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) It got the worst we could possibly imagine for Job, but when we come to the conclusion of this study, we will come to the conclusion that Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:11) AMEN!