How Dunn It? - Part 3

Now that we have seen the extreme contrast between God and Satan, we are seeing clearly that sickness and disease is not from God nor is it His will. Some of the misconception concerning God's will and sickness again arise out from, "Not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29) One of these comes from the life of Job. In short, many have taught that because God was present when Satan came before Him concerning Job, that it must have been Gods will for Job to suffer such great loss. But is this true? Let us look at what happened in the life of Job.

Many believe that God allows suffering and sickness to come on His children, believers, in the same or similar way that He allowed it on Job. First, we must keep in mind that Satan is the accuser. (Revelation 12:10) When we look at the account of Jobs life, we must keep this in mind. First, Satan accused God of protecting Job. Next, he accused Job in saying that Job would curse God to His face if he were permitted to assault him, his family and possessions (Job 1:6-22, 2:10) Most are taught that this was all part of God’s will for Job, yet why would God speak so highly of Job in both attacks of the devil if this were so?  "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 1:8) "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? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” (Job 2:3)

The fact of the matter is, these attacks on Job had absolutely nothing to do with Gods will nor some mysterious purpose of God for Job. Job himself had given Satan permission to do these things by his own words, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Fear is not from God, it is from Satan. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, "God has not given you a spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7) We must also keep in mind that God is just. Look at what Elihu tells Job and his three friends concerning God, “As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.” (Job 37:23)

Notice, God is abundant in justice; He does not oppress or afflict. If I may paraphrase in more modern terms what Elihu said, "Hey guys, none of these things that has happened to Job is from God nor a part of His will, He done not afflict, oppress, torment, torture or cause one to suffer." Another important thing to keep in mind is God is just, He is consistent with what is morally right; He is righteous; Everything He does is good and right. Do we honestly believe that what Job had experienced matches up even in the most minute way with God who is just?

The fact is, God who is just does not bend justice for anyone. He is just to Himself, man and even the Satan. If He did not hold His justice on an immovable plain, then man and Satan could accuse God of not being just, showing favoritism and or partiality to who he chooses. However, that is not consistent with scripture. "For there is no partiality with God." (Romans 2:11) No, Gods justice is so immovable that Perfect Deity had to become humanity to satisfy a broken law and the claims of justice. It was not God’s will, nor some mysterious purpose for these things to happen to Job, it was Satan who was given permission by Job's own words. Job gave place to the devil and when accused before God, Gods justice had to be upheld.

Another key factor in these events is revealed at the end of the book of Job. First Job repents before the Lord, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) Repentance takes away all territory in ones life that Satan has laid claim to. Satan is no place in a believers life through repentance. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) the confessing of sin to God removes the unrighteousness which gives place to Satan in ones life.   

Next, we see what God was able to do due to Job's repentance, “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 42:12) Some have been led to believe that it was God's will for Job to suffer in the way he did so that God could bless him. I do not know about you, but that sounds sadistic to me. No, God’s will is to bless, especially those who are in Christ. (Galatians 3:29) There is not one sane person that can honestly say that what Job suffered was a blessing. God is a God of life (John 10:10) There is certainly no life in sickness and disease, on the contrary, sickness and disease is death in progress.

In the next part of this series we will look at the Apostles thorn in the flesh, which is another case where God's Word has been taken out of context and meaning to say that sickness and disease is from God or that they are His will.