20141025 Saturday, October 25 2014
Job 15: Satan's Calling

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"In all this did not Job sin with his lips"

The English word "voice" originated from an Old English / Anglo Saxon word, voys, that meant to call. The original word, like its present usage, refers not only to the mere sound of a voice, but a "calling" to a way or purpose - hence the reason for the other words that are based upon the same root as voice e.g. vocation, advocate, invoke and convoke.

Lucifer (which means Light Bringer; see the Fact Finder question below) was created by God to be a righteous servant of God - a position that he held as a free moral agent, until he chose to become a loser when "iniquity was found in thee" (see Satan's Fall: From Conservative To Liberal).

"28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezekiel 28:13-15 KJV)

Lucifer thereafter became known by his evil mouth, his "calling," "Satan" - from the Hebrew word pronounced saw-tawn, which means accuser, or blasphemer.

"14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV)

Satan's attack upon Job was intended to turn righteous Job into a blasphemer (see What Was In The Heart Of Job's Tabernacle? and How Did The Devil Challenge Job To Commit A Satan?). Satan was "calling" Job to become a loser like him.

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) permitted the challenge to Job because He knew that Job (as he proved) was not only capable of the test, but would actually be made even stronger in righteousness because of it (see also Job's Prophecy Of The Resurrection).

"1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." (Job 1:11 KJV)

"2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face." (Job 2:5 KJV)

Satan used Job's misguided wife to further provoke Job to "curse God, and die." Notice that, whether by Satan himself, or by those that Satan uses, the goal is always the same.

"2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." (Job 2:9-10 KJV)

So too, three of Job's friends then arrived to comfort him (see A Friend In Deed), but they also soon began accusing Job of wrongdoing. In doing so, they inadvertently added much more to Satan's attack upon Job. They were yet ignorant of the reality that while the LORD's wrath will come upon those who do evil, Satan's wrath will come upon those who do right.

"15:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 15:4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. 15:5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. 15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

15:7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? 15:8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? 15:9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? 15:10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father. 15:11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? 15:12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, 15:13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

15:14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. 15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? 15:17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare; 15:18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it: 15:19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. 15:20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. 15:21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. 15:22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword. 15:23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 15:24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. 15:25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. 15:26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

15:27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. 15:28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps. 15:29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. 15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. 15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. 15:32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green. 15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive. 15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. 15:35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit." (Job 15:1-35 KJV)

Fact Finder: How has Satan created a conterfeit version of Christianity for himself?
See Satan's Masquerade and Who Lights Your Walk?