Page:Hope-of-a-tree-1934.djvu/13

Feprvuary 1, 1934 Satan the Devil employs to induce men to curse God, and therefore well represents Satan’s organization passing under the name or symbol of a woman. Job fully restored to health and happiness and to all and even more than he had in former days pictures the great truth that God in his due time will restore the human race to health, happiness and life. One greai lesson taught by the book of Job is that of life from the dead by means of resurrection and regeneration ; also that life, which is the greatest desire of man, may be had only through the office of a re- deemer and mediator whom God provides. The presumption is here indulged that all students will carefully study the Scriptural record designated in the Bible as the book of Job. Reference to the text is made here, but a proper consideration cannot be given thercto by anyone without a careful studying of all the texts of the book. From the very beginning of the experience of man the controversy was between the great Creator and his son Lucifer coneerning man. The record shows that Lucifer was one of the ‘‘morning stars’’ who, being informed of God’s purpose to create the carth and the ereature man for the carth, joined in a song of praise to Jehovah. Man was ercated and placed in Eden and was put there under the supervision of Lucifer by Jehovah’s appointment. Lucifer knew that it was the duty and privilege of man to worship his Creator. Lueifer selfishly desired and coveted the worship of man for himself, He rebelled against God and led man to his downfall. Then his name was changed to Sa- tan, which means adversary of God. Ever thereafter Satan has striven to turn man against God that he, Satan, might have the worship of man and hold man in subjection to him. This great fact should always be kept in mind in examining the Scriptures, and particularly the book of Job. At the time of the assembly of the sons of God to present themselves to the great Creator, as mentioned in the record under consideration, almost all men on earth had turned to evil by yielding to the wicked influence of Satan. God had not removed from Sa- tan the lordship of earth, but permitted him to econ- tinue to exercise his power over man, and thereby afforded a full opportunity for the testing of all his creatures. It must have been with much arroganee that Satan appeared in the presence of God, boasting and proud of the fact that he had turned almost all men away from God the great Creator. Jchovah called upon Satan to report his own movements, and the response of the adversary was that he had been about the earth. While the reeord is silent upon the point, it is reasonable to conclude that by his very arrogance in the presence of God, Satan declared, in substanee, that no man would willingly continue to serve God, and in facet would not serve him at all, un- less there were some selfish reason therefor. What, then, was the issue in the controversy at that time? Doubtless it was this: Will man maintam She WATCHTOWER. 45 his integrity before Jehovah? Can God place a man on earth who will be faithful and true to him? Sa- tan would insist that no man would do so, but that all, under certain conditions, would turn against God. Manifestly it was the purpose of God to demonstrate that man, by the grace of God, and acting under his counsel, can maintain his integrity and, by meeting the divine requirements and being obedient to God’s provided way, obtain life everlasting. To determine the issue God would therefore permit Satan to go to the full limit in his attempt to turn ali men against the Lord, and then in his own due time and good way God would demonstrate his own absolute supremacy. Thereby he would teach all erca- tion the all-important lesson that Jchovah is the only true God and there is none besides him. At this point in the controversy Job pictured a class of men who do maintain a perfect condition of heart and hold the confidence of Jehovah. Therefore at the proper oceasion Jchovah offered Satan the opportunity to do his worst. ‘‘And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?’’—Job 1: 8. Satan denied that Job really loved God. He accused God of so hedging Job about that Satan did not have an opportunity to put him to the test. ‘‘Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is inereascd in the land: but put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will eurse thee to thy face.’’—Job 1: 9-11. That was a challenge to Jehovah; and the Lord did not permit the challenge to pass, but told Satan that he might take what Job had. Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and devised ways and means for the destruction of Job’s property and family and carried out his wicked purpose. When he had thus brought great disaster upon Job’s household, he failed because Job still trusted in God and worshiped him. At a subsequent meeting of the sons of God to pre- sent themselves to Jehovah, Satan being there also, God reminded Satan that Job still ‘‘holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause’’, With arrogance and erucl sarcasm Satan replied to the Lord: ‘A man will give his skin for his skin, but all that man hath will he give for his life.’ ‘‘But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.’’ (Job 2:4,5) Again the test was on: ‘‘And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils, trom the sole of his foot unto his erown.’’ —Job 2: 6, 7. Notwithstanding this terrible calamity Job humbled himself before God, as shown by the fact of his sitting