9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Job 1:9
For a long time now I have been fascinated with the questions found in the book of Job. I have determined to consider these questions one by one as I have the opportunity to write the weekly pastoral encouragements in the years ahead.
Today I would like you to consider the question Satan asks in verse 9 of Chapter 1. His question is a response to the question God asked him in verse 8: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”.
Satan’s question reveals he has indeed considered Job and even thought about why Job fears God. At first, this question seems like an honest inquiry into Job’s character and motivation. But, it’s more sinister than that. The question is actually an attack on the very nature of God Himself. Satan is really asking God “Are You really worthy of worship?”.
Of course, the answer to the Serpent’s question is: “He is worthy!”. The Triune God is worthy of being worshiped simply because He is God! And, all of God’s character was wonderfully displayed at the cross where Christ died for the sins of His people in order that they might rightly fear God in spirit and in truth for all eternity.
So, I encourage you to take a moment today to think of the attributes of God, and how they were displayed at the cross. I pray this will lead you to fear/worship God no matter your circumstance. (1)(2)
Pastor Rich
1. The London Baptist Confession of 1689 has these wonderful paragraphs with Scripture references describing God:
The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;1 whose subsistence is in and of Himself,2 infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;3 a most pure spirit,4 invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;5 who is immutable,6 immense,7 eternal,8 incomprehensible, almighty,9 every way infinite, most holy,10 most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,11 for His own glory;12 most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,13 and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,14 hating all sin,15 and who will by no means clear the guilty.16
1 1 Cor. 8:4,6; Deut. 6:4 2 Jer. 10:10; Isa. 48:12 3 Exod. 3:14 4 John 4:24 5 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15–16 6 Mal. 3:6 7 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:23 8 Ps. 90:2 9 Gen. 17:1 10 Isa. 6:3 11 Ps. 115:3; Isa. 46:10 12 Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36 13 Exod. 34:6–7; Heb. 11:6 14 Neh. 9:32–33 15 Ps. 5:5–6
16 Exod. 34:7; Nahum 1:2–3
“God, having all life,17 glory,18 goodness,19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;22 in His sight all things are open and manifest,23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,26 service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.”
17 John 5:26 18 Ps. 148:13 19 Ps. 119:68 20 Job 22:2–3 21 Rom. 11:34-36 22 Dan. 4:25,34–35 23 Heb. 4:13 24 Ezek. 11:5; Acts 15:18 25 Ps. 145:17 26 Rev. 5:12-14
2. I found this article helpful in thinking about some of the attributes of God displayed at the cross:
“Consider God’s holiness. Where do we find God distinguished as holy more than through the transcendent requirements and achievement of perfection? Surely the priests in Leviticus knew much of God’s holiness, but they merely looked in a glass dimly, but when we look at the cross we are seeing the holiness of God in HD. We see holiness incarnate nailed to a wooden tree in order to meet the demands of a holy law so he might make unholy people holy and blameless. Indeed, this is magnificent!
Consider also God’s love. You may say you see God loving in the creation or through the giving of life, and you are right. However, this pales in comparison to the Son of God, the very object of the Father’s affections, the supreme delight, and joy of God, Jesus Christ himself, offered up to redeem rebels. Can you find God’s love more vividly, more beautifully, more heavenly than this?
Consider also God’s righteousness. Oh, the inflexible divine attribute that is has been plaguing consciences throughout history. God’s righteousness is not seen supremely in the threatenings of the law or the thunders of Sinai, but rather upon the hill of Calvary. Here we see God’s infinite and unflinching righteousness relentlessly pursuing its vindication in the unleashing of all that is right, good, and just upon the substitute for all that is wrong, bad, and filthy. Yes, here in the shadow of the cross we see righteousness supremely demonstrated and vindicated. There is nothing like it.”
Raymond, E. (2017, October 2). The Attributes of God Displayed at the Cross. Retrieved November 8, 2024, from https://www.
