Contemplating God

We see the cosmic conflict between God and satan displayed with striking clarity in the book of Job. In this narrative, satan challenges God’s judgment and, by extension, questions whether God is fit to rule the world. While Job’s suffering is central to the story, the deeper issue is the conflict unfolding behind the scenes—one in which Job’s life becomes the testing ground for satan’s accusations against God.

In the opening scene of Job, God describes Job as blameless and upright:

• “Then the Lord said to satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’” (Job 1:8)

God presents Job as a genuine servant, someone whose loyalty flows from reverence and love, not coercion or reward. Of all the people on earth, Job is described as one who has fully committed his heart to God.

satan immediately challenges this assessment:

• “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.” (Job 1:9–11)

This response is not merely an attack on Job’s motives; it is an accusation against God Himself. satan implies that God cannot rightly judge character, that Job’s faith is nothing more than self-interest sustained by blessing. In doing so, satan questions God’s justice and legitimacy as ruler. If God’s judgment of Job is wrong, then God is not a righteous judge.

The only thing that remains to resolve this accusation is to test it. If Job loses everything, will he curse God? Or is God’s judgment true?

Throughout the book, satan’s goal is singular: to prove God wrong by driving Job to renounce Him. If satan succeeds, God’s character as a just and righteous ruler would be called into question before the heavenly council.

God allows these allegations to be heard and examined openly. Rather than silencing the accuser, He permits the challenge to unfold so that all created beings may witness the outcome. For a finite being to accuse an all powerful God, clear parameters must exist, boundaries within which the accuser is allowed to act and which God voluntarily chooses not to override. This is precisely what we see in Job 1–2.

God grants satan limited permission to test his claims. satan is allowed to take Job’s possessions and later afflict Job physically, but Job’s life is spared (Job 1:12; 2:4–7). And despite unimaginable loss and suffering, worsened by the accusations of his wife and friends, Job does not curse God.

• “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
  In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)

The story of Job reveals the heart of the cosmic conflict. God is accused of being unjust and unworthy to rule. Satan claims that loyalty to God is impossible apart from reward. Yet Job’s faithfulness demonstrates that God’s judgment is true and that genuine love for God can endure even in suffering.

God allows this demonstration not for His own benefit, but for ours. To reveal His righteousness, His love, and the falsehood of satan’s accusations.

The question now turns to us: will you trust God? Will you recognize that through this cosmic demonstration, God has shown Himself to be righteous and good? Or will you side with the accuser?

Scripture tells us that satan “leads the whole world astray” (Rev 12:9-10), blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4), and spreads suffering and destruction (Luke 13:11; Acts 10:38), all so that [we] might not see the light of the gospel (2 Cor 4:4).

CS Lewis states, “this universe is at war, though not a war between independent powers but a rebellion, and we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. As such, there is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by satan.”

My dear friend, align yourself with the God who has again and again demonstrated that all His ways are right and good (Psalm 145:17).