Introduction: I’m currently reading through the Book of Job. It is one of the masterpieces of world literature and of course sacred Scripture. The reason for Job’s prominence in the canon is straightforward: the Book of Job deals with “undeserved suffering.” Another way of phrasing it is, “If God exists, and God is good, then why suffering? Wouldn’t a ‘good’ God intervene?”

Those are great questions. And not to get too far ahead but, yes, God exists. And suffering exists. Yet God has intervened, continues to intervene, and is sovereign in and through suffering. Christianity alone deals with suffering in a way that no other worldview does—namely, by explaining why suffering exists and what God has done as the suffering servant to redeem and restore a people to himself through the gospel.

But in the first installment I wish only to focus on one particular topic, and that is God’s initiation of Job’s education. When the Book of Job opens, verses 8-12 of chapter 1 are crucial to understand:

⁸ And 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, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:8-12)

Teaching: If you don’t pay attention, you might think that Satan is running the show in the Book of Job. But it was God who summoned Satan, a created angel, to the court of heaven. It wasn’t Satan who initiated all of that was going to unfold. That’s so important. Why? Because God is the one who’s in control. God is the sovereign. Satan is a contingent, created, fallen being. God is not contingent, is uncreated, and holy. Again, pay attention to the text: “Have you considered my servant Job . . .?” was a question from God to Satan about Job. God was the initiator in all this. And God, if you’ll stick with me through Job, you will see is there at the end.

Encouragement: For now, however, just remember this: Satan’s not sovereign; God is. God is the hero of the Book of Job. Those who follow hellish counsel will be humiliated by the end of this history, and Job, the righteous sufferer, will be rewarded. But we’ll get there.