No 23  They Both Can . . .

 

Both, God and Satan, can

            cause fire to fall down from heaven

            cause earthquakes

            cause tornadoes and storms

            cause famine and pestilence

            cause wild animals to rage and tear

            cause fearful sights to occur in the sky

            cause people and nations to rampage and conquer

            cause wars and destruction 

And the list could continue.

          

While this list may be impressive, we must remember there are some things Satan cannot do. 

Satan Can Do Snakes . . .

10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods (Ex 7:10-12).

 

Satan Can Do Blood . . .  

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments (Ex 7:20-22). 

 

Satan Can Do Frogs . . .

5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments (Ex 8:5-8).

 

But the magicians couldn’t do the lice (Ex 8:16-19).

They couldn’t do the flies (Ex 8:20-24).

They couldn’t duplicate the very grievous murrain and the boils with blains (Ex 9:1-12).

The magicians could not do the great hail mixed with fire (Ex 9:15-25).

They could not do the locusts (Ex 10:13-15).

They could not do the darkness (Ex 10:21-23).

Some things Satan can mimic; others he can not..

 

What Are Some of the Differences?

(1) Satan is a creature. God is the Creator.

(2) Satan’s power is borrowed and learned. God’s power is inherent and underived.

(3) Satan’s power is limited to the microcosm of this little planet. God’s power is universal―literally, throughout the universe.

(4) Satan might influence what was happening inside the limited space of the court of the Pharaoh. Satan might do the snakes, blood and frogs across the land. But he could not influence and affect the whole land of Egypt as the long list of plagues continued in quick succession.

(5) Satan needs time to set up his delusions. God's power is not time-limited. He can do anything He wishes to do any time He wishes to do it.

(6) Satan has power. Tremendous power. Satan has more power than ever he gets to use. Why is this so? Because God limits Satan’s use of his own power. Satan can go no further than God allows. While Satan’s power is great, it cannot power-past God’s boundaries and limitations. All Satan’s hosts of angels cannot, in combined effort, push one inch across God’s line. God is the ultimate and final authority. God is the ultimate and final power.

 

In Job's Day Satan Exercised His Power

Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, page 589).

 

In Our Day Satan is Exercising His Power

Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power (Ibid, page 589).

 

Very great troubles are coming upon the world, and the powers of Satan are stirring with intensity the powers from beneath to work suffering, disaster, and ruin. His work is to create all the misery upon human beings that is possible. The earth is the scene of his action, but he is held in check. He can go no farther than the Lord permits (Ellen G. White, That I May Know Him, page 284) 

 

The Four Calamities

God informed Satan He had withdrawn His protecting hedge from Job’s possessions but not from Job’s person. Armed with this permission, Satan immediately left the presence of God and returned to earth. What then happened―the calamities and the losses―are described in Job 1:13-19:

13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

14 And there came [FIRST]  a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also [SECOND] another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also [THIRD] another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped

alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also [FOURTH] another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

 

All that He Hath is in Thy Power

And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord (Job 1:12).

■ On the Lord's part: Challenge accepted. Permission granted.

■ On Satan's part: Leaves immediately to return to earth and set out on his work of destruction (with terrible efficiency). In a few strokes, Satan used both men and nature as his agents of destruction. The Sabeans. A fire from heaven. The Chaldeans. A tornado from the desert. These four powers raided, destroyed, stole, and killed everyone in Job's family but four servants and his wife.

 

Permissions / Limitations

Was God allowing Satan the pleasure of making diabolical sport of Job, as the Philistines did of blind Samson? No. Satan had made false charges against a righteous man. Though we do not know all the reasons, it served the purpose of God to give these permissions. It proved something to devils, to angels, to unfallen beings, and to all mankind. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Cor 10:13).

 

While these temptations were not common (neither in magnitude nor multitude), God was faithful. He made a way of escape. Job was able to bear it. Though God does not endorse what Satan does, He grants him the freedom to act within limitations. Satan needed permission. There are some things Satan cannot do without permission. God gave Satan permission to do his dark thing. All the fury of hell broke loose on Job. Satan freely heaped horrors on his head. Satan hurls all his monstrous ministrations upon Job. But not a hand can he lay without permission. If it were not for this limitation, Satan would instantly kill every believer in God. While Satan needs permission to afflict a man, he needs no permission to accuse a man. As accuser, he is in his own realm. As accuser, he submits to no control. It was a most fearful series of disasters---enough to crush the spirit of any man―and calculated to crush Job’s in particular. Nevertheless Job maintained his adherence and allegiance to God.  

 

As for Job―As for Us

We all are tested. Constantly. Job’s testing came more suddenly and more severely than for most. A lifetime of suffering―one might say―in 4 hours. These cruel calamities, however, did not crush the heart of the man who loved God above everything else. Job’s suffering (as horrible as it was) did not blot out of his memory the grace of God. Job could not imagine why God should let this happen. But for what he knows of God, he cannot turn his back on God. In his mind it is settled. He will trust God no matter what happens NEXT. He will wait for God to answer it all in His good time. Even if He chooses to take my life, I will trust Him. Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15, the first part). I am going to go right on being me. I am who I am. I will maintain mine own ways before Him (Job 13:15, the second part). I am one who will trust God to the very end.

 

Truths in Job Chapter One

 #1 We have a powerful enemy but we can’t see him.

 #2 We don’t deserve certain trials but God permits them.

 #3 We don’t always understand God’s ways, but they are best.

 #4 We may experience circumstances that we would never anticipate.

 

Man is stronger than Satan 

As powerful as he is, Satan is helpless when the believer flees to God and relies on His strength. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe (Prov 18:10). Every person who stays on God’s side of the Great Controversy has the balance of power in his favor though the forces of earth and hell be against him. 

 

Able to Bear 

Satan’s power is limited and restricted to what the believer can bear. Nothing can hide him from God’s watchful eye or take him out of God’s strong hand. There was an end to Job’s dark experience. And yours. And mine. And the next one that has yet to be endured.

 

By God's grace, I want to stand, as did Job, to the glory of God. Don't you?

Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.