Job’s extreme tribulations were prefaced by a conversation. Satan had “presented himself” before the Lord (Job 1:6). Yet we learn in the book of Job  that God had faith in a man. This must needs be so, to vet him against the world’s enemy #1 (Job 1:8).

Think About It: What manner of faith must be within the heart of man, that God would allow the enemy to curse his ground and possession, believing meanwhile that he would not simply curse God and die? And what manner of judgment (think ye) shall be reserved for the enemy, seeing as he has the audacity to touch God’s anointed (I Chronicles 16:22)? (And we know that the Devil, that old serpent, hath already a place prepared outside of God’s eternal glory).

In today’s reading, Satan presented himself before God (I Chronicles 21:1). He stood as it were in prosecutor’s garb, to attempt the justification of abandonment by God – against both David and Israel. Specifically, Satan sought free-reign to tempt David – hoping of course that by agitation, David would seek to satisfy his comfort and thus deny God forthright in word and or deed.

Though Job sinned not through all that he suffered (Job 1:22), David fell. We today however, have these two epistles in juxtaposition, as moments holden in time that we may witness with a third eye. Thus we can learn the more toward righteousness by observing Job’s sinless lips; and by not repeating David’s mistake.

Yet and if we fall, we know that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins confessed (I John 1:9). But, woe to the provocateur (Matthew 18:7): for the just shall live by faith.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

Oh that our hearts could be of good courage, to fight the good fight of faith; that by the faith of God vested in us, we should not return to that old nature (II Corinthians 5:17) on which Satan bets his fair triumph; but will stand boldly(Proverbs 28:1), having on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11), and should not be shaken by the wiles of him. Amen