1. God is All We Need on Earth
2. Death was Defeated Only After Jesus' Resurrection
3. Satan was God's Instrument to Develop His People
God's Ways are Higher than Our Ways
Story of Job
"He is in your hand, but spare his life" is a well known verse taken from the Book of Job 2:6. When Satan challenged God that righteous man Job would not keep his faith under his persecutions, God gave Satan permission to do whatever he wants to Job except taking his life. When I read this verse today, three things suddenly came to my mind.
1. God is All We Need on Earth!
Why did God allow Satan to take everything away from a man whom He loves and cherishes so much? The answer is simple! He could restore everything back to Job, in two-fold, ten-fold, or even a hundred fold! Satan only destroys, but it is God who creates everything and give them to Man! Even if Satan takes away everything he has, if Job only keeps his faith in God, he could have everything restored to him, or even more. God is all we need on this earth!
And the Lord made up to Job for all his losses, after he had made prayer for his friends; and all Job had before was increased by the Lord twice as much. Job 42:10
2. Death was Defeated Only After Jesus' Resurrection
Even though God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job, He did not allow him to take Job's life. Why? Because death came to all men after Adam's rebellion, and God could not resurrect Job if Satan took away his life at that time. Of course this was all changed after the resurrection of Jesus. After atonement was made, many people have been brought back to life by Jesus Himself and His disciples.
One thing to note is, God gave Job twice of everything he had except his children, whose number was the same as before (seven sons and three daughters). Why? Because they were never lost! In the End of Days, they will be raised, and Job will have twice as many children as he had before.
3. Satan was God's Instrument to Develop His People
One may think, even though God eventually restored everything back to Job, why did He let him suffer so much during the process? Actually, it also took me a long time to realize that, trials are in fact necessary for a person to grow.
God's purpose is to let his seeds on earth bring forth their fruits, which is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. How can all these qualities be developed without trials?
My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Knowing this, that the testing of your faith develops perseverance; but let perseverance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Which one of God's servants did not go through trials? Joseph, Daniel, David, Paul, even Jesus Himself, all went through trial after trial. While Satan thought he was successfully destroying God's servants, he was actually working diligently as an effective agent of God to develop His people!
God's Ways are Higher Than Our Ways
It always amazes me whenever I come to understand some of God's works, and I can only say in admiration:
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than our ways, and God's thoughts higher than our thoughts. Isaiah 55:9