Intruder Alert!

Chuck Swindoll says this in his commentary on Job, “Ponder the difference between the opening lines of Job 1:1 and 1:6: There was a man…there was a day.” The idyllic scene painted for us in verses 1-5 is about to be shattered.

Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.”
We are transported from the earthly scene of the land of Uz to a celestial General Council. In their commentary, Keil and Delitzsch make this statement, “He transfers us from earth to heaven where everything that is done on earth has its unseen roots –its final cause.” Jewish tradition has it that this council took place on New Year’s Day and the subsequent council of chapter two about seven months later on the Day of Atonement. Or perhaps they simply took place on two successive New Year’s Days. Whatever the exact date and whatever the exact time span between chapters one and two, we do know that Job was totally unaware of what was transpiring in heaven – he only saw the backside of the tapestry.

Adam Clarke writes that “expositions are endless” when theologians comment on the whole scenario of this heavenly council. As earthly ambassadors reside in embassies and are regularly required to travel back to their home country to detail to the head of state what transpired in their assigned countries, so it seems to be the same with the angels. In a nutshell, at this annual General Council the “sons of God” – the angels – came to present themselves before Jehovah and apparently had to give an account of their mission from the preceding year. At this same time they also received orders for their new assignment for the upcoming year.

(I imagine some rookie angel said to the Lord, “Ah, Sir, would it be possible to get an assignment down south? I’ve been stuck on Ellesmere Island by the Arctic Circle for the past five years counting polar bears.”

Jehovah: Well, how about Duluth, MN?
Rookie: Ummmm Sir, I was thinking a little farther south, like say the Caribbean.
Jehovah: What? You don’t like Duluth?
Rookie: Ummmm Sir, haven’t You ever read Mark Twain? He said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Duluth.”
Gabriel and Michael, the two bigwig archangels, rolling their eyes: Rookies……..)

Back to Job…

On one level of my grandson’s computer game, Jimmy Neutron – Boy Genius, the Yokians loudly report, “Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!” Maybe there was a similar “Intruder Alert!” sounded in the midst of this celestial business meeting when “The Satan” made his grand entrance. His name is literally “HAA-Sah Tahn” or “the Sah Tahn” (from where we get our word “Satan”). And here it is more of a title than a name – it is not “Satan also came among them.” Its “The Satan also came among them.” I don’t believe he looked anything like the terrifying creatures that Hollywood has dreamed up. I believe he was a stunningly beautiful angelic being – and yet he was malevolently wicked and the epitome of evil. Volumes could be written about the derivation of his name and character of this malignant foe of God.

Some commentators take this approach to the origin of the name: In ancient kingdoms such as Persia, kings would often send out spies or secret police into their realm who would then report back about any dissension in the kingdom. Some of these master spies in Persia became known as “the Eyes and Ears of the king.” SD Luzatto suggests that the title “Satan” is derived from the word “roam” in verse 7 and that the Satan was kind of a spy roaming the earth who then reported back to God on the evil he found therein. Pope says, “As a roving secret agent, the Satan stood ready to accuse and indict his victim and serve as prosecutor.” While not necessarily agreeing with this theory about the origin of Satan’s name, Hartley pens, “The term ‘roaming’ suggests that he moved randomly about the earth, perhaps like an emperor’s spy looking for any secret disloyalty to the crown.”

I lean more toward the views of other commentators who say that the root of the name Satan means rather “to oppose at law, to be an adversary, to resist.” In a generic sense the Old Testament word “saa taan” means “one who opposes” or “one who stands in the way” (Numbers 22:22). Zechariah 3:1 says this, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to satan (accuse or resist) him.” The Satan is the one who is always looking for failure and sin in humanity and then gleefully brings his findings before the heavenly assembly. Revelation says that Satan “accuses them before our God day and night.” This extraterrestrial Darth Vader is one who delights in the opportunity of charging holy men and women with hypocrisy.

In the Greek Old Testament he is known as “the Diabolos” from where we get our word “diabolical.”

Whether he is called the evil one, the devil, the wicked one, the great foe of God, the malignant one or “HAA-Sah Tahn,” he is the eternal foe of God who comes “only to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).

Job 1:7 And the LORD said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’”
God wants an accounting of the Intruder’s activities and whereabouts. He answers, but with a rebellious snarl. Hartley says, “He is God’s primary antagonist…he answered God’s questions brusquely, reflecting a contemptuous attitude.”

“Going to and fro” could be translated “rowing about” as a mariner. JFB say the word means a perpetual hurriedness and restlessness which “characterizes himself and his followers.” (Satan would have us in a state of never-ending hurriedness and restlessness; the Good Shepherd on the other hand would have us resting and lying down in green pastures beside the still waters. Perhaps that’s something to remember during this Christmas season).

“…and walking around on it.” He wasn’t just going for a stroll on the beach, he was looking for trouble.

Adam Clarke says in his commentary, “It is now fashionable to deny the existence of this evil spirit…By leading men to disbelieve and deny his existence, he throws them off their guard; and is then their complete master, and they are led captive by him at his will.” And Swindoll says, “He is the most attractive, brilliant, powerful archangel that God ever created…Because he is invisible does not mean he is not real…he is engaged in a relentless commitment to destroying God’s people and opposing God’s plan.”

Never forget the words of Peter, “Be of sober {spirit,} be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8 NASV

But also remember that even though he may be a superhuman being, compared to the Lord of hosts he is a puny superhuman being:

The prince of darkness grim
We tremble not for him
His rage we can endure
For lo his doom is sure
One little word shall fell him!
(Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”)


JFB = Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary