The Satan Gets His Permission Slip

The British statesman Sir Robert Walpole contended that “every man has his price.” I would like to think that is not the case. The Satan believed differently.

Job 1:10-12 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. (KJV)

The version called “The Message” puts it this way, “Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can't lose! But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what." God replied, "We'll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of God.”

Forgoing any sense of proper court etiquette by speaking to God in such an accusative manner (Satan uses the pronoun “You” instead of the courteous “my Lord”) the Adversary continues his venomous conversation with Jehovah. FIA says his speech is “mocking and insolent.” (Throughout this dialogue the Devil uses the imperative tense as though he was giving orders to God.)

The Evil One’s assumption? “Why shouldn’t Job serve You? You’ve made it easy for him to be good and you’ve won his devotion by bribery!”

“You’ve made a hedge about him…” God had asked Satan earlier if he had considered Job. It turns out that Diabolos probably had not only considered him, he had made numerous attempts to destroy him. But the divine hedge of protection (a wall of angelic warriors?) prevented him from laying a finger on Job. The word “hedge” is used in only a handful of places in the OT and could be translated wall, fence, or a palisade of protection (a palisade is a fence of stakes pointed at the top and set firmly in the ground in a close row with others to form a defense). The NLT puts it this way, “You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property.” One ancient version reads, “Hast thou not protected him with Thy Word?” That’s interesting.

Adam Clarke writes, “Thou hast fortified him with spikes and spears. Thou hast defended him as by an unapproachable hedge. He is an object of thy peculiar care; and is not exposed to the common trials of life.”

Once we get to heaven we will probably be astounded to find out the number of times that our earthly lives have been protected (or “hedged in”) by the ministry of angels from the destructive attempts of the Evil One.

Notice the progression in verse 10…“Hast not thou made a hedge…
about him
about his house (home and family)
about ALL that he has on EVERY side”

The totality of everything was under the watchful eye of God. Adam Clarke writes, “Satan cannot deprive a man even of a donkey, a sheep or a pig but by special permission of God. His power and malice are ever bounded and under control.”

People face some very, very difficult circumstances. Events happen that shatter our lives and break our hearts. But in those times it is comforting to know that our Heavenly Father has everything under control and “all things are working together for good...” (Romans 8:28).

The Satan continues, “You have blessed the work of his hands (Job wasn’t lazy), and his substance has increased in the land.” The word “bless” here is the same word as “curse” in vs. 11. In verse five I explained how this one word “baarak” could mean totally opposite ideas (perhaps in the sense of “Aloha” meaning both hello and goodbye).

“And his substance (his material goods or his businesses) has increased in the land.” The word “increased” means “to burst forth, to break through the bounds.” It is used of a flood covering the land. Job’s businesses burst out beyond Job’s wildest dreams. They spread rapidly across the land in the way that the Red River flooded the valley around Fargo/Moorhead in the spring of 2009. There was just a phenomenal growth to Job’s wealth.

“But now,” says the cynic-in-chief, “Put forth your hand and touch (violently) all that he has, and he will curse (baarak) Thee to Thy face.” He will not only say, “Goodbye!” to You, he will also say, “Good riddance!” K&D state, “He will say farewell to Thee arrogantly and shamelessly.”

“You’ve protected all, now destroy all! And he will curse Thee to Thy face!” The implication? Job’s devotion was caused by his prosperity; if you take away his prosperity, you will take away his loyalty and love for God. FIA states, “God has secured Job’s devotion by bribery.” And Adam Clarke says, “He will bless Thee only in proportion to the temporal goods You bestow upon him…If You are gracious he will be pious.”

The angelic host gathered at that General Council had to be appalled at the Satan’s insolence. But perhaps more so by the fact that it seemed that the Heavenly Father was going to do what he asked! Remember, Job not only loved God, but God also had an incredible love for Job! And yet…verse 12 from the NIV, “The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.” (Note that in verse 11 Satan commands, “You touch all that he has with Your hand,” but in verse 12 the Creator of the Universe replies, “All that he has is in your hand!”).

FIA writes, “So the basic questions of the book are raised. God’s character and Job’s are both slighted. Is God so good that He can be loved for Himself, not just for His gifts? And can a man hold onto God when there are no benefits attached?”

In the movie “The Hunt for Red October” Captain Ramius (Sean Connery) had just concluded a meeting in his quarters with the officers of the submarine. In the meeting he went over their plans to defect to the US. But he also informed the men that he had written a letter to the Russian Premier informing him of their plans. The men were aghast. After the officers were dismissed, Vasily (Sam Neill) said to Sean Connery: “Captain, I would never disagree with you in front of the men; you know that. But in this case, Viktor is right: it would have been better if you had not informed Moscow!”

I wonder if, once the angelic host was dismissed, one of the archangels stayed behind and said something like, “My Lord, I would never disagree with you in front of any of the angels. Your wisdom is far beyond our comprehension. But You do realize that he is going to totally destroy everything Job has, don’t You?”

With a tear in His eye, God responded, “I know…I know….but I trust Job.”

Perhaps you are facing a heart-wrenching situation. God cares about you! Pour out your heart to Him…He longs to hear and answer your prayers!


NLT = New Living Translation
OT = Old Testament
K&D = Commentary by Keil and Delitzsch
FIA = Commentary by FI Anderson