But He who sent the trial gave also the needful grace, and in the
words which we have already quoted, Job replied: "The LORD gave, and
the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the LORD."
Was not Job mistaken? Should he not have said: "The LORD gave, and
Satan hath taken away?" No, there was no mistake. The same grace
which had enabled him unharmed to receive blessing from the hand of
GOD, enabled him also to discern the hand of GOD in the calamities
which had befallen him. Even Satan himself did not presume to ask of
GOD to be allowed himself to afflict Job. In the 1st chapter and the
11th verse he says: "Put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he
hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face;" and in the 2nd chapter and
the 5th verse: "Put forth Thine hand now, and touch his bone and his
flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face." Satan knew that none but
GOD could touch Job; and when Satan was permitted to afflict him, Job
was quite right in recognising the LORD Himself as the doer of these
things which He permitted to be done.
Oftentimes shall we be helped and blessed if we bear this in
mind--that Satan is servant, and not master, and that he, and wicked
men incited by him are only permitted to do that which GOD by His
determinate counsel and foreknowledge has before determined shall be
done. Come joy, or come sorrow, we may always take it from the hand
of GOD.
Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss. Our LORD did not stop short at
Judas, not did He even stop at the great enemy who filled the heart
of Judas to do this thing; but He said: "the cup which My FATHER hath
given me, shall I not drink it?" How the tendency to resentment and a
wrong feeling would be removed, could we take an injury from the hand
of a loving FATHER, instead of looking chiefly at the agent through
whom it comes to us! It matters not who is the postman--it is with
the writer of the letter that we are concerned: it matters not who is
the messenger--it is with GOD that His children have to do.
We conclude, therefore, that Job was not mistaken, and that we shall
not be mistaken if we follow his example, in accepting all GOD'S
providential dealings, as from Himself. We may be sure that they will
issue in ultimate blessing; because GOD is GOD, and, therefore, "all
things work together for good" to them that love Him.