A Protective Hedge

In Job chapter one when Satan appeared in Heaven before God, the Lord asked him, “From where did you come?”

“From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it,” Satan answered. Satan is not yet confined to the pit of hell as he has deceived many people into thinking. This will occur at the beginning of the millennial reign of Christ and the saints (Revelation 20:1-3). After a thousand years are completed, then Satan will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

Satan’s major activities at the present time are here upon the earth where he is constantly roaming about, tormenting, afflicting, tempting, deceiving, and opposing God’s people. He and his evil forces are busy in the nations of the earth planting seeds of hatred, murder, strife, fear, rebellion. He is the unseen force behind all the sickness, death, sin, pornography, greed, and violence that we see today.

God said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who (reverently) fears God and abstains from and shuns evil (because it is wrong)?” (Job 1:8, TAB).

Satan answered:

Does Job (reverently) fear God for thing? Have You not put a hedge about him and his house and that he has, on every side? You have conferred prosperity and happiness upon him in the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face. (Job 1:9-10, TAB)

You can face your circumstances knowing that God’s ultimate purpose is to do you good. Satan recognized that God had placed a protective hedge around Job that he could not penetrate. God has also built a protective hedge around you to protect you from Satan’s attacks. God rejoices and delights in pouring out His promised blessings upon His people. He delights and takes great pleasure in the prosperity of His servants (Psalm 35:27). Pain, sin, sickness, suffering, and death are not from God because He is altogether good and…

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. (James 1:17, NAS)