Sermon 5, Job 1:9-12
Calvin points out how sly the devil is by both knowing and then using man’s weaknesses to achieve his ends.
Calvin also makes the interesting point that if God genuinely wants to punish the wicked then He does it himself, see 1 Kings 22. But with Job, one of God’s children, the harsh treatment comes via Satan.
But, in this sermon, I am reminded of that which Ryan Holiday writes and speaks of from Marcus Aurelius, that is the phrase “the obstacle is the way”. This can mean that it is generally to our benefit to struggle. We become better people through our struggles. But we need God’s help to face these struggles.
In this sermon Calvin uses the phrase “effectiveness of error”. Calvin describes this as the withdrawal of God’s wisdom from people such that they have no ability to discern right from wrong, like “dumb animals”. Thus, God gives power to Satan to easily deceive unbelievers. However, Calvin states that God does not deal with his own people this way when he afflicts them.
Calvin also talks about God’s ability to change evil into good.
Another interesting point of Calvin is the reminder that Job and the Comforters are completely unaware of the events of Job 1:9-12 and they react very differently to them. The Comforters use only their human rationale and traditions/common knowledge to explain the events which they observe with their own eyes and understanding. Job, on the other hand, because of his faith knows something greater is at work. Calvin makes the point that our earthly senses can only rationalize the appearance of earthly events.
“He [Satan] is seeking nothing but Job’s destruction.”
“We could not subsist for a minute if we were not preserved by God’s grace.”
“That is why I have said that men need to know that their lives are nothing, that they are incomparably fragile, and that they are subject to an infinite number of deaths because they are in that way motivated to pray that God will take them under his care…”
“Satan considers the kind of creature we are, namely, we are so wishy-washy that our integrity is nil.”
“God gives him [Satan] leave because he knows doing so is good and profitable for us.”
“Therefore, let us note the intention of Scripture throughout is always to instruct us to glorify God.”
“That shows us how wondrously good God is, for he changes evil into good.” And “God changes evil into good when he causes us to use all Satan’s thorns as medicine and in that way cleanse us of the sins that are hidden within us.”
“Holy Scripture makes a distinction between the outward events which occur and God’s counsel, which is recognized only by the faithful, who rise above their human reason and all of their natural senses. We will never attain to the knowledge of God’s majesty unless we rise above all our human abilities.”