Children Bible Overview 97 8/3/09

GOD ALLOWED THE DEVIL TO TEMPT JOB

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Job 1:6-2:10>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <Ro 8:26>

Recap
Children, last week, we told a story about Job. Job was a great man who feared God and shunned
evil. God also blessed him in everything. However, Job did not understand the extent to which God
loved him. Job did not understand that God loved him because he was God’s child, but instead
thought that it was because Job did everything right. Therefore, God wanted him to know.

Introduction
One day, the devil came to present himself before God and said with self-satisfaction, “Hmm… I have
roamed through the earth but I have yet to find a person who truly fears God.” God then said to the
devil, “Have you considered my servant Job. He is a great man who fears God and shuns evil.” The
devil replied God, “That is because You have given him a very smooth-sailing life, with money, many
livestock, such a wonderful wife and children and people all respect him. Of course he will fear You! If
you take away all he has, he will surely curse you to your face and not fear You.” God replied, “Very
well, then, everything he has is in your hands but you may not lift a finger to harm him.” Satan then
went out to tempt Job greatly. One day, when Job’s children were feasting, one of his servants came
to Job saying, “There were some robbers who came and killed all the servants and also carried your
oxen and donkeys off.” At the same time, another servant also ran to him saying, “The fire fell from
the sky and burned up all the sheep and servants.” Yet another servant came running by, saying,
“Some robbers came and carried your camels away and also killed your servants. Lastly, there was
another servant who came and reported, “While your children were feasting, a mighty wind blew and
the entire house collapsed on them and everyone of them were killed. Job hence knelt before the
Lord and praised Him, “O Lord, all these are given by You, and also taken away by You. May the
name of the Lord be praised!” Later, Satan went back before God and God said, “You see, you lifted
your fingers to take away everything that Job has but he still fears Me.” Satan replied, “A man will fear
the pain of the flesh. If you give him such an illness, he will surely curse you to your face.” God said,
“Very well, then, you can try but you must spare his life!” Satan hence caused Job to have painful
sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Job was in such pain that he took a piece of
broken pottery to scrape himself. Job’s wife said to him, “You might as well curse God and die!” Job
replied, “You are a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” God allowed the
devil to tempt Job because God eventually wanted Job to receive the greatest blessing, so that Job
could see the greatest love of God, and that he would receive more and better than what he initially
had.

1. Although Job is a great man who fears God and shuns evil, he does not
understand the greatest love of God.
1) Although Job fears God and shuns evil, he often has some fears in his heart, afraid
that he does wrong, afraid that what he does make God displeased and also afraid
that his own children do not fear the Lord and hence would encounter unfortunate
matters.
2) God actually loves Job totally just like how parents love children. However, Job does
not understand such love and cannot enjoy. [E.g. When we are at home daily, we are
not only unafraid of our parents but we often get close to them, talk and live happily
together because we know that our parents love us totally. God also wants us to
treat Him similarly, to enjoy fatherly love.]
3) Therefore, to allow Job to discover God’s great love, and hence allow Job to receive
even greater blessings subsequently, God allows the devil to tempt Job. [Therefore,
when we encounter problems, we should not be discouraged because God will
reveal to us His greater love and blessings.]
2. Although the devil tempts Job greatly and allows him to suffer, God is still in
control and protects Job
1) The devil first takes away the things beside Job (wealth, livestock) and later takes
away the people beside him whom he loves very much (his servants, children).
Therefore, when we lose our wealth and property, when we lose things that we like,
when we lose our friends, even to the extent that all my loved ones leave us, we
must remember: God will surely not abandon us and He remains by our side.
2) The devil later takes away Job’s health and attacks his flesh and allowed him to have
sores such that he can hardly tolerate. Therefore, when we are sick, suffering and in
pain, or feel uncomfortable, we must remember that God never leaves us. Therefore,
we must pray in our hearts, rely on the Lord and God will heal us according to the
appropriate time.
3) Although the devil tortures Job so evilly, in all these, God protects Job and does not
allow the devil to harm Job’s life. Therefore, we must remember, when we encounter
very serious, depressing or unhappy incidents in our lives [ask the children to tell the
rest what are the incidents that make them unhappy], God continues to protect us.

3. When God allows the devil to tempt Job, He has already prepared the greatest
blessing for Job
1) God does not allow a person to be tempted without a reason. God allows Job to
experience temptations and also continues to give him faith to cope. [God will not
allow us to lose our faith because of temptation. When we experience temptation,
God actually gives us faith to cope.]
2) God does not allow a person to be tempted without a reason. When God allows Job
to be tempted, he has already prepared greater blessings for him ahead. [If God
allowed us to lose something or be unhappy, He will allow us to receive even more
and causes us to be even happier.]
3) Therefore, when we encounter temptations (when unhappy things happen), the more
we should draw closer to God, pray to Him and rely on Him.