Proclaimer Blog
Job, Satan and God’s governance
Many people are puzzled by Satan's appearance in heaven's throne room in Job 1. I'm just reading through Job in my devotions, making use of Christopher's forthcoming commentary on Job in Crossway's Preach the Word series. [It will be published in May and available first in the UK at the EMA – another reason for coming!]. I thought this little section on governance was very helpful. It comes after a rejection of two alternatives – polytheism (which essentially becomes dualism, a battle between good and evil) and monism, where one God rules the world absolutely. He is the only supernatural power, the absolute Power. This, points out Christopher, is essentially Islam. But it is not Christianity, even if it is how many Christians think the world is governed.
Neither does justice to the Bible’s picture, which is more nuanced and complex. The Bible portrays for us a world that lies under the absolute supremacy and sovereignty of the Creator, who has no rivals, who is unique, such that there is no god like him. And yet he does not govern the world as the sole supernatural power. He governs the world by the means of and through the agency of a multiplicity of supernatural powers, some of whom are evil. That is to say, “the sons of God” [Job 1.6] represent powers that are greater than human powers and yet are less than God’s power. They include among their number the Satan and his lying and evil spirits. (p41)