In the Old Testament, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. After being carried off to Egypt, and being passed over in prison, he eventually rose to be in charge of all of Potiphar's household. Finally, as his brothers and Father were nearing starvation, and had traveled to Egypt to obtain food, Joseph revealed an essential part of the providence of God. When Joseph's brothers discovered that Joseph had risen to power under Potiphar, they were afraid for their lives, for they had sold him into slavery. But Joseph told them, "You meant it for evil, BUT God meant it for good." There are three powers behind the events in our lives, and those three powers are humans, Satan, and God.
God did not create evil, but God did create the potential for evil, when He created beings with free will. Because humanity believed Lucifer's lie in the Garden of Eden, God has allowed that lie to be continually there for us to follow, if that is the way we choose to follow. Lucifer said, "You shall be as God" if you take eat of the fruit that God has forbidden you, and mankind believed Lucifer. Things are no different today. Our kids go off to college, and we call them to see if they are alive. We call to see if they have money. We call, and we call, because we think "we shall be as God". We didn't raise our kids right the first time, and we would be better off to get out of the way and let God do it right. But we call, and we butt in, and we interfere. When our married daughter calls and tells us she had a fight with her husband, we are quick to agree with her that he is a rotten creep. Sometimes we need to just get out of God's way!
God foresaw what would happen to Joseph, and He used it for His glory. Joseph was a man that glorified God mightily!
Let me take you to a strangely similar passage in Luke 22:31-32, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Here we see like in the Book of Job, that Satan specifically requested that God give Him access to sift Peter. Access was allowed, just as it was with Job.
Job 1:12 "And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord."
Job 2:1, "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down on it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fearest God, and shuns evil? And still he holdest fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life."
Now I return to Luke 22:31-32, "the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Has God allowed Satan to sift you? If not I would question my salvation. God will allow such testing, but He will walk with you through the fire. Satan is God's chosen authority for those who follow sin. And, we are all under sin, even those who have been reborn.
The main difference is that the reborn will not suffer the second death. They will suffer the first death, if the Lord tarries.
I am persuaded that God chooses our afflictions, and through those afflictions, He carves His character in us. If we suffer no pain, we would never call God's name. We would disown God, thinking instead that we are God. But "pain" is one tool that God uses very affectively to get our attention. If it takes God knocking you to your knees to save you from a hell fire, God does not mind knocking you to your knees. His desire is for you to discover, that in Him, you truly live, move, and have your being, in which you will find ultimate purpose.
Psalm 119:67, 71, 75, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept Thy word. It is good that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes. I know, Oh Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou, in faithfulness, hast afflicted me." brian†craig
