My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience … Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James 1:2–3, 13 NKJV
The Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils. Job 2:6–7 NKJV
Psalm 119:68 plainly states that God is good and does good. Sin is abhorrent to Him; it is totally opposed to His holy nature, for “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1:5). He may test a person, as He did Abraham in Genesis 22, but never will He suggest that anyone should do what is evil or wrong. Our inclinations and desires to sin come from what Scripture terms the flesh: our own sinful, fallen nature (Jas. 1:13–15).
The book of Job takes us behind the scenes to see how Satan tries to turn Job against God and God against Job. We see Satan going to and fro, back and forth on earth, observing people whom God in love intends for blessing. Satan means “adversary.” The “accuser of the brethren,” Revelation 12:10 terms him. He delights to hurt us and keep us from enjoying God’s blessing. But God limits Satan as to how far he can go with his wicked purposes.
God delights to see His people living to please Him. He sees the heart, which Satan cannot. Job was blameless, upright, fearing God, and shunning evil, but he was also self-righteous. When his friends accused him of secret evil and hypocrisy, Job vigorously defended himself. His friends could not prove him wrong.
God ultimately brought Job to see himself in His presence. This caused Job to abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes. God’s purpose in allowing Job to be tested was thus fully vindicated!