Pr Joshua Yong

Job 1:12a – “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.”

 Christians often struggle with the subject of suffering, especially when confronted with the pain of their afflictions or the suffering of the helpless. For some, the question would arise: “If God is good, why does He allow suffering?”  

The answer lies in understanding God's Permissive Will, which refers to God’s sovereign will in permitting trials and sufferings to come upon His children, not out of neglect, but to fulfil His divine purposes. God’s Permissive Will always operates in harmony with God's goodness, holiness and perfect wisdom.

The account of Job’s trial wonderfully illustrates the Permissive Will of God. Job 1:6-12 tells us that Satan, the adversary, stood before God to accuse Job of serving God because of the blessings he had received. Satan challenged God to remove all that Job had, claiming that Job would curse God if everything were taken away from him (Job 1:10-11).

1) The Demonstration of God’s Permissive Will

 Job 1:12 describes God’s permissive will in action - “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.”

 Satan went on to instigate the Sabeans and Chaldeans to plunder Job’s oxen, asses and camels. This was followed by fire from heaven which came down to burn up the sheep and the servants. Then a whirlwind came and brought down the house where Job’s sons and daughters were gathered, killing all of them. When these were not enough to cause Job to curse God, Satan then came a second time to accuse Job. By God’s permissive will, He allowed Satan to touch Job’s health by afflicting him with painful boils, but Satan was not allowed to take Job’s life (Job 2:10).

 In all these afflications, we see the permissive will of God affirming God’s sovereignty. God is sovereign in all the sufferings of the world. God’s children can trust Him fully even when they do not understand His divine purposes.

The next thing we see in God’s Permissive Will is that God limited and set the boundary to what Job was permitted to suffer. Satan was permitted to touch Job, but only within the limits God had determined. God knows how much we His children can bear. The Bible tells us that God is faithful and will not allow us to “be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13b). There may be times when the sufferings we endure will seem so overwhelming, but we are reminded that God knows our limit and He will not allow the trial that we have to bear to crush us, and it will be just enough to strengthen us. We are strengthened when we hold on to and are strengthened in our faith, and we keep on trusting in God through the trial.

When Job experienced his trials, he did not know what was happening behind the scenes. He didn’t know about the confrontation that took place in heaven. But even though he didn’t know all that unfolded, God was watching over Job. The Permissive Will of God reminds us that God always watches over us. Therefore, we must learn to look at the trials we endure with the right spiritual perspective – that God is in absolute control.

2) The Purpose of God’s Permissive Will

God permits sufferings to fulfil His divine, good and loving purposes. God permitted Job’s suffering, not because He was punishing Job, but to prove the genuineness of Job’s trust in God.

The Permissive Will of God works ultimately to the glory of God. When Satan challenged God in Job 1, Satan was not only attacking Job, he was also attacking God. With regard to the question, “Doth Job fear God for nought?” Satan was questioning God’s integrity and God’s justice. It was a claim that God had “bribed” Job - that Job only served God because of God’s blessings. In the end, Job’s faithfulness silenced Satan, and it glorified God. God’s Permissive Will manifests God’s justice, holiness and goodness.

Job said in Job 23:10 – “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” In the Permissive Will of God, sufferings and afflictions serve to refine God’s children. They teach us to humble ourselves, to be more prayerful and to depend on the Lord. They will also reveal the maturity and strength of our faith. Sufferings and afflictions are meant to shape and mould us to be more and more like Christ.

3) The Response to God’s Permissive Will

When we experience sufferings and afflictions, how we respond is crucial. When Job endured the loss of his possessions, family and health, his immediate response was not sinful or in bitterness; instead, he responded in worship and trust. Job 1:21-22, “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

 Job did not know about the confrontation that unfolded in heaven. Yet, even in his sufferings, he trusted God’s sovereignty. His testimony encourages us to trust in God’s sovereignty, goodness and faithfulness. We are called to learn from the example of Job and how to persevere in faith. James 5:11 says, ^“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” We must remain steadfast in faith, knowing that God permits sufferings for our good, always.

The question "Why does God allow suffering?" is ultimately answered in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Permissive Will reached its climax at the Cross. The Lord Jesus Christ was rejected, betrayed, beaten and crucified, so that through His suffering God’s redemptive plan was fulfilled. Understanding God’s Permissive Will ought to bless Christians with much comfort and enduring hope.