RE: How the Hall of Faith Encourages Us to Test God
Some interesting thoughts here. I'm not sure what to make of the question about God respecting his agree with Satan more than he respected Job. I'll have to think on that. My first reaction is to say that since God is perfect He will always honor His agreements. So there's the integrity aspect of that agreement, which doesn't have as much to do about respecting lower beings as it does with respecting His own word.
Secondly, I'd that God has so much confidence in Job's faith that He was willing to allow Satan to tempt him. Of course, that confidence would also have something to do with His own sovereignty. There is something deep there that does require more contemplation.
I'm more concerned with this:
I was taught the idea that God could not look upon sin, which was the need for the shedding (via torture) of Jesus blood to cover us in atonement. This idea becomes questionable if one believes that Satan is a sinful being who was cast away from God and heaven, as He seems to come and go from Gods presence with a familiarity/respect one does not see afforded to others for the most part.
You have to remember that Satan is a fallen angel, so he's incorporeal. He can certainly go places that man can't. But he is not eternal and cannot be in multiple places at once. He is not God, nor is he God's equal. More importantly, while Satan may be guilty of the first sin (pride), that took place long before man himself had the ability to sin, redemption is not available to Satan or any of the demons. Christ's atoning sacrifice was for man, not for angels. And certainly not for Satan.
For surely He helps not the angels, but He helps the seed of Abraham. Therefore it behooved Him to be made like the brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, having been tempted, He is able to help those being tempted. (Hebrews 2:16-81)
The whole chapter of Hebrews 2 is about salvation and how it is obtained. There are three things to note about this chapter with regard to Satan and atonement:
- Atonement is for those who have been tempted (i.e. man)
- It is not for the angels or demons
- The final enemy that will be conquered is death, and Satan is the one who holds the power of death (v. 14)
Satan being the tempter, cannot be redeemed. Atonement is not open to him. Therefore, God's plan should not be questioned on the basis of Satan being sinful since Christ did not die for his sins.
Thanks again for the challenge.
I'm not certain on this issue, as the bible indicates fallen angels mating with human females creating the Giants that needed destroyed.
That's one interpretation. If you're talking about the Nephilim, that's a difficult passage. There are other possibilities, though I admit it seems to indicate that fallen angels were mating with human females, and that's possible. It's probably the most likely interpretation of the text.
I can't imagine that fallen angels and human females would give birth to anything unless the fallen angels took on human form somehow. It actually says they took the "daughters of men" as wives, so that implies an actual relationship beyond mere sex, but in those days marriage was likely consummated with the sexual act without any type of formal ceremony or necessary paperwork. Though I'm no scholar on the culture of the time.
It seems to me that this would only be possible if the fallen angels took on human form and replicated the human reproductive system. I suppose that's possible, though it baffles my mind. We find in other passages of scripture that angels have taken on human form, so I don't know why that would be a problem. If it did happen that way, it would certainly explain why God was angry enough to destroy the earth, and most of the human race with it.
All of that is an aside, however. Within the context of Satan and Job, it's likely that Satan took on some form to interact with Job, as he did with Jesus. But this would be by God's permission. Satan would still be incorporeal, but with limited ability to appear in human form. In terms of moving "in and out" of God's presence, I'm not so certain he did so much as God has allowed him certain liberties with regard to access to the human race, even His own remnant.