background and reveal the spiritual forces that were at work. Consequently in 2 Samuel there is no mention of the

temptation of Satan, but 1 Chronicles 20 is like Job 1 and 2, it lifts the veil, and reveals the hidden unknown spiritual

opposition of which neither David nor Joab were aware.

Turning to Psalm 109:6-10 we read `Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned ... Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his

children be continually vagabonds, and beg ...'. By observing the correspondence of this Psalm, we find verses 6-15

balancing verses 28,29, `Let them curse, but bless Thou' and discover that verses 6-15 should be prefaced by the

word (saying) making the whole passage a parenthesis, indicating not David's words but the cursing of his enemies.

To read the whole Psalm is to traverse the experience of Job himself. When `the wicked' would curse the child of

God, he can think of nothing so bad to say, as `Let Satan stand at his right hand' so that when he shall be judged, he

may be condemned. This is evidently what is in view in the challenge of Satan regarding Job.

Zechariah 3:1,2, the last reference to Satan in the Old Testament, shows this attitude of Satan against Israel and

particularly against Joshua the High Priest. `Satan standing at his right hand to resist him'. The word translated `to

resist' is the verb satan. Here Satan is seen acting in character. The feminine form of the word sitnah which occurs

but once, is translated in Ezra 4:6 `an accusation', and `Jeshua', the same high priest that is called `Joshua' in

Zechariah is here (Ezra 3:2; 4:3). Adversaries oppose the building of the temple, who on the human side are men

named Bishlam, Mithredath and Tabeel (Ezra 4:7), similar characters to the better known adversaries of Nehemiah,

namely, Sanballat, Tobiah and Gershom. Zechariah 3, like Job 1 and 2, lifts the veil, and these human adversaries

are seen to be tools in the hand of Satan. Satan's place at the right hand is that of the Accuser. Christ's place there

on our account enables every believer to face the challenge `Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died ...

risen ... Who is even at the right hand, Who also maketh intercession for us' (Rom. 8:34).

Job learned that his `own right hand' could not save him (Job 40:14) he longed for an intercessor, a daysman,

who would represent him before the judgment seat of God. He knew that such a Kinsman-Redeemer lived, and even

though he went down into death, that he would be vindicated at the last. So, the veil is lifted in Job 1 and 2, to let

light in upon the nature of Job's sufferings and to illuminate the problem of the ages of which the book of Job is an

inspired epitome. The margin of Job 1:8 shows us that Satan had `set his heart' on Job, and for His own wise

purposes, not fully revealed, our Lord gives Satan permission to attack this servant of the Lord. After the

unparalleled attacks upon his family and possessions, Satan is again given further permission to attack Job himself,

with the limitation `but save his life'. We understand the intention of Satan's words `skin for skin, yea, all that a

man hath, will he give for his life' (Job 2:4), but to explain the figure is exceedingly difficult. Barnes occupies one

and a half pages in his commentary reviewing the various explanations offered by commentators with little result.

Job's patience was under the severest test. After the first attack of Satan it is written `In all this Job sinned not, nor

charged God foolishly'. After the second attack, it is written `What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and

shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips'; but after the intervention of Eliphaz the Temanite,

Job's patience collapsed and he cursed the day of his birth. Had Job known the facts revealed to us in Job 1 and 2 he

would, we are sure, have acted and spoken very differently.

`Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord', said James in his epistle (James 5:11),

and this twofold reference to the book we are studying must be included in our survey. This verse forms part of a

section that occupies chapter 5:7-11, and this in its turn is in structural correspondence with chapter 1:2-4:

`My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith

worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing'

(James 1:2-4).