Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the Lord said unto Satan, from whence do you come? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the Lord said unto Satan, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and hates evil?
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for naught?
10 Have you not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
God’s defense department on planet earth is run by The Holy Spirit, to whom Jesus turned over entire jurisdiction over everything which takes place with God’s people, and under auspices of The Holy Ghost there are angels who excel in strength.
These angels are involved in various tasks such as restraining the malice of evil angels, and holding in check the winds of strife lest the earth devolves into utter chaos and carnage. Were it not for their work humanity would have ceased to exist long ago.
Thus, according to what is written, holy angels are much more familiar with the day-to-day operations that take place upon the earth, than many realize, and they do regularly intermingle with the human family on a daily basis, invisibly, and also in the form of men.
For instance, when the two angels passed through the gates of Sodom on the last night of that city’s probation, they were wearing what persons of that day would usually wear, which, if it were in our day would probably be Jeans, Jordans, and some of the clothing items you may find at your local Walmart.
In addition, if they were making such a visit in our day, they would probably have had cellphones, and might have been driving one of those Ford F 150s we often see on the I 95. This is one of the reasons why the following passage was written in the Bible, because it is only in the great hereafter that we will find out what was really taking place upon earth. Let’s read:
Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Persons often have no clue whatsoever of how the angels who work in God’s defense department are actively engaged in our everyday life, and because of persons being unaware, many have actually been in direct contact with angels, and knew it not. Many passages in the scripture confirm what is being said. Let’s read:
Psalms 34: 7 The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.
Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
9 And he went out, and followed him; and knew not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
[The Great Controversy pp 631>632] In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of His people. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men.
They have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at noon.
They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers. They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the altar. They have opened prison doors and set free the servants of the Lord.
In the form of men, angels are often in the assembly of the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom to make a record of their deeds to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance.
Angels have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have greatly retarded the work of God, and would have caused great suffering to His people. Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet, often in their councils, angels have been spokesmen.
Human eyes have looked upon them; human ears have listened to their appeals; human lips have opposed their suggestions, and ridiculed their counsels.
Human hands have met them with insult and abuse. In the council hall and the court of justice, these heavenly messengers have shown an intimate acquaintance with human history.
Angels are stationed around those who fear God, and they deliver us from evils, dangers, and prevent certain adverse occurrences from happening to the Christian, according to God’s will and discretion.
However, not because they do encamp round about the people of God 24/7, means that persons will be entirely exempt from difficulty and suffering. Angels do all of their work, in harmony with, and according to the discretion of God, in varying circumstances.
Thus, there are three critically important admissions that the devil makes in the opening passages, which many persons who might not know better, often fail to make. And we would do well to consider carefully what the enemy of souls is saying, in the context of our topic: “God’s Defense Department”
Admission # [1] God has made a hedge around Job.
Admission # [2] God has placed a hedge around his home, and around all that pertains to him.
Admission # [3] God has blessed the work of his hands and as a result, his substance or possessions are increased in the land.
It is worthy of note that all of Job’s possessions, his family, and all who work at his ranch, and the safety of everything and everyone pertaining to Job, are all attributed by satan to God alone and not to Job, and for these admissions we must give satan credit, for in this case, he is actually speaking the truth, a very rare occurrence indeed.
God’s defense department is much broader, and is more comprehensive than many persons believe, and this apparent ignorance is reflected in the way persons often tend to take credit for accomplishing, and protecting that which they have.
It's funny that satan does not share this perspective, for in his admissions, he credits God, as the reason why Job reached where he was in life. His success, his riches, and his ongoing preservation are all the results of God’s mercy and His defense department.
We also have to observe that the household of Job, together with all of his employees also shared in the collateral benefits of God’s defense department, for being connected to Job in any way, would render a person a beneficiary of God’s blessings.
When Jesus declares that “We are the light of the world” very much more than giving out tracks, and preaching sermons is included. God designs that all who may come within our sphere of influence on a regular basis would be recipients and beneficiaries of God’s goodness, including the collateral blessings coming from His defense department.
This sacred truth should startle the daylights out of the righteous and those who may not know God, for this special truth about collateral blessings has been revealed countless times in both the Old, and New Testaments.
For example, the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah benefited directly from the presence of Lot, even though they had probably never known it, let alone acknowledged the fact. This is what God stated plainly to Abraham several times, even as the prophet interceded for them. So, let’s see for ourselves, if what satan is saying about Job’s collateral blessings, especially on the issue of security is true. Let’s read:
Genesis 18:26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Genesis 19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou come thither. Therefore, the name of the city was called Zoar.
Genesis 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
Thus, according to the scriptures, it’s apparent that God places His people strategically across the earth so that the inhabitants thereof may be beneficiaries of His goodness, grace, mercy, and His security, and thus, a very heavy responsibility rests upon persons who are Christians, to live like Job and Joseph.
On the flipside of this truth are the ominous results of walking contrary to the commandments of God, for Christians who violate the word of God, actually put others in jeopardy, and as such, unbelievers can suffer collateral damage if the Christian isn’t walking straight. This important truth is also revealed in the Bible.
Therefore, if and when a Christian is thinking about relocating to Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, or even North Florida, the primary reasons should not only be because of the costs of living; instead, very careful consideration must be made, concerning the impact one would have on the community, to which he or she may be heading.
In other words, will such a move to a different state result in collateral blessings to the neighborhood in which they plan to reside, or would it be the flipside of insecurity and damage to the community that is in question. Persons ought to consider carefully the admissions satan makes in Job chapter 1. Let’s read:
Jonah 2:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
7 And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9 And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12 And he said unto them, take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.
15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.
[The Desire of Ages pp 306] Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence in the world, of God's people whom they despise and oppress.
However, the enemy of souls also made a claim in Job chapter 1 that warrants closer investigation, for he credits Job’s security, not to weapons of defense, security cameras, or any of the other offerings that are available today, such as Ring, ADT, or the many gadgets and gizmos persons often put their trust in.
Absolutely none of these are mentioned as being the real reason why Job, and all that pertains to him are secure. Instead, satan points us directly to God’s defense department alone.
We are hard pressed to believe that an individual of such social, and financial stature, such as Job, would not have some measure of security in place, for it is a fact, that even Abraham who was wealthy, had his own private army of trained soldiers. Thus, it should be reasonable to conclude that Job also had his own security apparatus in place.
Therefore, this raises a very serious question as to whether Job and Abraham can protect themselves and their families, if God’s defense department is taken out of the equation.
To put it plainly, if God removes His “Hedge” from around Job, will Job’s security detail be able to stand their ground on their own, against the incursions of man’s nemesis, using human agents, or would they be powerless with all of their prior planning for such an event?
What is worthy of note, is that when the hedge was removed, satan never once appeared in person, but instead, took possession of the minds of his human agents to carry out the part of the carnage that took out Job’s family, his employees, and his livestock.
This fact raises several other serious questions, as it pertains to the issue of security for Christians, which we will address next.
[1] Does, and can satan take possession of a human agent, and direct him to attack a specific location, or specific individuals?
Jobs friends came to visit him after the carnage, and thus, it is very likely that Job’s family was not the only one residing in his neighborhood. Therefore, we must question whether or not devils can impress the human agent to handpick specific locations, and persons on a specific street, to carry out their acts of carnage? Let’s read:
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.
14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
(This single servant was probably spared only so that he could bring back the bad news.)
On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida and the investigators later found out that considerable planning went into the fatal act, before it was carried out.
Again, on 9/11 considerable planning, surveillance, and logistics had to have taken place for months and years before, as specific targets of the Twin Towers were singled out by America’s enemies. Did this take place in a vacuum, or could devils possess a person’s mind, and direct specific attacks, as took place with Job?
If so, this will lead us to another important question that must be addressed sooner or later by those in authority, for try as we might, violence is increasing:
[2] Can such attacks as took place on Job’s family be attributed to “Mental illness” as some X-Perts in our day often do? Was Bin Laden mentally ill? Or are we dealing with something that’s more ominous within the framework of society?
Interestingly enough, the Bible never says that the Chaldeans and Sabeans were mentally ill, for if they were, we will be hard-pressed to believe that they could carry out such an attack with surgical accuracy as they did. This raises the prospect that the world could now be facing an astronomical rise of demon possession, of which the X-Perts are chalking up to mental illness.
[3] Is the Christian’s confidence to be put in arming himself/ herself, and if so, can he, or she withstand an onslaught by satan, through his human agents, if they are permitted to do so?
[4] Who are the Sabeans, and the Chaldeans in our day? And are they kept at bay only because of God’s defense department, or is it because folks might be armed to the tooth?
[5] If persons were to discover that more and more hedges are being removed in our day, can it be that God’s defense department may be in the process of wrapping up its operations on planet earth?
[6] How does God’s defense department figure into the equation, and what does that mean for those of us Christians, who are now living in an increasingly dangerous world?
To answer these very haunting questions, we must let the Bible speak with clarity for itself, because the Christian in our day will soon discover that very hard choices and decisions would have to be made as per the issue of security. Let’s read:
Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.
Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
If demons can go directly to kings, and control their minds, then it is a no-brainer that they could also go to Nicholas Cruz, who delivered carnage to Marjorie Stoneman High school. It is worthy of note, that in verse 14 of Revelation 16, the minds of those kings are being directed and prepared for battle. Let’s read:
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath because he knows that he hath but a short time.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[Early Writings pp 274] An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches.
[Testimonies 8, pp 49] I was shown that a terrible condition of things exists in our world. The angel of mercy is folding her wings, ready to depart. Already the Lord's restraining power is being withdrawn from the earth.
[Review and Herald January 30, 1900 para. 6] The world is not improving. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. By rejecting the Son of God …… and choosing a murderer in his stead, the Jews showed what human nature can and will do when the restraining power of the Spirit of God is removed, and men are under the control of the apostate. Those who choose Satan as their ruler will reveal the spirit of their chosen master.
In the instance with Job, it becomes evident that no matter what security measures may be put in place, if the hedge is removed, or missing for some reason, the Christian on his own stands powerless against a foe, who can move upon human agents to plan and carry out acts of carnage.
As we study, we must remember that Job’s case was an extreme example of what takes place behind the scenes, because God does not usually permit such incursions against His people on a regular basis. But it was necessary for God to draw back the curtains, between the visible and invisible world.
Hedges are removed for other reasons than what took place with Job by permission. By the rejection of God’s law, and by casting aspersions on His word, persons, communities, cities, and governments can cause hedges to be removed, for angels often would not go where they are not welcome or needed.
Especially should we consider what is taking place in our world, as more and more cold water is thrown over the sacred utterances of the scriptures, in favor of philosophies, doctrines, and modes of thought and action that are diabolically opposed to God.
This inevitably will result in the removal of hedges, if and when the mercy and long-suffering of God has run its course. God is merciful indeed, and he bears with humanity’s failings, and errors for very, many years, but there comes a time when He must pack up and leave, if we insist on rejecting His overtures.
When things do reach a tipping point, then God’s defense department winds down its operations, in behalf of those who reject His word. This, above all other reasons, is why we are witnessing increases in crimes, in violence, in endless wars, in diseases, in temperatures, and in the utter intransigence of our political apparatus.
In other words, with the accelerated rejection of the word of God, will come the inevitable, accelerated winding down of God’s defense department, and it would reach a stage where God can only protect His own. This isn’t a figment of our imagination, it’s the unadulterated word of God speaking. Let’s read:
Isaiah 24: 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
We are now living in momentous times, where the leaders of this world are at a loss for answers as to how to address the emerging threats that keep on arising almost daily. Devils are mounting incursions on several fronts, and according to what is written, it is scheduled to get a whole lot worse. Let’s read:
2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
However, we are not left without hope, because all who will cling to God during these difficult days will be Shepherded through, according to God’s will, for He has made plain in His word, that when the going gets rough, He will manifest Himself in behalf of all those who love and obey Him.
Therefore, instead of stocking up on weapons, arms, and man-made food that could last for twenty-five years, let us stock up on The Holy Ghost, and build characters by the grace of God that would stand the test of time. God has already given us His word that He will be there for us when we need Him most and thus, we are to rest in His promises. Let’s read:
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Joel 3: 16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most-High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Under the early rain that fell on the believers on the day of Pentecost, we do not find a single recorded instance where we read of them taking up weapons to protect themselves. When Peter was arrested for preaching, the church made unceasing intercession for him, and thereby, God sent His angel to deliver him.
Similarly, under the latter rain, there is not a single scripture calling on the remnant to arm themselves with weapons, because the battle is not ours, but The Lord’s. Our preparation and our defense ought to be centered in and around Christ, and we know we can trust Him to do what’s best for His people.
The arm of flesh will fail us and we have seen clearly from the experiences of Job, that without The Lord’s defense department covering us, we do not stand a chance against the invisible forces of darkness, who are much stronger, more intelligent and experienced than we are, in planning and executing destruction.
Therefore, it is fitting that we end our study today with a gentle reminder that Christians are not called to employ carnal weapons but spiritual, because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness in high places. Let’s read:
2nd Corinthians 10: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
God Bless!