Job 1:12

"Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him'. So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord"

Some stumble over this verse and wonder, "Doesn't God already know the motives of His children? Why does He need to find them out?" Yet, the purpose for this test is far more than revealing true motivation. God accepts Satan's challenge (in fact, God was the one who introduced the challenge), "not on. whimsical dare or because His character is threatened" (McKenna p. 38). The reader needs to understand that God is not being set up and neither is Job, Satan is the one being set up. From this trial, the faith of Job will be refined and he will reach. deeper level of spiritual maturity (chapter 42). In addition, until the end of time, millions and billions of people on the earth will have access to this book and the loser in the whole story is Satan.

Job 1:12 "Only do not put forth your hand on him": Note that Satan, though in rebellion, is still under God's authority. Even Satan cannot do anything he wants to do! He is restricted by divine decree, he can touch anything except Job's person. "A note of high truth rings through God's response to Satan's cynical challenge. God does not accept Satan's terms that He stretch His hand over Job and touch all he has. God does not do evil. Rather, He draws the boundaries within which evil may work in the world. God permits evil within limits (because he gave man freewill), until the great and terrible day of judgment. This is good news, even for those of us who live with the reality of sin and its consequences" (McKenna pp. 38-39).