Bible Question:
In Job 2:3, God is speaking to Satan. He says; “ . . . though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” Doesn't this seem like Satan talked God into doing something that He did not want to do? I thought that God does not negotiate and that He is in complete control.
Bible Answer:
Since God is sovereign, can God be persuaded to do things against His will? The passage we are interested in is,
The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Job 2:3 (NASB)
Contest Between God and Satan
This is the second time that Satan has talked with God about Job. In order to understand what has occurred, it is important to see the big picture by looking at chapter one. The key passage we are interested in is,
The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 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. Job 1:8-12 (NASB)
Here we discover that God had called Satan’s attention to Job. Satan had been wandering about the earth looking for someone to test. So God asked, “Have you considered My servant Job?”
Why did God do this? Apparently, He wanted to show Satan someone who was a very righteous man and obeyed Him. But Satan countered by challenging God that Job was righteous only because God was protecting him. Therefore God allowed Satan to test him with difficulties. How did Job respond? Job did not sin (Job 2:3)! God was not forced into something that He did not want to do. In fact, God appears to have baited Satan into testing Job.
“You Incited Me Against Him”
Yet Job 2:3 indicates that God was “incited” to do something. The transliterated form of the Hebrew word for “incite” is sut. It has the idea of being “stirred to a course of action that one would not normally take.” It can also mean “to cause to action” or persuaded.” Then God dropped the hedge around Job and allowed Satan to attack him. This was God’s choice. He was not forced to do this. Satan was in submission.
Some teach that God has planned every detail of our lives. But that is not true. James 4:2 tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. That implies that our prayers can cause some things to happen that would not occur otherwise. Prayer makes a difference. This implies that God can and will respond depending upon choices. God has determined certain things in our lives but not everything. His will allows for dynamic events to occur in our lives.
Conclusion:
Ezekiel 3:16-21 reveals that God has established principles by which He operates toward His servants, the wicked, and the righteous. Jeremiah 18:5-10 also reveals similar principles that operates toward nations. That is, God responds to the wicked and the righteous according to the divine principles that He has established. The point is that God cannot be motivated to act contrary to His will, purposes and decrees. God does not repent.