Allow Me

     In human reasoning, there is a dichotomy between what God allows and what God causes to happen in our lives. God's Sovereignty + Satan's Schemes + human choice is an equation as irreconcilable as my last bank statement. The book of Job gives us a peek behind the curtain at the God vs. Satan part of a very human drama. Some see this as proof that God is in charge of good things that happen and Satan is in charge of bad. Example:  good harvest--God, earthquake--Satan.  As R. C. Sproul explained, if that were the case, you should probably worship Satan because he is the one who wants to hurt you. Because Satan asked permission to harm Job, I think sometimes we view God as a nagged parent who eventually gives in, against his better judgment, to Satan's requests. We forget that singling out Job was God's idea. (Job 1:8)  And that Satan's claim that Job only loved God because of the blessings he had been given, was also Job's fear. "What I have feared has come upon me." (Job 3:25)
     Job's comforters erred because they thought what was happening was about sin. Job erred because he thought it was about fairness. We err when we try to reduce God's sovereignty into concepts we can understand--like Good God/ bad god. God had a purpose in those trials for Job, Job's wife, his fickle friends, and all those through the ages who have read the book, as well as giving Satan his comeuppance. In the final chapters God does not explain himself to Job, He merely points out why Job is not qualified to demand or understand an explanation. Neither are we. Whether God causes or allows bad things to happen to good people is splitting hairs--human hairs.
    Studying Revelation has shown me that even the terrible, final judgments on the inhabitants of the earth are within strict boundaries. No one is punished accidentally or capriciously. If the price of defending God's character is lessening his sovereignty, allow me to abstain.