Job 1:6, Job 2:2, and Omniscience

The question to satan is rhetorical. The point is, all of the devil's roaming about the earth is futile against God.

I think it’s for the angelic audience. THEY are not omniscient and omnipotent.

Scripture also says the angels desire to look into this awesome plan God has for humanity.

Contrast the dove Noah sent out with the raven he sent.

The dove comes back until restoration of living growth. The Raven roams to and fro, presumably feasting on the dead carcasses, seeking whom it can devour.

Saran goes to and fro. Restless to devour.

Wow....there's some insight! Thanks bro.

& put that with Abraham driving away the birds from the pieces of the animals used for the sealing of the covenant in Genesis 15.. Which includes two undivided birds

This part, I believe is the justification of what is recorded in Romans, Chapter 14, vs. 11)

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.


With regards to your question of why God asked satan to explain what he had been up to, it may well be based on the same concept of confessing to God his actions. Yes God knew what satan had been up to, just as He knows all we have ever said, did, or thought, but to fulfill Scripture and to be certain that all are required to take responsibility for their thoughts, words and deeds, it is necessary for them to confess to God those thoughts, words and deeds.

He knows all! And He will require all to confess all that has not been forgiven! I believe what He has forgiven will not be required of us to confess. That reminding of our sinful past is a trick of the devil, not God. What He has forgiven, He has forgotten, NEVER to be remembered no more.

Yes. Tragedy. If you lost everything including your children, would that not be a tragedy of major proportions?

Apologize if someone else already posted this, didn't go through the whole thread, but I think the purpose of asking is to condemn satan:

Job 15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Luke 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant.

Similarly, judgment reaches Adam and Eve when God asks after the fall, where are you? and, who told you that you were naked? (as if He didn't know)

I always thought it was for my information.

So I know who plans against me and who is for me.


Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Then I must apologize.

i am sure it is "also" for me and you -- why else would it be in the Bible? ♥ -- but i am stuck at, 'the sons of God' and Satan himself are the ones who hear this and see this, and see Job & all the others in the book, and what occurs; i think primarily this is testimony to them. the humans in the account don't seem to be aware of what goes on in chapter 1-2 before God, unless possibly after ((who wrote Job?)) the events in the book

i'm leaning towards, this is testimony to the heavenly beings, and perhaps primarily to Satan himself -- and perhaps this is the fundamental topic of the entire book; that Job is a testimony to Satan, being in a certain way a picture to him, who also 'lost' all the exaltation and blessing he once had in heaven. but Job reacts to this, and to rebuke ((because God doesn't actually answer his questions and complaints, He just rebukes him with his sovereignty)), righteously -- but Satan answers wickedly, and seeks to tempt / test Job to find the same wickedness in him.

maybe i have the wrong definition of tragedy, @Nehemiah6 -- i take the word as having the connotation of something 'wrong' having happened. i don't think what happens to Job is 'wrong' -- i see that as a major conclusion of the whole puzzle; that what God does is right, by definition, by assumption, because He is God and He is how 'right' and 'wrong' are defined - neither man nor angel has any place to accuse or judge Him and He has no obligation to justify Himself to anyone.

is that the way you think of 'tragedy' ? as being somehow 'unjust' ?

I think it was a tragedy for Job.

But for me it was relief to know that no matter how bad it gets God will turn it around for His Glory. Probably Job felt that way as well.

And since Job knows God he also knows that his family is with God. So maybe not quite as tragic as initially supposed. Still sad though. For Job.

yes but don't you think, this sentiment is present in the account?

is that what's meant here -


- that suffering is not for God's children punitive, at least not always, but purifying, maturing: like Hebrews 2:10 and Romans 8:28 harmonized, and in that sense, Job's story isn't tragic, but demonstrative, and salvific? and in the end, after all, he was blessed more than the blessing with which he was blessed in the beginning.
i think Satan meant this for Job's evil, but God meant it for good

If it hasn[t been mentioned before.......one thing we learn from Job 1:6 is that Satan has to ask permission from God, Satan does not act apart from God's plans nor has he any of the attributes of God (omniscient, omnipresent , omnipotent) As a created being he is under the control of the Creator.

Probably for our benefit. Just a way to show us what satan says about himself. His answer reveal his motives in the most concise way.

When God asked Adam, it was so that Adam would confess. (I know it is a popular interpretation to say he was blaming and that might be a correct interpretation, but I think there is a confession involved, and that is why he received grace unlike Cain who did not confess) God asked Eve and she confessed.

God knows but this asking and getting a response is simply a way for us to learn something from the response as concise as it may be.

2And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

I’m thinking Job no longer thinks of what happened to him as a tragedy.

Romans 8:18
New King James Version
From Suffering to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

I think God was punishing Satan by sending him to a man of faith.

I would say same reason he asked Adam where he was after the fall.