ON A DAY THE SONS OF GOD CAME AND PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans
Translator: Robin Barker
Someone wrote to me the following:
“In Job 1 verse 6 and Job 2 verse 1 the writer talks about the sons of God (in the new translation it says the heavenly court/angels) who came before our Lord and satan was amongst them.”
The person then asks:
“Of whom is now being spoken?”
Let me first explain again about this, before I explain how I understand this matter.
Everyone who reads the Word, reads the Word using a certain pair of glasses, with which he/she wants to read the Word.
Because I proclaim the Word with the viewpoint of guiding as many people possible into a loving relationship with our Lord, there are things that I do not pay much attention to. No, not that it is not important but because through my humanity there are things that I feel are more important.
My complete outlook of proclaiming the Word of our Lord can be summarized in the following that was said by my great hero Paul:
1 COR 2:2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.
Having said this, we should also have an answer ready should we be asked a question by someone, even if it has no relevance upon my loving relationship with our Lord.
1 PETER 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..
Here is how I see this section and I quote only the one verse from Job because it is sufficient for my answer:
JOB 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
JOB 1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Of course this is not the first time that we hear about the Sons of God in the Word and in my opinion, if a person remembers the first occasion where it was mentioned, it is then not too difficult to know who the Sons of God are in Job.
So, let us look at the first occasion:
GEN 6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
GEN 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
The Word does not precisely tell us who the sons of God were and that is also why some translators of Job in some cases talk about angels and I am also of the opinion that these are angels of our Lord that we read about in Job. But not the same angels that you read in about Genesis 6, because in my opinion, they had been placed in jail, otherwise they would have been able to do over and over again what they had done.
2 PETER 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
If someone wants to mention that I have quoted 2 PETER 2:4 out of context, I just want to show that it is very interesting and insightful, because just after that our Lord tells us of the transgressions of the sons of God in Genesis 6, He also announces the destruction of the earth by water and just after we read 2 PETER 2:4, we also read.
2 PETER 2:5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
Come let us look again at Job 1:6-7:
JOB 1:6 One day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came with them.
JOB 1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
When I read verse 6 I get the impression, that satan and the sons of God who appeared before our Lord, were not there because they really wanted to be there but that they were commanded to be there, so it seems to me, is was to give account about their ‘goings on’.
JOB 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
When I also read verse 7, I almost hear:
“When satan gave his report.”
JOB 1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” …
I do not know why our Lord, who is all-knowing, requested their audience, but I know it would have been for a very good reason and why our Lord in His Word still calls them His sons after everything I do not know but there is certainly a very good reason that will be crystal clear to us one day.
One thing that I know definitely:
At the ‘judgement’ the whole world and satan and all his demons, humanly speaking, will deal with another kind of God.
MAT 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
MAT 13:41-43
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Greetings,
Sakkie