Devil: December 1-7, 2019 (Sun-Sat): Read through Job and Ecclesiastes

Devil. Accuser. Slanderer. Satan. Adversary. That’s what he is to us. He opposes God and the pinnacle of God’s creation. He’s our adversary, the prowling lion looking for someone to devour. He’s our accuser, speaking lies into our minds, belittling our importance to God, sowing doubt in the believer, slandering God and His word. He’s a master. He’s good at what he does—being bad and conniving. You’ve listened to him and believed him. You’ve stepped into his trap, sat mesmerized by his deception. He’s a master manipulator, pitting Christian against Christian, husband against wife, child against parent.

Some people view the devil as God’s opposite, but that would exalt our enemy and degrade our God. God has no opposite. Sure, the devil is the mightiest opponent of God and man, but he’s only a fallen angel. He’s limited. He’s a rebellious, finite part of God’s creation. In Job 1 and 2, the angels went to God to report what was going on. Satan, an angel himself though fallen, appears as well to report to God. So, no matter how strong and devious he is, that ancient serpent answers to God. He’s not slithering around unchecked. I love how Martin Luther, one of the Reformers in the Middle Ages, described Satan. He said, “Even the devil is God’s devil.”

As you go through your week, be wary of your cunning adversary, but take heart that he’s governed by God and subject to the Savior. In Christ, you have all the power necessary to stand against him in the evil day and having done all to keep standing.

This week you’ll read…

Job 1-12: “One day the sons of God came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before the Lord” (Job 2 CSB).

Ecclesiastes 1-8: “What was will be again, what happened will happen again. There’s nothing new on this earth. Year after year it’s the same old thing” (Ecclesiastes 1 MSG)

• December 1 (Sun):
  • Job 1-2 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 1 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 2 (Mon):
  • Job 3-4 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 2 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 3 (Tues):
  • Job 5 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 3-4 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 4 (Wed):
  • Job 6-7 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 5 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 5 (Thurs):
  • Job 8 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 6 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 6 (Fri):
  • Job 9-10 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 7 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
• December 7 (Sat):
  • Job 11-12 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)
  • Ecclesiastes 8 (CSB) (MSG) (NLT)

CSB are daily readings linked to The Christian Standard Bible on BibleGateway.com.

MSG are daily readings linked to The Message Bible on BibleGateway.com.

NLT are daily readings linked to The New Living Translation on BibleGateway.com.