Hedge of Protection

In this passage Job remembers the good old days. He recounts how the respect he commands in his community, the help and charity work towards the needy, his influence and his power. He begins by first describing his relationship with God and how the Almighty was "with him". In a sense, we can be quick to judge Job to try and point out to him that God has always been with him; that God did not abandon him and that Job made a mistake in his state of despair to think that God had abandoned him. If we think like that, we may sound theologically correct, yet we will be making the same mistake as Job's friends.

Looking at Job 1:10, we see that both Satan and God knows that God has put a hedge of protection around Job and his household. Although God did not really abandon Job, Job correctly saw the effects of God removing that hedge of protection on him and his household. Through no fault of Job, God removed his Protection and Satan was able to wreck havoc with Job's life.

So is the message trying to say that God can just remove his protection from us? No. Firstly, the big comfort is that God does have something like a hedge of protection and it is very effective, it protects our well being, our household, our possessions - hence we should feel safe. Secondly, the hedge of protection will not leave us, especially when we have the Holy Spirit in us. The verse in Matt 23:27 shows us what kind of God Jesus is - it is not conceivable that he will take his protection off us.



Matthew 23:37
[ Jesus Laments over Jerusalem ] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Job 1:
9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

Job 29

 1 Job further continued his discourse, and said:
 2 “Oh, that I were as in months past,    As in the days when God watched over me;
 3 When His lamp shone upon my head,     And when by His light I walked through darkness;
 4 Just as I was in the days of my prime,      When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
 5 When the Almighty was yet with me,      When my children were around me;
 6 When my steps were bathed with cream,[a]      And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
 7 “When I went out to the gate by the city,      When I took my seat in the open square,
 8 The young men saw me and hid,      And the aged arose and stood;
 9 The princes refrained from talking,      And put their hand on their mouth;
 10 The voice of nobles was hushed,      And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
 11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me,      And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
 12 Because I delivered the poor who cried out,      The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
 13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,      And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;      My justice was like a robe and a turban.
 15 I was eyes to the blind,      And I was feet to the lame.
 16 I was a father to the poor,      And I searched out the case that I did not know.
 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked,      And plucked the victim from his teeth.
 18 “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest,      And multiply my days as the sand.
 19 My root is spread out to the waters,      And the dew lies all night on my branch.
 20 My glory is fresh within me,      And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
 21 “Men listened to me and waited,      And kept silence for my counsel.
 22 After my words they did not speak again,      And my speech settled on them as dew.
 23 They waited for me as for the rain,      And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
 24 If I mocked at them, they did not believe it,      And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
 25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;      So I dwelt as a king in the army,       As one who comforts mourners.