The Deception of the Messenger

To do such a thing: fire is cast from the air, so that it might seem that fire is being sent from heaven, and so that he, thinking that God is fighting him from the heavens, might blaspheme God, fighting Him unjustly through such a division. He says, 'Fire fell from heaven and consumed your sheep and your shepherds.' While he was still speaking this, another angel came and said to Job: 'The horsemen made three heads for us, and they surrounded the camels and captured them, and they killed the boys with swords.'

But even in all these things the blessed Job remained, like an unshakable pillar, like an unmoving tower, like an undefeated combatant, unbending and unyielding, rather attacking than being attacked. For when someone is weary from being lowly, fighting much and benefiting nothing, fighting much and not at all prevailing, he himself is rather the one receiving the lashes for his vain labors. While he was still speaking this, another angel came.

The war is continuous, but in vain for the one suffering; the arrows are more frequent, but the rewards are more splendid. He does not allow him even to breathe for a moment, so that he might not reason something wise according to the innate piety of the wrestling match. He sent all the arrows, and he did not defeat the athlete; he emptied his quiver, but he was not emptied of his endurance. Let the lawless be shamed for nothing.

Since then he himself turned away humbled and crushed, having wrestled much and having been defeated through all things. For he sent strikes against the shepherds, against the herdsmen, against the sheep, against the camels, against the sons, against the daughters, against the household, against the body, through friends, through servants, through worms, through wounds, through sores. He emptied everything, and did not break his piety. He breached the wall, but did not empty the treasure.

Whatever swords the tyrant of the inhabited world moved, through fire, through swords, through earth, through captivity, through blood; he pierced everything, and made the athlete rather more courageous. For this reason also the prophet cried out saying: 'The swords of the Enemy have run out to an end.' Perhaps also he says to him: 'It is hard for you to strike against thorns.' He took all the money, the possessions...

And who is this last messenger? 'While your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking in the house of their elder brother, suddenly a spirit came from the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon your children, and they died.' And so that you may know, beloved, that it was not a man who was discussing these things to Job, but the devil himself, disguised in the form of a man; learn this with all precision: 'While your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking at the side of their elder brother, suddenly a spirit came from the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon your children, and they died.'

How do you know, tell me, that it came from the desert and struck the four corners of the house? You are a man, and how did you see the spirit? With what eyes did you behold it? And how did the spirit strike the four corners of the house? If you are a man, and you were inside the house, then surely the house also encompassed you; but if you were outside, how were you seeing the things happening within? If you are a spirit, show who you are; do not disguise yourself in the form of a man.

He says: 'Of your sons and your daughters eating and drinking at the side of their elder brother.' See how the blessed Job was filled with all understanding and wisdom, and how he was securing the friendship of the children. For he reasoned that since Cain and Abel were two brothers, being the only ones in the inhabited world, they had no occasion for war; for all the earth lay commonly under the authority of both. And thus, envying the honor of Abel, Cain rose up and murdered his brother.

Because of this, the blessed Job offered sacrifices to God concerning the unknown every day, countering the first impulse, and saying: 'May my children never conceive evil in their hearts toward God.' And concerning the things happening to them, whether in word or in contention, he made them eat with one another every day, remembering that even if they should have some pettiness toward one another, the table and the arrangement of the bread make them be transformed into friendship, and cast out the malice that was approaching, knowing that through the...