Throughout the scriptures, legal words and titles are used over and over again. “Satan” comes from the Hebrew hasatan – “the accuser” or “the adversary” or in today’s legalese “plaintiff” – and some of Jesus’ title are Advocate, 1 John 2:1, Counsellor, Isaiah 9:6 and of course Judge, John 5:22. We’re to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, Psalms 100:4, and boldly come to the throne of grace, Hebrews 4:16.
Deuteronomy 28 spells it out really. As I see it, and the word of God shows that the devil is the enforcer, the bringer of death and destruction and loss. But instead of being sent to enforce, God simply removes His protection thereby allowing the devil to destroy. This is exactly what happened with Job. Job sinned not with his mouth, but his actions were one of fear for his children, trying to atone for their possible sins. It was a prison of his own making. This allowed for God’s protection to be removed to a point because Job didn’t trust God. In fact, Job called for the Advocate!
Job 16:21 (KJV)
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
It’s all very legal if you see it for what it is. Think of it this way, you speed, you get stopped by a cop, and you have to go before a judge. But if before all that you speed and hit a tree and die, whose fault is it? There are tons of degrees. Another, which we can’t fathom, is when others sin and the innocent pay like the miscarriages and diseases from the Flint water contamination or Three-Mile Island or war. Why would God allow this? To fill up the cup of wrath on those responsible. You see it throughout the scriptures. Besides, if God stepped in for every sin we commit immediately, we wouldn’t even exist because Adm and Eve would have died instantly and we wouldn’t even exist. Free will is a powerful gift from the Lord and as such, comes with great responsibilities. Which brings us back to Deuteronomy 28.
Choice.