What is a hedge of protection?

Yes, we have heard of the patience of Job, and how he held on to his God through a series of unparalleled calamities. Satan, the adversary, had observed him for a long time and had been most evidently annoyed at his God-fearing and upright life. If he could have destroyed him he would have done it, but he had to confess that God had put a hedge about him which he could not break down or surmount.

It did not please the devil, the great accuser, that in the world that he desired to dominate there should be a man who wholly served God; and being only evil he could not understand a pure and disinterested motive, consequently he put down Job's fidelity to God to the good thing he was making out of it. “Doth Job fear God for nought?” he asks. “Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face .”

Yes, we have heard of the patience of Job, and how he held on to his God through a series of unparalleled calamities. Satan, the adversary, had observed him for a long time and had been most evidently annoyed at his God-fearing and upright life. If he could have destroyed him he would have done it, but he had to confess that God had put a hedge about him which he could not break down or surmount.

It did not please the devil, the great accuser, that in the world that he desired to dominate there should be a man who wholly served God; and being only evil he could not understand a pure and disinterested motive, consequently he put down Job's fidelity to God to the good thing he was making out of it. "Doth Job fear God for nought?" he asks. "Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he Has, and he will curse Thee to Thy face."

It was a two-handed attack. It was a blow aimed at God, for it meant, "You have created man for your pleasure and you can only gain his service by paying him well": and it was a blow aimed at Job, for as "the accuser of the brethren," Satan moved God against him. But was the accusation false or true? That had to be proved for the sakes of all concerned and for ours also. The question was, should God or Satan triumph in the experience of Job.

The hedge that surrounded this man of God was removed and Satan was allowed to do with him as he pleased within the limits of God's will. How thoroughly he did his malignant work! There was no pity, no mercy in his heart; catastrophe followed catastrophe: the Sabeans, the fire from heaven, the Chaldeans and the great wind from the wilderness conspired together against the object of his malice, until not a vestige of his great possessions remained; every one of his servants was slain, and last and worst of all, he was robbed of his ten children. Job was beggared and bereaved of all that he valued, in one day. He was surely a man to be wondered at as with garments rent and head shaved he fell down upon the ground. How eagerly Satan must have watched him and listened to hear the words that would come out of his mouth, and how baffled and beaten he must have been when Job exclaimed, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord." In the first round of that great contest the honours were certainly with God.

Yes, we have heard of the patience of Job, and how he held on to his God through a series of unparalleled calamities. Satan, the adversary, had observed him for a long time and had been most evidently annoyed at his God-fearing and upright life. If he could have destroyed him he would have done it, but he had to confess that God had put a hedge about him which he could not break down or surmount.

It did not please the devil, the great accuser, that in the world that he desired to dominate there should be a man who wholly served God; and being only evil he could not understand a pure and disinterested motive; consequently he put down Job's fidelity to God to the good thing he was making out of it. “Doth Job fear God for nought?” he asks. “Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face .”

Job in the Old Testament and Paul in the New, and the fact that Satan desired to have the disciples, and Peter in particular, that he might sift them as wheat, are the outstanding cases in the Bible that prove his enmity against the children of God. He had long wanted to crush Job, but he had to confess that God had “made a hedge about him … on every side.” He could not get at him until God made a breach in the hedge and gave him permission to go so far. He went as far as he was permitted, and brought almost unspeakable suffering upon Job, but he was limited. “The Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; but save his life” (Job 2:6). He was not permitted to go to the full length of his malice and God turned his evil to great good for Job; and while we have heard of the malice of Satan, we have also heard of “the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; and that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy” (Jas. 5:11).

Ver. 69. "Now Peter sat without in the palace." The first denial was inside, and we must not think it is only the maiden who speaks, but the excited crowd all round. The last two denials are in the porch, or vestibule perhaps. From other scriptures we gather there were others having their say, and accusing him. It shows how far we may fall if God leaves us. There is nothing we should dread so much as being left to ourselves. Look at Hezekiah. When God left him he miserably fell, though he had given splendid testimony before (2 Chron. 32:31). Heb. 13:5 is a fact too. God allows Satan sometimes to try. As with Job, God has His hedge about every one of His saints. The "hedge" speaks of guard and possession. And until God removes the hedge, the devil cannot touch him, but He permitted Satan to get in to try him, but not to injure him. So with Peter. He allows the devil to try him, but He never surrenders a saint into his hand — never. If the Lord permits us to fall, He never orders it — He permits it. I think the Epistle of James would bring that out. "Neither tempts He any man," but it is for the saint's good if He allows it. All this was blessed to Peter. We may well say at every turn, "Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe." The hymn puts it: "In Thy presence we are happy, In Thy presence we're secure." Wandering from Thee we are feeble, Let Thy grace then keep us nigh." That is so; we must give Him all the praise if we are kept. It is a fearful thing for the Lord to say "I know you not."

True to his character, Satan can only accuse. He cannot deny Job's righteousness, but impugns his motives. Having no motive himself but selfishness, he declares that Job is only actuated by that. Why should he not be righteous? Does it not pay? He is prosperous, blessed in every way, and nothing is allowed to come near him for injury. Let God but remove that safeguard, and let Job be deprived of all his wealth, "and he will curse Thee to thy face."

But God has pronounced: is not that enough? Alas, with sin has come in distrust of God Himself: He also is upon trial; and Satan's reasoning in Job's case almost openly takes that ground. God pronounces as to Job, and he takes exception to it. "Hast Thou not made a hedge about him, and about his house?" he says; and that means to say, "This sentence is not given upon proper trial." And God in His very mercy to man, who to his undoing has accepted Satan's malignity as truth, does not retreat behind His privilege. If He is, and must be, sovereign in His doing, so that "none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" yet will He suffer question, and let all be brought into the fullest light. Job's hedge is taken away, and Satan is allowed large limits within which to deal with him, ― the end being, of course, blessing to the sufferer and full vindication of God's perfect ways.

The hedge that surrounded this man of God was removed and Satan was allowed to do with him as he pleased within the limits of God's will. How thoroughly he did his malignant work! There was no pity, no mercy in his heart; catastrophe followed catastrophe; the Sabeans, the fire from heaven, the Chaldeans and the great wind from the wilderness conspired together against the object of his malice, until not a vestige of his great possessions remained; almost all his servants were slain, and last and worst of all, he was robbed of his ten children. Job was beggared and bereaved of all that he valued, in one day. He was surely a man to be wondered at as with garments rent and head shaved he fell down upon the ground. How eagerly Satan must have watched him and listened to hear the words that would come out of his mouth, and how baffled and beaten he must have been when Job exclaimed, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord. ” In the first round of that great contest the honours were certainly with God.

The hedge that surrounded this man of God was removed and Satan was allowed to do with him as he pleased within the limits of God's will. How thoroughly he did his malignant work! There was no pity, no mercy in his heart; catastrophe followed catastrophe: the Sabeans, the fire from heaven, the Chaldeans and the great wind from the wilderness conspired together against the object of his malice, until not a vestige of his great possessions remained; every one of his servants was slain, and last and worst of all, he was robbed of his ten children. Job was beggared and bereaved of all that he valued, in one day. He was surely a man to be wondered at as with garments rent and head shaved he fell down upon the ground. How eagerly Satan must have watched him and listened to hear the words that would come out of his mouth, and how baffled and beaten he must have been when Job exclaimed, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord .” In the first round of that great contest the honours were certainly with God.

Satan attributes the piety of Job to God's manifest favour and to his prosperity, to the hedge He had put around him. God gives all into the hands of Satan, who speedily excites the cupidity of Job's enemies; and they attack him and carry off all his possessions. His children perish through the effects of a storm which Satan is allowed to raise. But Job, dwelling neither on the instruments employed nor on Satan, receives this bitter cup from the hand of God without murmuring. Satan suggests again that man will, in fact, give up everything if he can preserve himself. God leaves everything to Satan except the life of His servant. Satan smites Job with a dreadful disease; but Job bows under the hand of God, fully recognising His sovereignty. Satan had exhausted his means of injuring Job, and we hear nothing more of him; but it is beautiful to see that God has hereby completely justified Job from the accusation of Satan. Job was no hypocrite. He had lost all to which Satan traced his piety, and it shone forth brighter than ever. Satan can trace the motives which work in flesh, the evil in man's heart which he excites; but grace in God, His uncaused love, and grace in man which trusts in and leans on it, he cannot measure, nor know the power of.