“Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land” (Job‬ ‭1:10).

God’s relationship with Job was a unique one and he was someone who was upright before God. God bragged about Job’s faithfulness to the adversary. “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job‬ ‭1:8‬)? The enemy commented on the hedge of protecting which God had placed around Job and the blessings which God had on Job’s life.


I notice from the text that the Devil needed God’s permission to touch Job and God allowed him to touch Job’s possession, but his life the enemy could not take away. It is a controversial story, the one of Job’s, because why would God cause him to be tested so greatly. I imagine that God knew that Job could handle it and he trusted that no matter what Job had lost, that he would continue to serve him. This is why God not only restored what Job had, but restored twice as much as Job had before (Job 42:10). Most of us don’t want to be tried or tested in the way that Job was and many of us won’t experience that degree of testing. Nevertheless we experience trials in this life, but our assurance is that God has placed a hedge of protection around us.

As we stay in the presence of God, we abide under his shadow. God is our refuge and fortress and he will deliver and shelter us, so we do not fear the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by noon. We don’t fear pestilence or destruction because angels stand a guard around us. Psalm 91 paraphrased.


There is a hedge of protecting around you which the enemy need God’s permission to cross. Although God allowed Job’s affliction, the enemy could not destroy his life because God knew that once Job had been faithful that he would bless his latter years with far more than what he had before. Our assurance is that even if we experience tribulations, that God will preserve our lives and restore anything lost or stolen.


A.P.-Y.

Published by Anneta Pinto-Young

I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession. Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm. I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing. I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.

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