“So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 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. Job 1:9-10 (NKJV)”
A hedge is simply a fence which demarcates a territory and for any stranger to enter he or she must seek permission. The above scripture is a conversation between God and Satan. The Lord asked Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” Satan’s reply is fascinating: How did Satan know there was a HEDGE around Job? Satan had visited but was resisted by the hedge. All children of God have the hedge of protection which is maintained by our faithfulness to God. We often times confuse faithfulness with loyalty and act in ways that create holes allowing Satan the entry pass our hedge. Being loyal is giving firm and constant support to a person or institution whilst faithfulness is specific to believing and operating in the ways of God. Job remained faithful to God in the face of adversity. His wife asked him to curse God and die but he refused.
His friends accused him falsely but he was steadfast in his relationship to God declaring, “God may kill me, but still I will trust in him Job 13:15a” and “Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me” Job 27:5b. There are eternal benefits in remaining faithful to God as against the immediate benefits of being loyal to human. The faithful refuses to let his loyalty to persons influence his faithfulness to God and s/he is prepared to let go of personal benefits that leads to destruction so that the eternal glory of God is manifested for the benefit of the whole population and future generation.
Let us reflect on some biblical examples. Moses chose faithfulness to God when he walked away from the palace of Egypt to bring deliverance to his people: Acts 7:22-24 Joshua chose faithfulness over loyalty to his people when he declared “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:14-15 Jonathan declared his faithfulness to God and loyalty to David when he said, “I know you will be king” 1 Sam 23:17 even though His father, considered this as disloyal and called him a fool.1 Sam 20:30-31 John the Baptist was faithful to God when seeing Jesus Christ declared “I must decrease and He must increase” John 3:30 when the leaders insisted that he was the Christ.
We must resolve to be faithful with our decisions and therefore answer the question, “Do I please man or God?” You please God when you remain faithful. This maintains your HEDGE and generate blessing that lasts throughout generations. Like Moses delivering the people from the torment of the Egyptians, Jonathan preserving the life of David and the lineage of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist pointing out Christ the savior to humankind. Resolve in showing respect to the Lord as this brings true life. Remain blessed as you protect your HEDGE and like Job you will gain twice as much as you may have lost. Amen.
Dr Rex
