Job 2:1-13
Q.1. Why was God drawing attention to Job’s integrity as a man of God? To what did Satan attribute Job’s faithfulness? – (Job 2:1-5 c.f. Heb.11:1 & 6; 1 Pet.1:7; 4:12-13)
God had allowed Satan to inflict massive losses on His servant Job. However, none of his trials caused Job to sin against God or accuse Him of unfairness (Job 1:22). At this new encounter, the Lord acknowledged the evil that Satan had done, yet goaded him with Job’s uprightness and integrity – … “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” (Job 2:3). Job’s suffering was totally undeserved (just as is God’s grace). Though God had given Satan limited ability to afflict Job, it was God Who controlled the dreadful losses he incurred i.e. you incited Me against him to ruin him. God took the ultimate responsibility for Job’s suffering. To place the blame on Satan would give him control. God is the sovereign Lord of Heaven and earth. This does leave many questions about suffering unanswered, such as – ‘Why does God allow suffering like this?’ Peter put suffering into perspective, after outlining the eternal security of the redeemed (1 Pet.1:3-6). He gave this insight – so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pet.1:7). God, in His foreknowledge, already knows the outcome of even the most severe trials for His children. He didn’t explain His actions to Job when He finally appeared (Job chapters 38-42). In the end, Job bowed in trust before the awesome power and wisdom of God (Job 42:1-6 c.f. Heb.11:6). God would not allow the false claim made by Satan to stand – that Job only trusted in God because of his special treatment.
Q.2. How much harm can Satan inflict on the believer? Who holds the key to the days of our lives? – Job 2:5-8 c.f. Ps.90:10-12; 139:16; Rev.1:18)
In these discussions between God and Satan we learn that Satan was given permission to personally attack Job – So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” (Job 2:6). God holds the keys to our lifespan … and death and Hades (c.f. Ps.90:10-12; Rev.1:18). Satan’s power over death is still under God’s ultimate sovereign control. It was overturned by Christ’s death on the cross – 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Heb.2:14-15). If Job had been martyred, this book would not have been able to teach us about suffering. God limited Satan’s power to personally attack Job in the area of his health. The misery he caused Job was far-reaching, and an utter disgrace.
Q.3. How bad was Satan’s attack on Job? Whom did Satan use to inflict more pain? How did Job respond? How did he view God? – (Job 2:7-10)
Satan afflicted Job with weeping, odorous sores, so bad that he sat in ashes and scraped himself with broken pottery (Job 2:7-8). Satan even used Job’s wife in order to attack him – … “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9). Her post traumatic grief over losing her children, and her shallow understanding of God’s purposes, gave Job the opportunity to voice his view of God – … Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:10 c.f. Job1:13-19). Job never took his blessings for granted. He never forgot that it was God’s prerogative to give or to take away his blessings. Nor did he take his wife’s comments personally. Later they would have ten more children, and Job would live to a ripe old age (Job 42:13-17).
Q.4. Why did Job’s friends visit him? How did they find him? What example did the men leave for those who are ministering to people in pain? – (Job 2:11-13)
It is to their credit that Job’s friends made time to visit him – Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him (Job 2:11). He was in such a bad way that they could not recognize him at first. They expressed their grief in the typical way of the times. They said nothing but just sat with him – Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great (Job 2:13). This is an excellent example in how to approach those experiencing suffering and loss. Their comfort started out well.