Smoodock's Blog

In chapter one we were introduced to a man called Job, who was righteous before the Lord, and was blessed with a large family and great wealth. We are even told that he was the greatest of all the men of the East (Job 1:3). Suddenly, we were brought into Job’s world, and we saw it crumble before Job’s own eyes. He lost both his family and his wealth. This occurred, not because Job had done anything wrong, but because God had removed the hedge of protection he had placed around Job. The Lord was challenged by Job’s satan, vis-à-vis Job’s enemy, and he accepted satan’s wager. Job’s satan had accused him of merely expressing respect for God, because God had blessed him so well. Satan contented that once the Lord’s blessings were removed, Job would surely curse God to his face. In other words, he didn’t believe Job was sincere in his reverence for God. He believed Job was self-righteous, and only appeared to revere God in the presence of other men. Satan contended that, in reality, Job was no better than anyone else. Nevertheless, when Job’s blessings were removed, he still worshiped the Lord, despite the destruction of his world as he knew it (Job 1:21-22).

After these things, there came yet another day when, the sons of God appeared before the Lord, and Job’s satan, also, was among them (Job 2:1). Once more the Lord asked satan what he had been doing, and if he had considered Job, his righteous servant, saying that he had moved the Lord against Job to destroy him without cause. So, we have the testimony of God, himself, that Job was righteous, and that he didn’t deserve to be treated so by the Lord or anyone else, for that matter (Job 2:2-3).

Satan replied to the Lord in very vague terms, just as he had done earlier (Job 2:2; cp. 1:7), such is to be expected of those who would like to hide their activities from the Lord. In other words, satan was a man in rebellion against God, and considered his activities none of the Lord’s business, which, as I concluded in my previous study, is one of the reasons why the Lord actually permits the righteous to suffer, vis-à-vis as a witness to the Lord’s enemies that they need to cease their rebellion (cp. 2Corinthians 5:19-21) and place their trust in the Lord, and the Lord will help them.

As for Job’s continued righteous behavior in the wake of satan’s evil assaults against him, satan replied: “Skin for skin! All that a man has will he forsake to save his own life!” (Job 2:4). In other words, Job happily gave up his wealth, and even the lives of his children, because he was still safe from all harm. If the Lord had truly wanted to test Job, he would have included his person in the first test. Therefore, satan challenged the Lord: touch Job’s person, the loss of all that outward stuff only proves Job loved his own life most of all. Touch him, and you’ve touched what is really important to Job. If you touch his bone and flesh, take away his good health, he will curse you to your face (Job 2:5)

Therefore, the Lord, once more, accepted satan’s challenge, and he placed Job squarely in the hands of his enemy, except that his life must be spared (Job 2:6). All else would be fair game. Once more, the casual reader may accuse God of impropriety, saying he acts unrighteously or, “If God really exists, good people wouldn’t suffer so much!” or “If God exists, why is there so much suffering in the world?” Such things have their answers, if one sticks to the context of those who suffer. Yet, not many will accept the evidence presented, because, like satan in this record, they simply believe what they wish to believe, and nothing that doesn’t speak favorably to their point will be accepted.