And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it.
The Second Assault of Satan
The bulk of the Book of Job is taken up with three dialogues between Job and Eliphaz, Job and Bildad, and Job and Zophar, followed by Elihu’s challenge to Job. The four men seek to answer the question, "Why does Job suffer?" Eliphaz, basing his answer on experience, states that Job suffers because he has sinned. He argues that those who sin are punished. Since Job is suffering, obviously, he has sinned.
2 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
The Arrival of Job’s Friends
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
2:1 Diligently
avoid any form of
self-righteousness. Understand that it makes one unteachable and
unshapable in God’s hand.
2:3-6 Understand
that while God
may allow us to be tested, He sets strict limits on the tests.
2:7 Sore boils: A similar description is given in Deut. 28:35
and Lev. 13:18, and may refer to elephantiasis, a disease resulting in extreme
pain and disfigurement. The disease appears to have come upon Job suddenly and
to have covered his body quickly.
2:8 There is no indication that isolation was
imposed on Job; however, he had removed himself already to a place among the
ashes in mourning for his children.
2:9-10 At this point, Job’s wife displays her lack of
spiritual insight and sympathy for her husband’s condition. Astonished at Job’s
continued integrity and steadfast faith, she taunts him. Tormented though he
is, Job expresses a genuine faith in God.
2:11 Friends is a term used for those
showing a solemn, covenant relationship. The three had a sincere desire
to share his grief and ease his pain. Teman was in northern Edom, Shuah was on
the Middle Euphrates, below the mouth of the Khabur River. Naamah was between
Beirut and Damascus.….to be cont’d
In Christ,
Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
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