Job 2:1-10 IN ALL THIS There are times and places where accountability to God is given now by "the sons of God" and Satan that define the limits of their activity. They are able to go so far and no further. We know in our future as believers there is going to be an accounting of things done in the body at the judgment seat of Christ. The great white throne judgment will surely clarify to unbelievers the extent of their sin before God. They will be judged out of the book of things done by the Judge of the Universe who knows every thought and intent of the hearts of human beings. When that account is made before God, everyone will understand that God is real, and He knows every thing about everybody.
It is of interest that there is this glimpse into a second gathering before God within a quite short time to which Satan was again allowed to attend. Again, God draws attention to Job, His servant, who was a very unique and special person. After everything is gone from his life that is important, his lively-hood, his family and his hopes for the future on earth, he still loves God for who He is, not just for what He gives. Again, the Lord points out the four points of Job's righteousness, and then adds a fifth one - integrity. Job's loyalty to the Lord was solidly and fully intact. Even though he had lost all his possessions and his children through no fault of his own, he remained faithful to God.
Presently God allows Satan to run the world. He is "the god of this world who blinds the minds of them which believe not..." He knows where the weak spots are in nations and even in people who he has made a point of his personal attack. God allows things that are painful to happen to us which we may not understand nor can conceive of a reason for which it has come upon us. These are not necessarily for punishment or to bring a change of behavior, but simply to have us draw closer to God personally.
Job continued to fear God and shun evil in spite of Satan's attempt to destroy him without a cause. We all have weaknesses and Satan will try to find them in order to take advantage of those who are not on guard against his wiles. It is God who allows testing of every kind He had allowed Satan to cause Job to lose his finances and his family. Now he was allowed to attack his physical body with painful, constant physical suffering. By God giving the explanation of the reasons for Job's troubles at the beginning of the book, we are able to understand ahead of time that there is a purpose behind all God allows in our lives.
Whatever the disease that afflicted Job was, it was so great that he itched, had ulcerous sores, his bones were affected, his skin was dark and peeling, and it affected his mind with terrifying nightmares. Behind Satan's attack on God's servant, was an even more sinister attack on God. He implied that God had to pay people to love Him. If He didn't entice them with things, good health, food etc. they would not have any interest in Him. That is a fundamental charge against the character of God. Unfortunately, that is the opinion of many unbelievers today. "Why should I believe in God? What has He done for me?"
A lot of parents in this affluent society today are determined that their children "will not have to go through what I went through." So, they make sure they do not want for anything. They will give them what they want, take them where they want to go, and let them do what they want to do. They are allowed to eat what they want and reject what they don't want. It appears that behind this kind of thinking and practice, the hope is they will be happy and love their parents. The fact is that only spoils them, and it often has the opposite effect. It is like paying our children to love us. This was and still is, the charge of Satan against holy and righteous living.
The love true believers have for the Lord God is because of who He is, not just because of what He has done for us, and is doing now. The tests that God allows to come on us is to refine us, purify us, prepare us for faithful service, and make our life of faith shine as a light reflecting our Lord. He endured the cross and despised the shame that was heaped upon Him when He suffered for us. He had an eternal glory always, but by the things that He suffered, when He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, there was a brighter glory yet. That was because of what He suffered. All of those who will forever praise Him, and His bride that will share life with Him will give Him greater honor than He had before He suffered.
When God's people suffer today, there is something that comes out of that which is of greater honor and glory, than if life went on full and successful without the pain of suffering having been endured. Whatever sickness Job had, whether it was psychosomatic dermatitis or some other disease, he ended up sitting in a pile of ashes scraping himself with a piece of broken pottery. It was then his wife gave him the exact counsel Satan wanted. "Curse God and die."
The foolish women Job referred to were not lacking in intelligence, but were surly in their attitude of lawlessness and ungodliness. Whatever she meant; she was no help to Job. Her words in this chapter were words of temptation and blame against God. In chapter nineteen she rejected him because of his bad breath likely caused by the sickness he was going through. When Eve was tempted by Satan, righteous Adam was standing there in the integrity of righteousness that had never been tested. Before ever sinning, she succumbed to the words of Satan's deception and both she and Adam tragically fell.
When Job's wife told Job, the sinner, to curse God and die, he stood firm against that temptation. His righteousness was not in himself, but was the righteousness which is by faith in the Lord. That is the kind of righteousness that is imputed when we realize we have been redeemed and brought nigh to God by His grace. That righteousness lasts because faith claims its power through our Lord Jesus Christ. We love the Lord and the testing times reveal that power of God in us to stand against all the onslaughts of the devil when we put on the whole armor of God and resist the devil.
The triumph of the patience of Job over the malice of Satan, and of faith in God over the suffering imposed by the world, the flesh and the devil, sets the stage for the succeeding chapters of the book of Job. The seal of triumph in adversity teaches us that faithfulness to God and love for our Lord Jesus Christ, gives the power to live out in a practical way, the eternal life God gave us. In every situation we might face in life, God is on our side. Those are wonderful words that are written: "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly [1:22]." " In all this did not Job sin with his lips [2:10]."