Job 2 Integrity in the Storm

We read of the account for round two in this chapter of Satan coming before the “sons of God”, during which the Lord asked him where he’d been; which he responded with a vague response; all this while he had in fact been considering Job. Satan’s response was “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.” Essentially Satan says that a man will hold fast to the Lord until he is physically afflicted, then he’ll turn on God.

As to when this was written, scholars are not in agreement; however there is internal evidence that it was written during the time of Jacob. There are those who contend that it was written prior to the giving of the Law and that Job didn’t have any Word to stand on.

The Lord’s response was “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” This must have been after the fall of man as Satan had the authority to do whatever he wanted to Job’s physical being. The conclusion we come to is that there was and is nothing that the enemy could apart from permission from the Lord. Keep in mind we’re under the New Covenant where we have His promises we can stand on. Satan’s ensuing actions show us it was he and not the Lord who put the boils all over Job’s body, causing such discomfort he scratched himself with a piece pottery and was sitting in an ash heap.

Job’s wife, who some purport was Dinah, encouraged him to “Curse God and die!” Rather than bless the Lord for all He had blessed them with, thanking Him for their health and prosperity; curse Him. It’s amazing that some forget the blessings of the Lord during times of trials, rather than bless Him and thank Him for His past blessings. Years ago I heard a pastor call these the “loaves and fishes Christians”; hanging around the Lord, but not the Cross.

Note Job’s testimony observed by his wife, “integrity”. Even in the midst of all Job had been through he still held on to his integrity to live out the man he’d been called to live.

At best Job had a limited amount of Word available to him. With that being said, he thought the adversity had come from the Lord. However, it wasn’t the case, it’s clear Satan was the culprit, not the Lord. Also note Job’s integrity affected “his lips”, he didn’t sin with words that came out of his mouth. He may have thought them, but he didn’t speak them.

Job must have been a man of high standing in his time; as three friends, two of which were kings came to mourn with him. When they viewed him “from afar”, they didn’t recognize him as a result of all the physical pain he’d been through. The seven days were the traditional time length of mourning, which we see in this case. Grief isn’t afar off from the saint of God, because of faith. In fact his faith may create an increase in mourning, viewing all that confounds the saint.

Believer, maintain your integrity, even in the midst of challenges to your faith.