On another day the angels, Job 2:1, translated ‘sons of God’ in some translations came to present themselves before the Lord, Job 1:6. These are created beings, Colossians 1:16 / Job 5:1 / Job 15:15, and they are His messengers who carry out God’s will among His people on earth, Job 33:23. As created beings, they were present when the universe was created, Job 38:7.
Angels have come to give an account of themselves, Job 2:1. It’s true that angels are called ‘sons of God’ in Job 2:1 / Job 1:6, but righteous people are also called, ‘sons of God’ in Hosea 1:10. Even in the New Testament, we find that Christians are called ‘sons of God’ through faith in Christ, Galatians 3:26.
Satan has also come from roaming the earth, Job 2:2 / Job 1:6-7. Satan, Matthew 12:24 / 1 Peter 5:8-9, comes before the Lord again, Job 2:1 / Job 1:6, and is now reminded of his defeat, Job 1:22.
It is useless to speculate how Satan entered into the Lord’s presence, Job 2:1 / Job 1:6-7, but we should know that the Creator allowed it. Once again, we read that the Creator allowed him to come, and in doing so, Satan, once again, has the audacity to attack God’s honour and blaspheme God’s Work, Job 1:7-11.
God asked Satan once again, ‘Have you considered my servant Job?’ Job 2:3 / Job 1:8. Job was singled out because of his prominent righteous leadership among men, Job 2:3 / Job 1:8. Every life is an object of interest in heaven. God is keenly aware of each of us, knowing us by name, Genesis 21:17 / Isaiah 45:4.
We should never think that God is too busy running the universe to know His servants personally. He follows every detail of our lives and is as concerned with us as He is with the battle with Satan, as He was with Job’s life. No mother, feeling the pulse, watching the fever, only too eager for the health of a beloved, is more solicitous over a child’s welfare than He.
Satan virtually admitted his first defeat and asked permission to test further. He tries to rationalise and says his previous tests, Job 1:13-20, weren’t severe enough. Job hasn’t been touched himself, hence the words, ‘skin for skin’, Job 2:4.
These words are an ancient proverbial saying that can’t be determined; however, the meaning could possibly be understood to refer to Satan’s statement, ‘all that a man has he will give for his life’, Job 2:4.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The precise meaning of the proverb is uncertain, but the general meaning seems to be that as long as a man does not suffer in his own person, he will gladly bear the sacrifice of everything else ’skin for skin’.’
Therefore Satan challenges God anew and says to God, touch his bones and flesh and you will see his true colours, Job 2:5. The Lord isn’t afraid to let Job be put to the test and He gives permission to Satan to do his destroying work, Job 2:6.
One restriction is given, however, and that is Job’s life must not be taken, Job 2:6 / 2 Timothy 2:13. If his life had been taken there would have been no victory either for God or Satan, for right or wrong.
Ellicott, in his commentary, says the following.
‘God’s faithfulness cannot fail even if, as Satan hints, Job’s should do so, 2 Timothy 2:13. There was one who cared for Job’s life more than he cared for it himself.’
Then Satan sets out his afflictions on Job, and notice there are two sets of trials that come in two areas of Job’s life.
1. Physical.
He is stricken with sore boils all over, Job 2:7 / Deuteronomy 28:35. It could have been leprosy or elephantiasis, that is, worms blocking the lymphatic system resulting in swelling and skin eruptions which is incurable and characterised by boils, itching, a drastic change in his appearance, the darkness of the eyes, that is, tiredness, Job 16:16, and corroding bones and annoying pains, Job 30:17.
The indication is that this condition continued for months on end. Job takes a piece of broken pottery and scrapes himself with it and sits upon the ashes, Job 2:8. This may be a reference to the city dump, his home area or somewhere where no one could see him.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Tradition places him on a dunghill, like the ‘Mizbeleh’ or mound of refuse found outside an Eastern town or village where lepers and other outcasts sit, and men sometimes meet to talk.’
As he sat in the ashes and scraped himself with a broken piece of pottery in a futile effort to alleviate his suffering, we see an unexcelled picture of complete despair, sorrow, pain, and heartache.
2. Mental cruelty.
As the sufferer sat among the ashes, Satan dealt his masterstroke. He used Job’s wife as his helper and worked from within the family, Job 2:9 / Micah 7:6 / Matthew 10:36. Ah! That was the blow!
She was the one person who could have been a source of strength to her husband, but instead, she suggested, ‘Why don’t you renounce God and die?’ Job 2:9.
From that time on, nobody wanted to know the man. He was deserted by his wife; this was the hardest to take as she is in the family. She only comes to ridicule him ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity?’ Then her advice is ‘curse God and die!’ Job 2:9.
Satan was restricted from taking Job’s life, but that didn’t mean Job couldn’t take his own life. Satan’s character is low, and he uses all foul methods. As far as Job’s wife is concerned, remember, she too had lost everything, her security in life. She isn’t of his high spiritual calibre; she doesn’t have the same strength of faith and dedication to God.
She implicates what Satan wants Job to say about God. For Job’s wife, things have gone too far; it is time we left God, but being away from God means we will die.
His response is made with amazing self-control. His reply is almost sarcastic; he more or less says to his wife, ‘shut up, stupid woman, don’t speak like an unbeliever’, Job 2:10 / Psalm 14.
Why was Job harsh to his wife? Job still holds his integrity after he suffered without cause, which is the same word for ‘not’. God makes a play on words and throws the matter back in Satan’s face.
All too often, people praise God in good times but curse Him in bad times, Job 2:10. Job knew that he had to accept the bad with the good, in reference to having faith in God. She is rebuked and reminded of God’s sovereignty and again the Holy Spirit tells us that Job remained strong in God and didn’t lose his faith, Job 2:10.
Ellicott, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There is a sublime contrast between the temptation of Job and the temptation of Christ, Matthew 26:39-42 / Hebrews 5:8.’
Eliphaz came from Teman, Job 2:11, an area that is generally referred to as Edom, Genesis 36:4 / Genesis 36:10-12 / Jeremiah 49:7. Bildad came from Shuah, Job 2:11, an area that is commonly believed to be southeast of Palestine, Genesis 25:1-6. Zophar came from Naamath, Job 2:11, an area in northwest Arabia.
Some people believed that Job’s three friends arrived as a planned visit to see Job; the visit had a good motive. It is a credit to their friendship that they travelled from their homes to find and see Job, Job 2:11.
They are friends in prosperity and adversity. They were obviously sympathetic people who could be touched by the adversity of others, Romans 12:15. The visit was intended for comfort.
It appears that this ailment disfigured him to such an extent that his three friends didn’t initially recognise him, Job 2:12 / Job 7:4-5 / Job 7:14 / Job 30:17 / Job 30:30.
As the friends approached, they became hysterical, Job 2:12 / Genesis 27:38. They were so overcome by his ailment that they tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads, Job 2:12.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following concerning the sprinkling of dust on the head.
‘This was generally done when lying prostrate on the ground, Lamentations 2:10, but the words ‘toward heaven’ suggest that they were standing. They throw dust in the air, which falls on their heads.’
They sat down with him on the ground, and they showed all the signs of mourning, but for seven days they never spoke, Job 2:13. Seven days was a traditional way to mourn for someone who was already dead, 1 Samuel 31:13 / Ezekiel 3:15.
They couldn’t say anything; they were so taken aback, or perhaps they were meditating on what he had done for these sufferings to come upon him. Sometimes silence is the best sympathy.
The Talmud says that consolers are not permitted to speak until the bereaved open the conversation. In the next chapter, we read that Job finally speaks, as Satan prepares a new temptation for him.