I still find it interesting how God, the angels, and Satan seem to have their early morning meetings to see what the day is going to look like. Well, unfortunately for Job, today is another day of testing.
At the tale end of chapter 1, despite of all his misfortunes, Job still praises God verbally. God, being all knowing and therefore knowing Job’s heart, still calls Job blameless and upright. Wow!
When Job’s three friends show up to sympathize and comfort him, for the first 7 days they are with him, no one even says a word. Particularly at a funeral, I am at a loss for words as to what I should say to help comfort those after their loss. Job’s friends are a good example of not saying anything. Sometimes just being present is all that’s required.
In verse 9, Job’s wife tells Job to “Curse God and die.” I found that statement interesting. Job must have been in a tremendous amount of discomfort for his wife to give him that kind of advice. Also interesting, is in the footnotes of my Bible on that verse; it indicated that Satan was using Job’s wife to tempt Job just as he used Eve to tempt Adam.
Job’s response? “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” A very wise response at a time when the easy, or normal, response would be to question.
A thought to close with……..Troubles and suffering are not necessarily punishment for sins; for God’s people, they may serve as a trial or a discipline that culminates in spiritual gain.
Lock Your Wings 
That’s interesting that Satan used Job’s wife in the same way he used Eve to tempt her husband. I never thought about it that way. And I agree, these meetings that God and Satan keep having together are so odd to me. It’s like the story changes perspective and we all of a sudden get a since of what’s going on “behind the scenes.” I wonder if God and Satan really do have conversations like that and if they do today still?
Another thing I noticed is that God keeps bringing his guard around Job back a step. First He tells Satan not to touch Job, then He instructs to just save his life. Jobs afflictions become more and more personal and close to home. Also interesting is that Job’s wife seems to be fine, as in she wasn’t killed or harmed through all of this.
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I never thought about Job’s wife being used by Satan to tempt Job. Maybe the fact that she was useful cause Satan to spare her instead of take her in the tragedy that took his children, servants, and animals.
We know that Job’s friends were not silent after those first7 days but I think the example they showed at the beginning is one we should follow. Just. Be. There.
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That is true how God changed his mind on allowing Satan to cause physical harm on Job. Maybe this was a way to prove to Satan that Job is very faithful to God because he first lost all his possessions, and then his health (which would be more personal).
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Good point on Satan sparing Job’s wife. I wondered why nothing happened to her……..but that would be logical.
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“On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.” Job 2:1 NIV
When I read chapter 2 after just reading chapter 1, I was thinking that the lapse in time from Satan’s ‘first meeting’ with God to this ‘second meeting’ would not have been long. Perhaps a few days or a week at the most. In doing some extra reading, many commentaries indicated that the time lapse would have quite likely been a year. What I find interesting is that, that is a long time for one to change their mind on something – but Job remained faithful to God throughout this whole time.
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