Job 2: A Second Test

Job 2:10 "He replied, 'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."

A second time the angels present themselves to account, Satan reports he's been roaming around the earth, and God brings up Job's morality. I don't believe Satan had forgotten about Job, even though I don't know how long chapter two occurs after chapter one. 

"Skin for skin!" Satan says, suggesting that Job willingly abides the death of loved ones, as long as his own skin is preserved, which would be a pretty monstrous accusation. Satan tells God to strike Job's flesh and bones, and then we'll see who maintains his integrity.

Satan is described as afflicting Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Which had to be absolutely miserable. He scraped himself with broken pottery as he sat among the ashes (which suggests he was still mourning his sons and daughters). I suggested that God may have been the triggerman in chapter one, but perhaps he gave Satan power over the fire, the wind...the infection, etc. But the power still would have been God's.

Job's wife (who may have been spared death to further Job's affliction...I'm just sayin') is incredulous. "Curse God and die!" She submits to the suggestion box. Just what Job needed. Some encouraging words.

Job's rebuttal is part "Aaarrgghhh, I'm in pain," and "Let's be sensible." 

Again, a rather amazing and somewhat disturbing perspective. "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" What happens in a man's life, and I mean, what interaction with God happens to give such a seemingly third-person opinion? Who wouldn't still be shaking their fists and openly questioning God? The good is very easy to accept. The trouble? The evil? Harder to stomach, but it doesn't lessen God's nature in that He remains God. 

Then Job's three good friends arrive, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They come with the intentions to comfort Job, and sit down to mourn with him. I've heard of Eliphaz before. In Genesis 36, there's a genealogy, suggesting Teman was a grandson of Esau. That may help with placing Job in a timeline...around the time of the patriarchs.