B.  The Second Trial.  Job 2:1-10

    1.  The Court.  Job 2:1,2

Job 2:1-2  Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

      a.  The second assembly regarding the trial of Job.

      b.  Satan questioned about his activities.  Refer to –

 He is still the Adversary!

John 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

           He blinds the minds of the lost.

2 Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 He sets traps for the unaware.

2 Timothy 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

He snatches away the Word.

Luke 8:12  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

    2.  The Conclusion. 

Job 2:3-4  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

      a.  The Accuser lost the contest.

      b.  The admission of this loss –

           “Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.”

      c.  The attitude of Job: he considered himself blessed. 

           “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

          1).  He had his health.

          2).  He had his wife.

Note: Satan lost this trial, but he did not quit; he never quits!

    3.  The Challenge increased. 

Job 2:5-6  But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

      a.  The acknowledgment of power.  Satan needed permission from God to pursue his plan.            Job 2:5a   Satan’s challenge is that the Lord will put forth His hand!

      b.  The accusation renewed.    Job 2:5b 

      c.  The approval given.  Job 2:6   Restrictions apply!

    4.  The Condition Job 2:7,8

Job 2:7-8  So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

      a.  The initial description.  Boils – ‘a burning ulceration’.  His entire body was covered. 

      b.  The increasing agony. 

Job 7:2-3  As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

Job 7:4-5  When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

Job 13:14  Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

Job 13:28  And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job 16:8  And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

Job 16:16  My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

Job 17:1  My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

Job 19:20  My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

       c.  The image of suffering. 

Job 2:8  And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

            Note the reaction of his friends.

Job 2:12-13  And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

    5.  The Common belief.

Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

      a.  God rewards and protects the righteous.

Genesis 18:25  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

      b.  God reveals the secret sins of man.      

           Moses wrote of the prevailing belief –

Psalms 90:7-8  For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

      c.  God revenges sin upon man.  

Job 4:7-8  Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

      d.  Grief ravaged the mind of Job’s wife.

        1).  She stood with him through tragedy.  

              When judgment continued –

        2).  She succumbed to the wiles of the Devil.

        3).  She suggested that Job –

          a).  Admit his sin, stop acting innocent!  “…doest thou still retain thine integrity?”

          b).  Curse God and pay the penalty by death.  She was unwittingly supporting Satan in his plan.

    6.  The Confidence in God. 

Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

      a.  His comment to his wife.  She was not thinking clearly, not speaking as he was accustomed to –

           “…Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh.”

Note:  I say here again that the wife must have faith in God, but it is imperative that she also has faith in her husband’s faith!  The husband must live in such a way that he builds a trusting relationship with his wife.  Situations will come when that trust will be tested!

      b.  His commitment.  Through good times and bad times, he was                trusting the Lord.

           Refer to –

Ephesians 6:12-18  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;       c.  His confusion.  He did not understand why he was being afflicted.  He believed as the others did, that affliction was chastisement from God for sin and he did not know what he had done.