‏ Job 2

* Satan obtains leave to try Job. (1-6) Job's sufferings. (7-10)

His friends come to comfort him. (11-13)

#1-6. How well is it for us, that neither men nor devils are to

be our judges! but all our judgment comes from the Lord, who

never errs. Job holds fast his integrity still, as his weapon.

God speaks with pleasure of the power of his own grace.

Self-love and self-preservation are powerful in the hearts of

men. But Satan accuses Job, representing him as wholly selfish,

and minding nothing but his own ease and safety. Thus are the

ways and people of God often falsely blamed by the devil and his

agents. Permission is granted to Satan to make trial, but with a

limit. If God did not chain up the roaring lion, how soon would

he devour us! Job, thus slandered by Satan, was a type of

Christ, the first prophecy of whom was, that Satan should bruise

his heel, and be foiled.7-10 The devil tempts his own children, and draws them to sin,

and afterwards torments, when he has brought them to ruin; but

this child of God he tormented with affliction, and then tempted

to make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse

God. The disease was very grievous. If at any time we are tried

with sore and grievous distempers, let us not think ourselves

dealt with otherwise than as God sometimes deals with the best

of his saints and servants. Job humbled himself under the mighty

hand of God, and brought his mind to his condition. His wife was

spared to him, to be a troubler and tempter to him. Satan still

endeavours to draw men from God, as he did our first parents, by

suggesting hard thoughts of Him, than which nothing is more

false. But Job resisted and overcame the temptation. Shall we,

guilty, polluted, worthless creatures, receive so many unmerited

blessings from a just and holy God, and shall we refuse to

accept the punishment of our sins, when we suffer so much less

than we deserve? Let murmuring, as well as boasting, be for ever

done away. Thus far Job stood the trial, and appeared brightest

in the furnace of affliction. There might be risings of

corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand. 11-13 The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as

for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in

friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with

him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort

him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected

his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he

had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it

only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must

look life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to

lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in

Christ.