Do You Still Hold Fast Your Integrity? – Job 2:1-10

Author Joshua Harris, after announcing the end of his marriage, is now kissing his faith goodbye. Harris, the author of the best-seller “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” a book he authored in 1997 that he later renounced after shaping purity culture for many millennial believers, revealed that he is stepping back from his faith. In an Instagram post, he also apologized for his previously held views, including “bigotry” to the LGBTQ community. “By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian,” he added, “I am not a Christian.” This was the announcement on Fox News.

Job is being challenged to give up his faith. Will he?

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:1–10, ESV)

This meeting of the court seems to indicate that Satan was called to present himself before Yahweh.  If he came unbidden the first time it is nevertheless more likely he came at Yahweh’s command this time.

God’s description of Job’s faithfulness is interesting.  He says Job “holds fast his integrity.”  We may understand that Job wrestled with whether he really worshiped God or not after all this but that he did eventually accept what came from God’s hand and did worship Him.

God accuses Satan of inciting Him against Job without reason.  This makes God look like a victim of Satan’s tactics.  But because Satan is not mentioned after this introduction, it seems clear that Satan’s role was planned by God.  God was accomplishing a purpose that far outstripped Satan’s understanding of what was happening.  God had little concern to show Satan anything, ultimately.  His concern was to show Job something.

Has Job’s wife taken Satan’s position?  Probably not knowingly or with the same intent.  She may in fact be struggling with how much her husband is suffering and desires it to end.  But certainly the suggestion of cursing God would seem to put Job in a dangerous place.  Perhaps she has lost faith.  Unlike her husband, Satan’s expectation that God’s people might reject God if He quits blessing them is true in her case.

Job’s response is flawless.  He will not yield to such foolishness.  He recognizes his wife is acting like an unbeliever.  He will not receive good things from God and turn around and curse God when He fails to give Job good things.  His worship and love for God is genuine.  He does not sin with his lips.  What is going on in his heart is not apparent, though his speech seems to be a genuine representation of what is in his heart.  But we shall see that there are other things lurking in his heart that are not so flawless.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. If you could change two things about the way you were raised, what would they be?
2. How have you learned to worship God, and how has the integrity of your worship been tested?
3. Would you be more likely to have Job’s response to what God allowed to happen in his life, or Job’s wife’s response? Why?
4. Why do you think Satan believed that affecting Job’s health would be more likely to squelch Job’s worship?

1. What do you think is the significance of saying Job did not “sin with his lips”?
2. What came of your discussion with God about what you have been learning from this book?