Sores

Job 2: 1-8

Once again, God holds Job up as an example.  And once again, Satan works his magic, pointing out a good reason for Job’s devotion to God:  Job is only faithful because Job himself has not been harmed.

Based on Job’s reaction to the first round of calamities, I think Satan may have a valid point.  But why does it matter?  And why does Satan’s conniving work on God?  Doesn’t God know Job’s motivation?  Doesn’t God know Job’s heart?  Is God just rising to Satan’s bait?  And didn’t God just say in the previous verse that God recognizes Satan incited God against Job?  I find this all so confusing. 

Rather than calling the bet in, Satan ups the ante, and God answers.  In the first round, Job was off limits, but now, Job is the actual target, with the teeny little caveat that Satan not actually kill Job.  Very generous.

The first and second conversations between God and Satan have been pretty parallel so far, but now we get something a little different.  In the first round, there seemed to be the possibility for some time to pass between the time Satan left God’s presence and the bad news came in.  And that bad news came in via third parties.  Satan was removed from it.

The attack on Job’s health is different.  Chapter 2, verse 7 says:  ” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”  It appears to be pretty immediate action, and there’s no doubt who’s behind it. 

Sometimes it seems like when people are intentionally unkind to someone and get away with it, they do it again, but worse.  Bolder.  More pain caused.  Less concern with consequence.  And here Satan has nearly carte blanche from God.  No need to be subtle or patient. 

And the poison of choice:  sores.  I’m going out on a limb and assuming that most of us who are not psychopaths have never considered how to cause the most pain to a person without killing them.  But that’s what God tells Satan to do. Satan seems to have given this some thought because he knows what he’s dishing out to Job:  sores.  I didn’t see that coming.  At first it seems odd, but upon consideration, it might actually be terrifyingly perfect. 

A more dramatic injury wouldn’t last.  Sores that ooze then scab and do not go away would make for a persistent pain that would affect your whole life for a long time.  And with the rules around clean and unclean in the OT, I’m guessing sores would also be a social condemnation, too.  And we know Job cares about the rules.  That’s probably why he goes to the ash heap.  Maybe the ash heap is just the proper location for an oozy person per ancient hygiene rules. 

If Job had been in the process of rebuilding his wealth, chronic oozy scabbiness might prevent him from overseeing his business, effectively thwarting his livelihood.  Could the sores also be an economically crippling choice of affliction, too? 

It’s a remarkably efficient curse, and it happens in half of a verse.  Satan definitely knows what he’s doing.  He wrecks his havoc on Job’s health and exits the story.  We don’t hear from Satan again.  It occurs to me that the bet didn’t matter much to Satan.  What mattered to Satan was hurting someone. 

I can’t quite figure out what matters to God.