LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
In the second chapter of the Old Testament book of Job we find Job’s wife urging him to curse God and die after a second wave of afflictions from Satan have stricken him with miserable sores on his body. “Do you still hold fast to your integrity?” she questions him, as if to say that such integrity no longer matters. But, thank God, Job thinks otherwise. The Hebrew word for integrity is also translated “innocence” or “completeness” or “prosperity” or “simplicity” or “uprightness”. The plural of the root of this word is the same word used of one of the two stones (lights and perfections) in the high priest’s breastplate by which he determined the oracles and will of God. (Exodus 28, v.30, Leviticus 8, v.8) Only in Job’s day as in Abraham’s the father was still functioning as the priest offering sacrifices for his own family, much as husbands and fathers today under the new covenant pray and serve as the spirutual leaders of their own families. Job would sanctify his own children rising early to offer burnt offerings in their behalf when they had been feasting, as we see in chapter one.
When God initially asked Satan in chapter one, "Have you considered my servant Job?", it can also suggest that Satan's attentions were already drawn to Job. His preocupation with Job may not necessarily have been initiated by God's delight in Job at all.
Finally, for Job's wife to suggest that he cast away his integrity in the face of the physical pain and misery was to also suggest he cast away his priestly responsibility to interceed for his family and for himself. To do so would be to forfeit his sacred God given role of determining the word of God and the will of God for his family. In light of all that had happened to Job, it is amazing that he did not do just that. His response was classic and one for the ages, for which we can all be grateful: “Should we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2,v.10) Rather than curse God and die, Job chose to bless God and live. May that inspire us to do the same, no matter what!