Nov. 19, 2025

“TRIED AND TESTED”

“WHEN TRIALS BECOME OUR TEACHER”

Job 2:1-13

The loss of his ten children was the final stroke in Satan's first attack upon Job. In round one, Job lost all of his possessions and all of his family except for his wife. We have explored the question of whether or not a man can lose all he has and still bless God. Now we are going to see if a man can lose his very essence and still maintain the blessing of God. 

1.  JOB— ACCUSED BY SATAN- JOB 2:1-8

*Satan’s Persistence- Job 2:1-3

Job 2:1-3 “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. 2And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” 3Then 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, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

*Satan’s Persuasion- Job 2:4-5

Job 2:4-5 “So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

When Satan used the phrase "skin for skin," he was accusing Job of sacrificing the skin of his children, animals, and servants in order to preserve his own hide.

*Satan’s Permission- Job 2:6

Job 2:6 “And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

God issues Satan a permission slip with virtually unfettered power to harm his body. But God restricts Satan and will not let him kill Job.

*Satan’s Persecution- Job 2:7

Job 2:7 “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” 

Satan afflicted Job with a disease we cannot identify.

Exodus 9:9-11 “And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” 10Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. 11And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.”

Satan knew the type of affliction to cause the maximum suffering for Job.

2.  JOB-ABANDONED BY HIS WIFE- JOB 2:9-10

*Her Advice- Job 2:9 

Job 2:9 “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

The most difficult thing to accept about this is the fact that Job's wife was trying to get him to do what Satan wanted him to do.

Adam listened to Eve (Genesis 3:6, 12). Abraham listened to Sarah (Genesis 16). And Job's wife advised him to give up his faith and commit suicide.

*His Answer- Job 2:10

Job 2:10 “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

3.  JOB—ASSAULTED BY HIS FRIENDS- JOB 2:11-13

Job 2:11-13 “Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.”

The term "Job's comforters" is a familiar phrase used to describe those whose counsel only makes you feel worse. Most of the commentary about Job's friends is negative, but they did do some good.

*First of all, they came to Job when he was in trouble.

*They also had hearts of compassion.

*And then here is the wisest thing they did-they kept quiet for seven days (verse 13).

4.  LEARNING FROM OUR TRIALS

*Trials Teach Us Patience- Job 2:10

Vs.10 “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

James 5:11 “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

And according to the Bible, the tool God most often uses to teach us patience is tribulation. 

James 1:2-3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

*Trials Teach Us Perspective- Job 2:10

That is what Job said to his wife shall we not accept good and bad equally?

*Trials Teach Us Persistence- Job 2:10

Verse 10 concludes with this stunning sentence: "In all this Job

did not sin with his lips.”

Job proves that it is possible to worship God in difficult times,

even if God chooses not to explain to us what is going on.

We need to understand that we have a choice. We can get bitter or we can get better. It's all up to us. We can't change the circumstances.