One day Satan appeared before God and said, "Job is faithful to You because I cannot hurt his body. If You let me touch his person, he will curse You, and will no longer be patient."One day Satan appeared before God and said, "Job is faithful to You because I cannot hurt his body. If You let me touch his person, he will curse You, and will no longer be patient."
So God allowed Satan to hurt Job's body, telling him only to spare his life. Satan caused sores to break out all over the body of Job. from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Job did not complain. With a piece of broken pottery, he scraped his sores as he sat among the ashes. His wife angrily said. "Are you still patient?"
"You talk like a foolish woman." replied Job. "If we have received good things from the hands of God, why should we not receive evil?"
Three of Job's friends arrived to visit him. They were very sorry, and stayed seven days without saying a word, because they knew how much Job suffered.
After seven days. Job began speaking of his sorrows. They said that his trials must be a punishment for his sins. But he answered that he had done no wrong.
Job said, "Although He should kill me, I will trust in Him. He shall be my Saviour. For I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and in my flesh I shall see my God. He knows my way, and has tried me as gold that passes through the fire. My foot has followed His steps; I have kept His way. I have not departed from the commandments of his lips."
Job loved God so much that he was granted the gift of prophecy. He spoke of God as if he had been talking with Him.
God was much pleased with the patience of Job. He took pity on him, and delivered him from his sufferings. He gave him twice the amount of riches that he had before. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand oxen, and one thousand asses. God also gave him seven sons and three daughters. Job lived happily till he was one hundred and forty years old.
Even in this life. and always in Heaven, God rewards those who are faithful to Him.
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines