Job was a good man by any standards. He was meticulous in his personal conduct and scrupulous in the use of his wealth. He was an honest businessman, a wise father and a loving husband. We can be sure about the consistency of his private life because we have the testimony of his wife. In her extremity she told Job to "curse God and die"… an understandable outburst which has prompted sexist comments from some people who have known little of her suffering. But Job's wife was faithful to him and showed by this anguished cry that she believed absolutely in Job's goodness and saw no reason to blame him for the misfortunes which had come upon them. She saw his suffering as an undeserved injustice, and she knew better than anyone did what Job was really like.

" setbacks came on him in quick succession
like a pile of bricks and stones falling from the sky"

Job's level of misfortune was as extraordinary as his goodness. Most of us know people who have lost children; but Job lost all his sons and their families in one night. We have met people who have suffered financial loss; but Job fell from great and well-earned wealth into utter poverty as the result of three separate tragedies that happened on that same fateful evening. We may know people whose ill-health or disability turns their lives into epics of agony; but Job fell suddenly and unexpectedly into a diseased condition which was at the same time painful, and so repulsive that he could scarcely bear his own stench. The hero of this tale was not given time to adjust to a gradual decline in his fortunes. All these setbacks came on him in quick succession like a pile of bricks and stone falling from the sky. In the course of a few days he was brought down from the greatest security and comfort to the deepest distress. If anyone had cause to lose faith, it was Job.

//Continued