What is the meaning of Job 2:5? But stretch out Your hand Satan is speaking directly to the Lord, confessing—though grudgingly—that only God has the authority to permit or withhold harm. • Job 1:12 reminds us that Satan could do nothing to Job without the Lord’s consent, underscoring divine sovereignty. • Exodus 4:11 and Isaiah 45:7 echo that the Lord alone controls human circumstances, whether health or hardship. • This phrase is also a back-handed acknowledgment of God’s protective hedge around His people (Job 1:10). and strike his flesh and bones The Adversary now targets personal, bodily suffering, claiming it will reveal Job’s true heart. • Property and family losses (Job 1:13-19) had not broken Job’s integrity; now the test intensifies to physical pain. • 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 and Galatians 4:13-14 show that bodily affliction can refine faith rather than destroy it. • The wording “flesh and bones” points to comprehensive physical torment—skin diseases, internal misery—yet God still sets limits (Job 2:6), proving He governs every detail of the trial. and he will surely curse You to Your face. Here Satan repeats the allegation from Job 1:11, insisting that Job’s devotion is transactional. • Revelation 12:10 labels Satan “the accuser of our brothers,” exposing a consistent strategy throughout Scripture. • Luke 22:31-32 highlights Jesus’ intercession when Satan seeks to sift believers, assuring that genuine faith will not fail. • 1 Peter 1:6-7 teaches that fiery trials prove the genuineness of faith, bringing praise to God rather than cursing. • The very directness—“to Your face”—reveals the Accuser’s desire to incite open blasphemy, yet Job’s eventual response (“Shall we accept from God only good and not adversity?” Job 2:10) shows him passing the test. summary Job 2:5 records Satan’s bold claim that physical suffering would expose Job as a fraud. The verse highlights three truths: God’s absolute control, the refining purpose of bodily trials, and the falseness of Satan’s accusation. By granting limited permission, the Lord turns the devil’s challenge into a platform for proving authentic faith, demonstrating that love for God can persist even when flesh and bones are struck. |
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