This is the Bible Book Club, the book of Job. Welcome to the club.

Last episode in chapters 1 through 3 of Job, episode two opened up with the total devastation of Job.

On one devastating day, Job lost everything, his wealth, his status, and every single one of his 10 children.

But to Satan's chagrin, Job immediately sees the hand of God in his devastation and he worships.

So Satan went back to God for more.

Satan still believed he had a case and is convinced that Job will

curse God if he physically suffers. Well, God allows it. And Job is plagued with an invasive

disease. He is in agony. And his wife even tells him to curse God and die. And still Job

refused. The score is God too, Satan zero. Well, after seven days of sitting in grief

with Job, his friends decide it's time to talk. And the talks do not go well for Job. In fact,

they cause more anguish. The last thing Job needs is for his friends to gang up on him. Now we can assume that their

intentions were good, but their continuous stream of disparaging words was likely a part of Satan's

plan. Strategically, it makes sense. Satan's argument was that Job only serves God because of what God gives him. Take away the

blessings and Job will curse God. But Job didn't curse God. Not when he lost his wealth, not when he

lost his children, not when his body was covered in sores. So what's left to attack his integrity? That's exactly what the

friends are about to do, relentlessly, and across multiple rounds of debate. They're going to

tell Job that his suffering is his own fault, that God is punishing him, that he needs to stop defending himself, admit his

sin, and repent. If Job breaks under their pressure and confesses to sins he never committed,

just to stop the pain, just to get God to restore his life. Satan wins the argument just as surely

if Job had cursed God outright, because that's exactly the transactional faith Satan accused

him of. I'll say whatever you need me to say, God, as long as you give me my life back.

Whether the three friends operated out of their own flawed theology, were inspired by Satan,

...