No 25   Skin (with Boils All Over It)  

Satan comes back to heaven the second time to further accomplish his purposes. The second conversation between he and the Lord begins with―And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst Me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (Job 2:4,5). 

 

Having failed in his first attempt to cause Job to turn against God, Satan now approaches his task from a different angle. Since he was not able to change Job's thinking by destroying his children (10 of them), his vast possessions (livestock) and the servants who tended his animals, Satan will ask the Lord permission to use intense pain in his new strategy. Satan asserts that Job would be willing to let his own children suffer (be killed) if it kept him from personally suffering pain himself.

 

God had earlier given Satan permission to do as he wished—just not touch Job directly. Satan now charges God with wrong. Satan alleges that God knew Job would not be able to handle it—that's why God put the restriction on him. Satan now asks for the freedom to do things to hurt Job directly, physically and personally. Satan is confident Job's true character would then be demonstrated. His true colors would fly.

 

Satan's Proverb

Satan pens a proverb: "Skin for skin." Those words can still be heard today. Was Job really willing to trade his own skin for the skin of his children and servants? Satan believed so. Some say this may be where the expression ”to get under someone’s skin” originated. Satan wants to get under Job’s skin, as it were. Satan believes a person, in order to preserve his own life, would be very willing to make any sacrifice, including sacrificing someone else’s skin (life).

 

Notice What Satan Adds 

But put forth Thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face (Job 2:5). A man will give all he has to save his own life. Satan asserts that Job should have to suffer harder. Then God's good man―Job―would be shown to be the hypocrite that he really is. The pinnacle of Satan's argument is Job had selfishly endured the sacrifice of others (that is, their "skin") without cursing God because his own "skin" had been preserved. He himself was still alive and healthy. 

 

God Accepts the Challenge

God responded by saying, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (Job 2:6). God is saying, "I think Job will stand true to Me." Satan says, "I think he will break."

 

Only don’t take his life. Why did God place this limitation on Satan? Because Satan would have wasted Job in a heartbeat. This was to be a trial (not an execution). Job had to be kept alive. God tells Satan what he can do and can’t do. That’s the way it is! And Satan doesn’t like it. If Job's life had been taken, there would have been no victory for either God or Satan―for either right or wrong. [This applies to the persecution of God's people in the last days as well.]

 

God Always Remains in Control

        GOD SETS A LIMIT ON SATAN’S FORCE― 

                            Don’t touch his person. 

                            Don’t touch his life.

 

        GOD SETS A LIMIT ON SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS―

                            Not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able

                            But will with the temptation also make a way to escape

                            That ye may be able to bear it (1 Cor 10:13).

 

       GOD SETS A LIMIT ON SATAN’S DECEPTIONS―

                            If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (Matt 24:24)

 

Armed with Permission

What, then, does Satan do? So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown (Job 2:7). 

 

 

And he took him a potsherd (a piece of broken pottery, or “shred”) to scrape himself withal (Job 2:8).

 

What was a "Sore Boils" Disease? 

It is futile and pointless to try to identify the disease. It may have been an amalgamation of every disease Satan had perfected to this point in time. It may have been concocted especially for this test. The result of this disease was that Job was in pain and misery to the very core of his being. Here is a list of symptoms (as described by Job himself):  

 

■ Painful boils over whole body

sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown (Job 2:7). 

 

■ Persistent itching

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal (Job 2:8).  

 

■ Physical and degenerative changes that made him nearly unrecognizable

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not (Job 2:12).

 

■ Days filled with sighs, roarings and groanings

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters (Job 3:24).

 

■ Days filled with fear and depression

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me (Job 3:25). 

 

■ Loss of strength

What is my strength, that I should hope? (Job 6:11).

 

■ Skin caked with worms and clods of dust

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust (Job 7:5). He was sitting on an ash pile. He sat down among the ashes (Job 2:8).

 

■ Skin cracked and breaking out with a rash

My skin is broken, and become loathsome (Job 7:5).  

 

■ Difficulty breathing

He will not suffer me to take my breath (Job 9:18).  

 

■ Face is flushed

My face is foul with weeping (Job 16:16).  

 

■ Eyes look like death (darkness under the eyes)

On my eyelids is the shadow of death (Job 16:16). 

 

■ Breath is offensive and foul

My breath is strange (Job 19:17). 

 

■ Bones cleave to my skin and flesh / weight loss

My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh (Job 19:20)

 

■ Bones are pierced in me at night / gnawing pains never stop / excruciating pain that never stops My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest (Job 30:17)

 

■ Upset stomach / gastric distress 

My bowels boiled, and rested not (Job 30:27).

 

■ Blackened peeling skin / gangrene / high fever with chills

My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat (Job 30:30).   

 

■ Loss of appetite and weight

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out (Job 33:21).

 

With this list of symptoms, it can be seen what great discomfort Job faced each day. If Satan's goal was to give him pain, he excelled. Satan was so certain that Job would break under the weight of extreme physical and mental duress. Yet Job did not break. In all this did not Job sin with his lips (Job 2:10). Job experienced a lifetime of loss, sadness, pain and misery in relative short order and quick succession. 

 

Job will spend the next several months trying to figure out what was gong on. Job begs to know the reason for it all. The culmination of this must certainly be death. What else could it be? And that he fully expected. Yet, in no way, did the bad stuff turn him away from God. Job affirmed it would never turn him away. Though He [God] slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him (Job 13:15).

 

Summary:

From the Book of Job, we can know where it is that Satan does much of his work of accusing. Right in the face of God. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Rev 12:10). 

 

I want that salvation and strength and kingdom and power in my life. Don't you?

 

 

Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.