Job's wife: The woman who had it all, lost it all and had it all again in double portion

One of the most trusted people in the Bible is Job. God Himself counted on Job so much that He recommended Job to Satan. That was how much God held Job in high esteem. This is how the Bible describes Job: "In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East." (Job 1:1‭-‬3). Job had it all but he was still blameless. Job was not just a good person, he was also godly. Though he was the greatest among all the people in the East, he was still righteous. Job's wife would have been the most respected, rich and powerful woman in the East. Mrs. Job was married to the man who was the greatest and yet the most righteous. While the people on earth celebrated Job for his way of life, God in heaven also celebrated Job. Thus on heaven and earth, Job was considered blameless and righteous. Job also considered the purity of his family with utmost priority. Whenever his children had parties, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Job will sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them in case any of his children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts (Job 1:5).

In the course of time, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it” (Job 1:6‭-‬7). The Lord God said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). Satan replied, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 1:9‭-‬11). The Lord permitted Satan to attack everything Job had, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord (Job 1:12). This conversation in heaven resulted in massive pain and sorrows on earth. Job lost everything including his children and all his possessions. He moved from grace to grass in a matter of hours. Even in his wretched and miserable state, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22). Job's wife must have been devastated, broken, and crushed. She lost all her children and everything. She had everything and in one day, she had nothing.

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9)

As if this ordeal was not enough for Job and his wife, the second ordeal began. Satan presented himself before God again and God recommended Job again after all that Job had gone through. God still considered Job as righteous and blameless. After this conversation, Satan afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head (Job 2:7). The pain must have been excruciating. Mrs. Job experienced all the pain, the loss and the trauma associated with everything that happened to them. The woman was broken, weak and had nothing. She had moved from a well-to-do, well-respected, well-known woman to a scorned, poor, wretched woman of a miserable man. Mrs. Job was hurting deeply. She might have questioned God and doubted if God cared for them. Finally, she told her husband “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9). Job replied to her, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said (Job 2:10). Even when Job's friends came to comfort him, they heaped all the blame on Job. How would Job justify his innocence? His wife and friends all considered him quilty.

Job stood the test of his faith and he received a divine restoration. Job 42:12-17 states that, "The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years."

As Job was restored, so was his wife. She became a living testimony of what God can do. Imagine if Job had listened to her and cursed God, they would have missed all of the latter blessings. The story of Job is one of a kind. In fact, no believer seeks to be tested and tried like Job. In all his righteousness and piety, Job's name is not even a preferred name for most people. Many people associate Job with pain and misery. When Job stood the test of his faith, his blessing exceeded his loss. If you are going through a tough time, hold on to God and his promises. Don't curse God, but look up to him for your salvation. Mrs. Job had it all, lost it all and received back her loss in double portions. It was just a matter of waiting and trusting in God.