Job is known as an upright man that eschewed evil. There's a whole book that tells about his trial from the Lord. But, I find only 2 verses that deal with Job's wife, and 2 where Job mentions her.
Job 2:9-10- Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job would pray for his children, offer sacrifices, live to the best of his ability to please God. But, the Bible never mentions his wife doing any of these things with him. The only time she is mentioned is when she's tired of going thru the trial and is used by the devil to give Job an "out".
Now, the devil coaxing his wife to say this to him is speculation. The Bible never says that the devil persuaded her. However, the speculation is not anti-biblical. The devil told God that Job would turn against him, and God put everything that Job had into the devil's hands. Satan took his wealth, his possessions, and his children, but left his wife. Why? I believe for the very purpose above.
Job 19:17- My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
Job is in a bad place in his life. He needs comfort; he needs compassion; he needs encouragement. He needs his wife to be a help meet to him! But, this verse gives us the idea that she was the opposite of all those things. She only cared for her desires, her needs, her wants. She didn't want a husband who had nothing. "Curse God and die!" she said, then she could find another man who could supply her needs. Was this her reasoning behind it?
As wives, we women have the unique ability to encourage our man in the works of the Lord or to discourage him from ever reaching his full potential as a Christian. There was a reason we chose to marry the man that we did- there are probably very few of us who were forced to marry a man we didn't choose. So, why do we then become consumed with controlling, manipulating, and changing him? Because we, like Job's wife, are being coaxed by the devil.
I Kings 21:25- But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
Why was Ahab so evil? Jezebel encouraged it! Did you realize that Jezebel was indirectly responsible for the death of 4 kings, and 2 royal seeds? Ahab and Jehoram were killed by Jeru and he wiped out their seed- including Jezebel! But, Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, and he aligned himself with Ahab. Guess who his son married! Joram married Ahab's daughter- Athaliah (2 Kings 8:18). When Joram dies, his son, Ahaziah, took the throne. Well, Jehu also killed Ahaziah. Ahab's daughter then killed off all her grandkids who could take the throne (except one which God allowed to be spared) and she reigned for 6 years!
How could someone be so cruel?!?! Well, she learned from her mother!
Job 1:5- And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Is it possible, that Job sacrificed for his kids just in case they cursed God in their hearts because his wife did? How did she influence her children? Did she raise them to feast and party? Was this something that she taught them? The Bible never says what kind of a mother she was, but it does say that Job feared it was possible that his kids sinned during this time.
We, wives, have the ability to be a blessing or a curse to our husbands. We can be a Titus 2 woman or Job's wife. We have the choice to submit ourselves to God and our husbands or listen to the devil and have our desires.
Proverbs 12:4- A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
We have the ability to be wonderful mothers who shape the next generation to stand for God orwho teach them to curse God and die! What kind of wife do you want to be? What kind of mother would you like to be?
Proverbs 14:1- Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
It is a rare thing to find a woman who loves the Lord and wants to encourage her husband and children to do right and follow God no matter the cost. Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines and he said,
Ecclesiastes 7:28- Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Just because Solomon couldn't find one, doesn't mean that it's impossible to be one. If we submit to God and allow him to work in our hearts and lives, we can be that rare jewel in our husband's heart. We can be that precious stone in our children's lives.
Proverbs 31:10- Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Are you willing to swallow your pride and humble yourself? Are you willing to be used of God in your family? Can you submit and obey God by letting your husband rule your home? Are you a rare and precious treasure? Or are you just like Job's wife?
