All the stories about her being the devils accomplice are nothing but slander, because no one can say for sure. We don’t find anywhere in the scripture that God condemns her.
Instead, what we read is that she becomes the wife and mother of the ideal family once again, and they live happily ever after in God’s blessing. I prefer to see Job’s wife in the light of God’s treatment of her, and Job’s love for her, rather than in the light of histories condemnation of her.
If we learn nothing else from the study of Job’s wife, let us learn this: Check it out for yourself. Look into what people are trying to teach you and your own personal convictions against the Word of God. If they don’t fit the facts of Scripture, then think it through again for yourself. Once you know what the Scripture says, then it can be of value to search history and tradition for support.
The contemporary poet, Thomas John Carlisle, in his book Journey With Job, has this excellent sympathetic description.
Job’s wife is often caricatured as a second Satan since she said “Curse God and die” though few would like
to have their own biography encapsuled in one phrase in or out of context.
At least she didn’t prostitute theology and make believe to dust her husband’s ash pit.
Perhaps she had to take a job to shield herself from the poor house and provide for doctors bills-if one would come- and to take her mind off what the patient looked like and all that had happened to her as well as him.
Job did not cry which doesn’t mean she didn’t.
It’s hard to have a hero for a husband.
Job’s wife carried a great burden, just as did Job, so her grief reaction is understandable. How can we criticize her until we have been where she was? How do we know what we would do unless we have lost children and watched our loved one die a slow death?
How do we condemn?
[continued…]
