By Khutso Mokgehle
What do you know about Job?
He was a wealthy and righteous man. His righteousness and wealth were giving the devil chest pains, the devil even asked God to take away everything valuable to him just so Job can curse God. Since God knew Job's heart, the devil's request was granted.
When God allowed the devil to "test" Job, in one day, the devil killed and destroyed the following:
1. Job's children
2. Job's servants
3. Job's livestock (wealth)
Wait! Job had a wife.
The devil struck where it hurts the most. So, why did he leave out Job's wife? I would like to believe that for many husbands, if the devil wanted to strike them down, he would kill the wife (first and foremost). In this case though, the servants probably meant so much more than the wife.
It is too early to get to this conclusion but as we read further, we get to see that this servant of God did not have a harmonious marriage - the couple was unequally yoked.
Curse God and die!
Job 2:9 "Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”"
After losing your children, it does not make sense for a wife to desire death on her husband. This is weird! But then we realise that Job was not going to have it, he responds, "But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips." Job 2:10
This is the first snippet into their marriage that shows that this couple was not in sync when it comes to the matters of God. Job's wife's advise is "curse God", Job on the other hand is willing to accept what God has allowed. He considers his wife's counsel as foolish.
Your breath is annoying
Job 19:17 "My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am loathsome to my own brothers."
As the story of Job progresses, we get to a point where his friends visit him and they have a long conversation. While venting about his situation, addressing his friends who are accusing him of having offended God, Job rejects their claims but rather, give them the full context of what is happening and how the situation has affected him.
Many unfortunate things happened to Job in a short space of time but to add on to all this, his breath is offensive to his wife! I mean, really? How heartless can one be? Job lost his kids, servants and wealth - in addition he is sick! His wife on the other hand is irritated by his breath. Something is not right.
I made a covenant with my eyes
Job 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?"
Now that we have a picture of Job's wife, let's see how Job was.
Job is the man who had made a covenant with his eyes not to look at a woman lustfully. His standard of purity was not based on him not trying to have sex with any other woman, but rather, not to even look at a woman, at a virgin with lust. This is a high level of pursuing purity, a level that many Christians to date have not been able to live up to.
Consecration, just in case ...
Job 1:5 "When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job did so continually."
Job would offer sacrifices to God on behalf of his children, just in case they have sinned. Just in case.
Job was so careful to obey God and to make sure that he and his family were on the right standing with God that he would even apologise to God, not for an actual sin but just in case. He was an upright man.
Conclusion
I can only imagine how life could have been for Job had he married a woman who was pursuing purity and righteousness as much as he did. The bible does not tell us why and how this unequally yoked couple became an official item, but clearly, things were not rosy in their marriage.
The bible says a married couple becomes one. And having been married for a decade, I can agree that there is a level of union in marriage that is different from other relationships, therefore, I cannot imagine the pain of being "one" with a someone who is completely the opposite of who you are especially when it comes to the issues of faith.
Before you say I do, don't just love the fact that you both love the same colour, genre of music, come from the same town etc... Look closely at their values, their belief, how they react to both positive and negative situations. Should you be in Job's position, is he or she the partner that will help praise God even in distress or will he/she advise you to curse God and die?
Marriage is for a life time, do not spend it with someone who will steer you from God's path.
