Sovereign Over Evil (Job 2:9–10)

Then his wife said to Job, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
– Job 2:9–10

Again, this is a very similar picture to what we prayed according to in Job chapter one. I want us to think about the dynamics here, and let’s not be too hard on Job’s wife, she’s lost all of her children. And yet in her grief, sorrow, she is sending. She is cursing God, and she’s encouraging Job to curse God. Job looks into the eyes of his wife and says, “Don’t speak like that. God gives good.” God ultimately, is sovereign over evil. This picture of faith in Job, a trust in God, even in the face of suffering and evil, this is integrity. This is a wholeness of faith. Not just a trust in God when things are going well, but a trust in God, a commitment to bless God, even in the face of evil, adversity, pain, sorrow, and suffering.

Job 2:9–10 Reminds Us that God is Sovereign Over Evil

And yes, there’s a lot of mystery here, when you think about God’s sovereignty over even evil. Although, he is not in any way, the author of evil. Everything in good that emanates from God is good. But yet, we see a picture all over scripture of his sovereignty over evil, which means he has power to turn evil into good, ultimately put on display. And what he did at the cross of Jesus Christ, taking the worst evil in all of history, and turning it into the best day in all of history for all who trust in him.

Job 2:9–10 Leads Us to Ask for God’s Help

So we pray. God, help us to hold fast our integrity, even when people close to us may not understand. Even when people close to us may make different decisions, God, help us each to bless you, never to curse you, to not sin with our lips and our lives with our hearts, our minds. Help us to trust in you to be grateful for the good you give. And to trust that when we see, face, experience, evil. When we walk through adversity, pain, sorrow, and suffering, that you are still good. And you are working all things together for the good of those who love you.

Trusting in the God Who is Sovereign

So we want to be counted among that group. Those who love you, and have been called according to your purpose. So we say together, we trust in you as sovereign over all things. And we know, we know, you will ultimately bring about an end to evil, and suffering, and adversity, and pain in this world, and wipe away every tear from our eyes. So we bless you until that day, when we see your face, and our faith is turned to sight. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.