Job's Losses And His Disease

How swiftly did all of Job's wealth, together with his children, disappear. And yet this great man of faith humbled himself before the LORD.

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. - Job 1:13-22 ESV

Did you hear what Job said?

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return.
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

How easy is it to quote those words, but how incredibly difficult it is to speak them and truly bless the LORD when you hear that your children have all been killed by a tornado and marauders have stolen all of your earthly wealth. But the end of Job's misery is not yet in sight. Again we are taken by revelation to that strange and unearthly scene when Satan again demands the right to test Job's faith.

Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." - Job 2:4-5 ESV

And again the LORD gives Job over to the hands of the devil with but one proviso: ". . . only spare his life." So Job is smitten with some loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head." And he sat in the ashes while his wife said, "“Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

What was Job's illness? Louis Rushmore writes,

 The Barnes' Commentary likewise presents the likelihood of Job's disease being elephantiasis or black leprosy that was common in Egypt. The description of the symptoms and Job's recourse to attempt some relief lead commentators to suspect Job's disease was black leprosy (to distinguish it from white leprosy). In addition, the definitions of the original language words in Job that are pertinent to the disease describe a burning ulceration that enveloped all of Job's skin. Black leprosy is marked by eruptions in the skin that are first red and later turn black. Especially with the limbs, the skin swells and becomes crusty and irregular, resembling the hide of an elephant, hence the name, elephantiasis. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary agrees that Job's illness appears to be black leprosy or elephantiasis, and it also concurs with other reference works that the original language word for "boils" in Job 2:7 is not plural. "Rather, as it is singular in the Hebrew, a burning sore, Job was covered with one universal inflammation." The Keil & Delitzsch Commentary also ascribes elephantiasis to Job, describes the disease and remarks of an Egyptian king who died of the disease. 

Wycliffe summarizes Job's disease:

The mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy

Modern medical opinion is not unanimous in its diagnosis of Job's disease, but according to the prognosis in Job's day, it was apparently hopeless. The horrible symptoms included inflamed eruptions accompanied by intense itching (Job 2:7-8), maggots in ulcers (Job 7:5), erosion of the bones (Job 30:17), blackening and falling off of skin (Job 30:30), and terrifying nightmares (Job 7:14), though some of these may possibly be attributed to the prolonged exposure that followed the onset of the disease. Job's whole body, it seems, was rapidly smitten with the loathsome, painful symptoms.

Leprosy is talked about 68 times in the Bible. Today it is called Hansen's disease and is curable. Early diagnosis and treatment usually prevents disability related to the disease. Infection spreads from person to person by nasal secretions or droplets. It is rarely transmitted from monkeys and nine-banded armadillos.

The Hebrew for leprosy, tsara'ath, included a variety of ailments, most frequently seen in Leviticus, and referred to a number of imperfections and scaly skin diseases. The Greek translation aphe lepras, implied a skin condition that spread over the body. All in all the Biblical words incorporate a collection of modern terms that include Hansen's disease, infectious skin diseases, mold and even mildew.

Biblical leprosy is a powerful symbol reminding us of sin's spread and its horrible consequences.