(2) And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (3) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (4) And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (5) But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. (6) And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
After premising what was observed under the former verse, in the opening of this Chapter, and above all things for the consolation of every poor, tempted follower of the Lord Jesus, having endeavored to direct the mind under Satan's temptations, to the person and office-work of the Lord Jesus, as our almighty Advocate constantly rebuking Satan; I would now in the next place, for the Reader's spiritual improvement of this precious history, beg of him to attend to those most interesting circumstances, which belongs to Job's history under those unparalleled trials. Beside the private subject of the whole of Job's temptations, considered as a believer; we must yet more eminently regard him, as a type of the ever blessed Jesus. And in this light it is a delightful subject indeed. The victory and total destruction, which the Lord Jesus Christ hath accomplished upon Satan on our behalf, is one of the grand parts of the gospel. For this cause (John tells us) the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. The original hatred of Satan, began personally against the Lord Jesus, and against us as his people. This we learn from what Christ himself saith, that Satan's kingdom he came to destroy. So that in the afflictions of Job, we discover Satan bruising Christ's heel: and as such Job typified the Redeemer. And nothing can be more sweet and consolatory; because we thereby discover that the great concern of Jesus, and his interest, lay in the destruction of Satan. And the permission that these triumphs of the Lord Jesus, before his own coming in our flesh, to accomplish the victory should be shadowed forth in the exercises of his people, serves not only to show its vast importance, but also our personal interest in them. That sweet scripture of Paul to the Colossians, beautifully sets it forth, wherein the apostle saith, speaking of Jesus; that having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:15.