Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

"And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. And when Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your sickness." And He laid His hands upon her; and immediately she was made erect again, and began glorifying God. And the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the multitude in response, "There are six days in which work should be done; therefore come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day." But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead him away to water him? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" And as He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire multitude was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him." (Luke 13:10-17) One might think that these men who were humiliated by Jesus would want to "Curse God and die", but they believed Jesus was an imposter and that they were pleasing God as they tried to condemn Him and have Him killed. Even Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the Law, told the council while determining weather to have the apostles killed or not, "So in this present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you might be found fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39) They did believe they were pleasing God by rejecting Jesus.

That brings us to our question, "Who said: 'Curse God and die!'". We begin our search as we turn to the book of Job. Now Job is described as living in the land of Uz, and is blameless, upright and fearing God who had seven sons and three daughters and was blessed with great wealth including 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys and with very many servants and as the greatest man of the east (Job 1:1-3). Soon we find Satan walking among God's angels who came to present themselves before the Lord (Job 1:6). "The Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it." And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." Then Satan answered the Lord, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Hast thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and the possessions have increased in the land. But put forth thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surly curse thee to thy face." Then the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him" So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1:7-12).

The argument of Satan falls short as we remember the word of the Lord who tells us, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:23-24)

Then, when Job's sons and daughters were in their oldest brother's house eating and drinking wine, (verse 13) a messenger tells Job that Sabeans attacked and killed his servants who were plowing and took the oxen and donkeys (Verse 14-15), and even while he was still speaking another tells him fire from heaven burned up the sheep and servants (verse 16), and then another reports that Chaldeans raided the camels, killing the servants (verse 17), and then lastly, another report comes in while these are being given that a great wind took the four corners of his oldest son's house and collapsed it so that all of his children are killed (verse 18-19). "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." (Job 1:20-22).

And so again Satan comes among the Angels before the Lord. "The Lord says to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it." The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And still he holds his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause." Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse thee to thy face." So the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life." (Job 2:3-6).

Satan leaves and strikes Job with sore boils from his head to his feet, "And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among ashes. Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accepts good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips." (Job 2:8-10).

So there we have the answer to our question as it was Job's wife that said, "Curse God and die!". Remember that Job's wife also lost her children and shared in the wealth as Job's wife and yet is seems that only now she speaks rashly from what is said, so she has held well until now through this difficult test. Job later says of their marriage, "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?" (Job 31:1).

May we be as patient as Job and we may ask ourselves how we would have held up during this test? Let us gain courage and remember what is important in this life, pleasing our Lord and keeping his word in all adversity!