Give It a Rest, Job!

“How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?  Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?”  Job 8:2-3

Job had just finished asking God why he was having to suffer.  What could he do to alleviate this unjust punishment?  Job still maintained his innocence of any sin that would bring on such judgment, but his so-called friends were not buying it.  It was now Bildad’s turn to speak.  If Job was hoping for some sympathy from Bildad, he was greatly disappointed because Bildad had the same critical attitude toward Job that Eliphaz displayed.  The first words out of Bildad’s mouth were to enquire how much longer was Job going to speak in a complaining and whining manner in attempting to make everyone feel sorry for him and his condition.  Give it a rest, Job, for crying out loud.

Bildad compared Job’s words to a strong wind which has no sympathy for anything that is blown over in its path.  It just blows and blows without any thought of the consequences.  Perhaps this is from where the derogatory term, “blowhard”, comes.  I wonder if Job’s friends were now regretting their visit to Job, except that their visit gave them the opportunity to criticize and verbally abuse him to make themselves feel more righteous than him.  Bildad reminded Job in the form of a question that God’s judgment is always righteous, and His justice always equitable.  By this, he was implying that Job must be guilty of some unrighteousness because God would not unjustly punish a person or punish them more than what was called for.  Remember that the people of Job’s day believed that undergoing punishment was proof that the one suffering was guilty of something.

However, we know that God does judge righteously, but suffering is not always because of committed sins.  In John 9, Jesus and His disciples met a young man who was born blind.  The disciples asked Jesus if it was this man’s sins or his parents’ sins which caused him to be blind, indicating that this erroneous belief had been handed down through many generations.  Jesus answered that it was neither.  It was to show the power of God upon this young man.  Similarly, it was to show God’s power as He worked through Job, allowing Satan to hurt him and then teaching Job things of which he wasn’t aware concerning the LORD and His purposes, the result being that of healing and restoration of Job, bringing him to a place of strong faith in God and proving that God’s power was far greater than that of Satan.

Bildad displayed a cruel attitude toward Job when he insinuated that Job’s ten children must have been guilty of some wickedness, otherwise they would still be numbered among the living.  Job’s grief was deep enough without Bildad’s inappropriate remarks.  Matthew Henry wrote, “Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces”.  Bildad had a lot to learn and so did all of them who were gathered in that place and time.  However, none of us are any smarter, wiser, or more righteous than Job and his companions; we just have the advantage of the written word of God, but only if we obey and live by its precepts.

Bildad just piles it on.  He said that if Job would have humbled himself and sought God before now, then perhaps he would still have his family.  Job had always been conscientious to gather his children and worship the LORD, and God Himself had noticed the goodness in Job.  Then Bildad said that if Job was as pure and upright as he claimed to be, then God would give Job some relief from his misery.  Bildad reminds me of the “prosperity preachers” of our day:  have enough faith and one will be healed and all problems will vanish.  No matter how much faith one has, it is not a guarantee that life will be problem free.  Paul suffered because of his faith.  It didn’t shield him from man’s persecutions, but it upheld him spiritually.

Bildad suggested that Job research history, likely either from writings that others had left or from the traditions handed down by the spoken word, so that Job could understand how their forefathers were blessed for their righteousness and obedience.  Bildad admitted that, compared to the ancients of old, his generation was rather ignorant.  Their forefathers lived much longer lives (Noah lived 950 years) which would have enabled them to collect much knowledge and wisdom, more so that later generations whose lifespans were much shorter.  Bildad was certain that the experiences of their ancestors would support his admonitions to Job.

Bildad then began to cite examples from nature comparing those examples to what occurs in the lives of people who forget God.  Plants can’t survive without water.  They will wither before they are cut down just as those who forget God will wither and die.  The hypocrite has no hope because he is not honest with himself or with God.  He can’t defend his hypocrisy.  He eventually is exposed, and his false beliefs are only as stable as a spider’s web.  The hypocrite will lean upon his house, but it will fall.  Where have we heard that before?  Didn’t Jesus say that the man who builds his house on the sand will experience destruction when the storm comes? (Matthew 7:24-27).  Bildad was assuming that Job was depending on his house built on his own merit and sufficiency for strength, security, and protection.   Bildad assured Job that if he would only admit his sin, repent, and turn to the LORD, then all would be forgiven, and he would be restored, a true statement, but one issued by a man who assumed he had the right to charge, convict, and sentence his friend.

Next week:  Job Agrees and Disagrees