The second friend who tried to “instill insight” into Job’s mind was Bildad. While Eliphaz was still somewhat subtle in implying that Job was at fault, Bildad is not diplomatic at all. The fact that your children are dead, Job, is the result of their own sinful actions (Job 8:4). Wow! But it gets worse: where Job saw himself as innocent, Bildad outrightly declares him guilty. Even though both Job 1 and 2 teach that Job was righteous before God, Bildad drops the axe right on Job’s neck: “God never rejects the blameless” (8:20). So, you are not the upright person you claim to be, Job!
Sometimes I am my own Bildad; sometimes I am so unforgivingly harsh on myself. Sometimes I am the Bildad in others’ lives: outspoken and judgmental. Sometimes I make God my Bildad, as if God is the unrelenting, merciless God. Then God becomes the One ready to punish the moment we misstep. As Job would say: “God would throw me into a mud pit, so that my clothes become offensive to me” (v31).
If only there was someone who could plead Job’s case before God. Someone “who could remove God’s punishment from me” (v33). How I wish I could tell Job (and Bildad): there is One. The only truly Righteous One. As John would write centuries later: “If anyone sins – we have Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, as our advocate with the Father. He is the atonement for our sins; and not only for our sins but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-3).
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, that I could come to know You in a different way – the gracious and merciful One!
MUSIC:
We watch the lyric video of Matthew West’s song “Chosen.” The lyrics are displayed in the video.