Job 8 - Bildad Speaks

LINK: Job 8

BACKGROUND
Now Job's second friend, Bildad, has some things to say. Basically, he says the same thing Eliphaz said, "you're suffering because you have sinned," but he is more blunt about it. He focuses on the righteousness of God and tells Job that if he will just confess his sin, God will surely restore him.

Then he gives three examples -- the papyrus, the spider, and the garden plant -- to illustrate his point. If the papyrus plant doesn't get enough water, it withers and dies. And likewise, Job has turned from God and will perish. And the spider's web cannot support anything, no matter how confidently you believe it will. Likewise, Job's confidence will eventually break and he will fall. And the garden plant -- nobody pulls up a perfectly good plant, because that will kill it. So, Job must not be good since God has uprooted him.

No, Bildad concludes, God wouldn't have brought calamity upon you if you were a man of integrity. You have done something terrible to deserve it.

REFLECTION
God IS righteous and holy and just and will not tolerate sin. However, Bildad has left out the facts that God is also love and shows mercy and forgiveness. We mustn't forget that either -- for ourselves or for our friends who may be suffering

APPLICATION
I am convinced that if God is discipining his child (you or me) for sin, then we *know* it in our heart. God disciplines us in love, not out of vindictiveness. So, if you're wondering if God is punishing you for something, then he isn't. Yes, God is a God of justice, but he is very longsuffering and most justice will not take place until the final judgment day. He gives many opportunities for repentance, because he is love. It is a lie of Satan that God is always "out to get us," and Satan has been using that lie on mankind since the Garden of Eden. Job was confident that he was not being punished by God for a particular sin. We know that there is suffering in this life, but we don't always have a direct cause-effect correlation.

PRAYER
Lord, we know that suffering is often a part of this life. We don't always understand it, and we are often confused about what role you play in our suffering. Help us not to lose heart, but to come to you daily and allow you to work in our hearts for the eternal benefit you offer. Because you are the all-loving, all-wise, ever-sovereign God, Amen.