Bildad’s Last Word, and Job’s Reply

“© I counsel thee to buy of Me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich.”’ — Rev. i. 18.

BILDAD’S LAST WORD,
AND JOB’S REPLY
“Bildad said... How?”’ — Chap. xxv. 1-6.

(eee has yet a few words to say, but they do not seem very appropriate at this stage. He ignores all that has passed between Job and the other friends, and harks back to the question propounded by the spirit-voice to Eliphaz, which Job dealt with in answer to Bildad’s first pleading.

The question as to ow a man could be just before God is still upon Bildad’s mind. He replies to Job that God is the One Who certainly has complete dominion, for He is the Lord of Hosts, there is no numbering of His armies (v. 2, 3); His light shines upon all men, both good and evil, but the question remains to be answered — since Jehovah is so great and mighty, How then can man be just before’? Him? ‘‘ How can he be clean’ when even “‘ the stars are not pure in His sight: how much less man, that is a worm?” (v. 4-6, m.).

Job’s reproach of Bildad

“Job ... said, How hast thou helped him that is without power? How hast thou saved [him without] strength? How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom... and whose spirit came forth from thee?” — Chap. xxvi. 1-4.

Job answers Bildad’s ‘‘ How” with some other ‘‘ Hows” more to the point than the question which was occupying his thoughts.

If Bildad did not know how to find acceptance with God, and how to have a clear conscience before Him, what right had he to come with his negations to a man in affliction? All

his utterances had been about the calamities which would come upon those who forgot God.

Job asks Bildad plainly what sort of help he had given to one without power? What kind of salvation he had to offer to one who had no strength to save himself (v. 2)? What counsel had he for one in perplexity and darkness? Had he plentifully declared sound knowledge’ to the one he had come to teach (v. 3); and what sprit had come forth from him to encourage and help his friend in the time of trouble (v. 4)?

Bildad’s ‘‘ How’’ is best answered by reminding him of the omnipotence of God. All things visible and invisible are open to Him. The “shades” beneath the waters tremble; the “grave”? is naked, and ‘‘ destruction’? hath no covering before Him (v. 5, 6, m.). He made the world and hung it over nothing, upholding it by the word of His power (v. 7); He closeth in the face of His throne when He pleaseth, and none can reach Him through the clouds that surround it (v. 9); He controls the mighty waters; the pillars of heaven tremble before Him; He stilleth the sea; smiteth arrogancy (v. 10-12); and by His Spirit makes beautiful the heavens, His hand piercing even the gliding serpent (v. 13, m.).

All these are but the “outskirts’, the fringe — or “‘ parts of His ways”? (v. 14, A.V.), and in all these mighty workings how “‘ small a whisper’? do we hear of Him. How silently and quietly He works! If we cannot trace the outskirts of His ways, much less can we understand the thunder, or full manifestation of His mighty deeds (v. 14, m.).

Bildad’s ‘‘ How’? is answered by the power of God. If He worketh all these wondrous things in the world of nature, is it possible that His noblest work of creation — man — is beyond His power? It is true that compared with His Creator, man is but a worm, and has fallen from his first estate to become the slave of the world he was created to rule over, but God is able to devise means whereby His banished may be restored to Him.

Job cannot answer Bildad’s question beyond again
reminding him of the omnipotence of God.

Job’s integrity “Job again took up his parable, and said, As God liveth... Till I die I will not put away mine integrity.” — Chap. xxvit. 1-5. Job appears to have been interrupted by the interjection of Bildad’s question.

Job had been saying* how God was performing all things for him, and had then lapsed into meditation over the strange ignorance of God’s “‘ times” or “‘ ways”? shown by those who professed to know Him. After replying to Bildadt he resumes the thread of his ‘“‘ parable”’, or narrative, and solemnly closes it with a deliberate and final affirmation that he intends to hold fast to his integrity to the very end.

“As the Lord of Hosts liveth, before Whom I stand,” was the language of Elijah in after years when bearing fearless testimony to Israel.

As God liveth,’ said Job, with the same consciousness of standing before Him in integrity of heart and life. The Spirit of God is in me, he continues to say, “‘ Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness’? nor utter deceit (v. 3, 4). In His presence I cannot justify you, my friends, nor say that you have dealt rightly with me. Neither can I go back from what I know before God to be my true attitude of soul. I cannot say that I have forsaken the ways of God when “‘ my heart doth not reproach me for any of my days”? (v. 6, m.).

“Till I die,” declares Job, “‘ I will not put away mine integrity from me”. I have walked with God in righteousness and truth. I hold fast to this confidence in spite of all my strange afflictions, and I ‘“‘ will not let it go”’ (v. 5, 6).

Those who “‘ rise up against me”’, and falsely condemn me when I am innocent of their charges, are not friends but enemies, and upon them will come the “portion of the wicked”’ (v. 7).

Job asks what he would gain by being a hypocrite? In his time of need would God hear his cry (v. 8, 9)? A hypocrite would not have called upon God “‘ at all times”’, and delighted himself in the Almighty as he had done (v. 10).

Job’s teaching of his teachers

““I will teach you concerning the hand of God.’’ — Chap. xxvii. 11.

It was Zophar’s turn to speak after Bildad’s last brief speech, but Zophar is silent — whereupon Job breaks out with the words, ‘‘J will teach you concerning the hand of God; that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal”. He will show his would-be teachers that he is not blind, for he had seen the other aspect of the “portion of the wicked”’ in this world,

* Job xxiii. t Job. xxvi.

as well as they, and he could describe their sorrows as well as their prosperity. Why were his friends so vain as to think that none had eyes to see except themselves (v. 12)? He would not ‘ conceal”’ or keep back what he knew concerning the hand of God.

It was not true that suffering was invariably the fruit of sin, ‘but it was true — terribly true — that a life of utter disregard of God, and sinful self-grasping must have sore consequences in this world and the next.

It was true that if in some cases the children of the oppressor were multiplied, it was for the sword; those children would never be content with simple necessary food, for they would be possessed by the restless dissatisfied spirit they had seen in their home (v. 14); the oppressor would have no lamentation made over him at his death, for his true character would come out at the last, and repel even those who had loved him (v. 15): he might heap up silver and personal possessions, but he would have to leave it all at the end (v. 16, 17); he might build his house with great trouble as the spider weaves his web, but it should prove to be but a temporary shelter after all (v. 18, m.); he might lie down rich, but his riches would not save him, for he would be swept away as by a sudden tempest, or an east wind blighting his life (v. 19-21). In short, God would lay His hand upon him suddenly and say, ‘‘ Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee’, and he would fain get out of God’s hand, but it could not be (v. 22). Men would also accord with Jehovah’s dealing, and hiss him out of his place’, with no regret (v. 23).

This would be the end of the ungodly, even though the rod of God had not been visibly upon him, and his household in earlier years. *

The heavenly wisdom described

“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.” — Chap. xxviii. 1.

After Job has described the ‘‘ heritage of oppressors”’ and shown the folly of those who set their hearts upon the things of time, he breaks out into a striking description of the trouble and pain with which men seek for earthly treasure, and contrasts the wisdom enabling them to obtain the riches

* See page 87 on Chap. xxi. 7-14.

hidden in the earth, with the value of the wisdom which cometh from above.

Precious silver has to be dug with much labour out of a mine; gold must needs be placed in a furnace to be refined; iron has to be taken out of the dust in which it lies, and brass has to be melted out of stone (v. I, 2, m.).

With what perseverance men explore the darkest depths of the earth for the precious metals, searching ‘‘ out to the furthest bound’? (v. 3), and breaking open shafts into the earth, far away from the dwellings of men, so that they might obtain the treasures it contains (v. 4).

Yea, even out of the dark earth comes bread for the sustenance of man, and out of its very stones, beautiful stones that glow like fire, sapphires of transparent blue, and dust of gold (v. 5, 6).

The path of the miner into the bowels of the earth, searching for hid treasure, cannot be traced by the keenest sighted ‘‘ bird of prey’, nor can the proud beast that roams on the surface, or the fierce lion, tread this path after the foot of man (v. 7, 8) as he removes the flinty rock, overturns mountains by the roots, cuts out passages among the rocks, his eye searching for “‘every precious thing’? (v. 9, 10, m.), and diverting streams of water so that the hidden treasures might be brought to light (v. 11).

Such is the eagerness with which men seek for earthly riches. ‘They understand the value of gold, but do they know the greater value of true wisdom and knowledge (vv. 12, 13)?

If they do set their hearts upon getting it, do they know where to find it? It is not in the depth of the earth, nor in the sea (v. 14). No gold or silver can buy it — it cannot even be compared with the gold of Ophir, or with precious stones (v. 15,16). Its value is above all the precious things of earth, and it cannot be obtained even for vessels of pure gold (v. 17, m.). “* Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies” (v. 18).

“* Whence then cometh wisdom,” seeing that it cannot be found on earth, nor purchased by the most precious things of earth, and is hidden ‘“‘ from the eyes of all living” (v. 20, 21)?

“* God understandeth’’ the source of wisdom, and alone can teach the way of obtaining it. All wisdom is hidden in God Himself. ‘“He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven”? the hidden things which men discover with such labour. “Yea, He meted out the waters by measure” and maketh a “‘ weight for the wind” (v. 24-27), therefore He alone knoweth the place of wisdom, and He says —

“BEHOLD THE FEAR OF THE LorpD ... 1s WISDOM: AND TO

DrpartjFrrom,Evit 1s UNDERSTANDING” (f. 28).

In brief, men think that wisdom is knowledge — knowledge of gaining treasures from the bowels of the earth; knowledge of how to refine gold; to melt iron; to polish brilliant stones; to blast flinty rocks; to remove mountains by their skill, and to divert mighty rivers, so that, as it were, all the secrets hidden in the earth were under their command and control — but God says that the highest wisdom is to be obtained in knowing Him, in understanding His will, and in ‘‘ departing Srom evil’.

This is the wisdom which ‘‘ cometh from above ’”’, for “the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh know- -ledge and understanding”’.*

* Prov. ii. 6.

Job, Chapter xxix.