Bildad Says Man is Inferior

Commentary

We are now going to have a final word from Bildad. Bildad’s brief speech (the shortest in the book) emphasized the greatness of God (vv. 1-3) and the nothingness of man (vv. 4-6). Instead of attempting to refute Job, Bildad accused Job of pride, because he was claiming that his suffering was not the result of sin. It is disturbing to see how Job’s friends speak so knowingly about God, when in the end God revealed that they really didn’t know what they were talking about. They don’t even know what is going to happen tomorrow. Too often those who say the most about God know the least about Him. The focus in this chapter is about:

1. God’s power which is inherent in His nature (vv. 1-3). He has all dominion, and reigns sovereignly in the heavens (v. 2). He has everything under control, and sees what is going on in all places. He has an army of angels at His command who are ready to obey His will (v. 3). Who can resist Him?
2. God’s justice, which is the outworking of His holy nature (vv. 4-6). Since God is holy and just, how can man claim to be righteous before Him (v. 4)? Not even the moon or the stars could make such a claim (v. 5). How then could man make such a claim, who by comparison was no more than a worm (v. 6). Job never claimed to be without sin, but only that his sin could not have caused his present trouble. Bildad asked Job to consider God as He really is, and to admit that there can be no injustice in Him. He was trying to get Job to confess, but he failed. It is too bad he did not encourage Job with the other attributes of God, such as His love, mercy and grace.

With this said, the speeches of the friends came to a close.

Application

Peoples today talk about us having come from a worm. We haven’t come from a worm, friends; we are worms. That is what we are now in God’s sight. As I come to God I do not need to crawl like a worm, but can come to Him boldly (Heb. 4:16).