Encouragement
I admit it, Bildad bothers me. Or should I say his utter compassionlessness strikes the chilling toll of legalism at its worst, or is that, at its best. Bildad seems all about judging, looking only on the outward appearance with a cold indifference to the heart. It’s difficult not to sense almost a violent eagerness to strip away everything from Job, leaving him a meager stipend of hope, which itself falls with clanging insincerity … little more than a token gesture of comfort, at most.
I don’t understand this persona, but I see it, I hear it, on a regular basis. It echoes in the halls of the religious, shattering everything it touches, without remorse, shedding not a single tear … for after all, “they only got what they deserved.”
The basis of Bildad’s words lies, not in God or knowledge of Him, but lies fiercely tied to human tradition, human wisdom, a wisdom sounding right, but bringing death: ... inquire of the former age, and consider the things discovered by their fathers.
Job’s clinging to God’s sovereignty angered Bildad; he wouldn’t even give ear to Job’s words, maintaining Job’s sons deserved to die in their sins, which, to heed Bildad’s view, obviously was the cause of their death, and Job was about to do the same. Can you hear the venom sputtering from Bildad’s anger?
He has cast them away for their transgression. If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you … your faith is but a spider’s web.
If nothing else, Bildad’s tirade opens my eyes to the baseness of human nature, a nature resenting the ‘pure of heart,’ secretly despising those who truly trust the Almighty, a nature gleefully rubbing its hands together at their suffering, for in a sick, sick way, it justifies their own heartless nature.
What grieves me so much is the presence of Bildad’s in the house of God, the presence of Bildad in my own heart.
Yes. Yes, we’ve been granted a view of the stage, but where is the seeking after God’s heart that would have brought them the same? Every voice present can hardly wait to confirm that obviously Job is merely on the receiving end of all his sin and unrighteousness.
Can’t you just hear the dark minions rejoicing as Job, stripped bare of all covering, comfort long since gone in the morass of human utterances, stands alone. Yet, amazingly, he stands. Discouraged? Yes. Outwardly despairing? Without question.
Inwardly awash in confusion and questions? Who would not be? But still, he stands upon the solid Rock uttering fiercely … my righteousness still stands.
When Job pled “that it would please God to crush me,” he did not comprehend the full work of God’s crushing, so unlike the world’s, so unlike our adversary’s. But the Spirit knew, and as those words flew from Job’s lips, they were carried as a priceless treasure within the Spirit’s hand, until gently they were laid to rest at the Father’s feet. Feet that gently, lovingly went about the work of crushing this fruit of Job’s vine, producing an ageless redemptive wine, to touch Job’s lips with sweet refreshment.
Job hadn’t yet savored the full sweetness of faith’s wine, but a drop or two already touched his lips, sustaining him in the midst of unrelenting oppression. Job knew the winemaker, trusted Him with His heart, with His life. He didn’t need to understand to trust. He simply chose to cling to a righteous God whose love he knew never faltered. Whose justice was ever upright.
Though the words below were written by Frances Ridely Havergal in 1876, surely they rang in Job’s heart at travails close … faith’s abundant harvest.
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth, fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth, deeper all the way.
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
I don’t appreciate the presence of Bildad’s in my trials. Surely they reflect the working of my adversary, an adversary that permeates worldly wisdom, doing his best to make it appear God’s own. Bildad’s work, unless my eyes stayed fixed on the Almighty, would strip me even of hope.
But then, for God’s crushing work to find completeness, does He not, at times, like a gardener, need to cut off anything and everything I would cling to, would find comfort in, save Him?
I would not lean on others, but I do. I would lean only on Him, yet I don’t. If His love for me allows Bildad’s in my life, that I would look only upon His face, then to His sovereign loving stroke I submit. But, oh, to see His face, His face alone, be that ever my faith’s plea.
(Reflections of Job 8)
© 15 March 2006
DeAnna L. Brooks
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I am enjoying this study on Job very much. It is very easy to apply to our own lives and examine ourselves. Thanks.
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