THE DEVIL’S MOUTHPIECE

Job 8:1-21

As we approach this chapter we are seeing a pattern of “Do-Gooders”. “Supposed friends” who have no comfort to offer a hurting friend, only trite sayings that are heartless and cold. Trite sayings, with the intent to force a broken man even further to his knees in repentance to a holy God. Where Job needed comfort and genuine compassion the most in his darkest moments, he was accosted with contempt and disdain. One writer put it this way “It’s easy to be a “Job’s comforter”. It’s easy to offer simplistic answers to suffering friends. But it takes courage and honesty to admit that there are no easy answers to the problem of pain. It takes genuine love to stand by people when they are suffering, to simply be present with them instead of offering a lot of empty platitudes or self-righteous accusations about hidden sin.”

Who is Bildad? He appears to be more moralists or a traditionalist, who angers and frustrates quickly by his opening statement. (Job 8:1-9). Bildad seems to be more impersonal than Eliphaz. He petitions to history rather than his own experience. (Job 8:8-10). He believes every action has a reason or a cause to answer our questions to why. (Job 8:11-19). He even accuses Job of not knowing God “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him who does not know God." Job 18:21. Bildad, like his friend, defends the idea of “the justice of God”; a God who would not bring disaster on an innocent man. (v3). He sees God as a distant God not intimate and personal. "Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places. Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise?” Job 25:2-3. He believes that righteousness is a matter of one’s rank in the created order, so no other creature, not even angels can be pure before God’s sight. “How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?" Job 25:4-6. He see’s man as the lowest of all creation, unfortunately for Bildad he wrong! Genesis 1:26-27 we read “Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Bildad is very negative in his delivery towards Job, maybe because he saw that Eliphaz got nowhere in his gentle opening remarks. So Bildad goes directly to the issue of sin in the life of a man who by his understanding is the lowest of created beings. See! Bildad agrees with Eliphaz that Job has sinned against God and is suffering the punishment of that sin for his rebellious and unrepentant heart. The lesson we learn from this statement by Bildad, is a negative one about the qualities of friendship and biblical counselling. What do I mean? Bildad heard Job’s deep lament with his ears, but his heart heard nothing. What Job has said so far has fallen on deaf ears? The whole time they have sat with Job they have heard him cry out “Helplessness” Job 6:13 They have heard him cry out “despairingly” Job 6:14, 26

Job has been screaming for compassion and relief of his suffering. And all he is getting is the Devil’s devices to tear him down even more. What he has received so far from his “close friends” is something we would never want to see happen to our worst of enemies. Job’s life is in shock and now the trauma is going to get worse with the words of “so-called wisdom” from Bildad’s mouth. Bildad and his friends’ speeches are an example of how people often view a person’s suffering from a human perspective. And unfortunately they assume that suffering is always the result of doing something wrong. Bildad wastes no time to go for the jugular. He comes out the gate like Bull Moose in a “Fine China Shop”. Breaking everything in its path to say what he wants to say. His choices of words are not as seasoned as Eliphaz, because right out the gate he calls Job a “windbag” (v2) Job your lament is like a continuous windstorm, filled with hot air. Bildad saying this because he is disappointed in Job for not listening to the words of Eliphaz. And not only insulting Job with unkind words he has the nerve to explain the death of children is because they sinned against a holy God. (v3-4) Your children more than likely provoked God to act swiftly with judgement. And though God is just, they got the punishment they deserve. As a parent, whether they are lost or saved; this is the last thing you want to hear coming from a friend who is supposed to be consoling you.

So what’s Bildad’s great advice?

Job seek God before this happens to you (v5-v7) Repent or you will face the same judgement as your children did. Repent and all this will go away, because you will find favor with God. Job if you change your heart, God will change your circumstances. What Bildad is teaching here is a false gospel and false hope for sinners who are going through seasons of suffering. Why? The bad suffer, the good are protected, and that’s how justice works. Then what do you say about John The Baptist? A man according to Jesus “no one greater” Matt 11:11. Matt 11:11 we read "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Was he prosperous and healthy before he died?

Did he suffer and die because he sinned and was unrepentant?

He lost his head to a young ladies wish, whose mother hated John, as she danced provocatively in front of Herod and his friends. Mark 6:14-27. What do you say to Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, when he was speared to death because the flames seem to take too long to kill him? Polycarp’s last words were "Eighty and six years have I served Christ, nor has He ever done me any harm. How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved Me? ... I bless Thee for counting me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ."

What did he do wrong in the eyes of God to deserve this Bildad?

You seem to have the answers to why people suffer?

What did “the greatest man” and “Polycarp” do to deserve such extreme punishment?

  

See what Bildad is trying to convince Job of the same thing we see in much of North America and now it’s spreading around the globe. This prosperity, health and wealth” garbage. This is why we watched “American Gospel” those Wednesday nights, to expose the false dichotomy and perversion of this false gospel narrative. But what did Paul say about the false gospel? “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” Gal 1:6-10. If Job would just humble himself, prosperous and blessings would be in his future. (v7)

In part Bildad is right! If we repent and rest in God our end, our future will be better. Peter penned these words “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5. The gospel is our blessing of future things with Christ, despite my suffering or circumstance.

See!

Bildad fails to understand…. it’s not our righteousness that keeps us and surely isn’t our understanding that those who don’t suffer are eternally secure in His grace. Is God just? Yes, but if we receive the justice due to our sin, we would already be dead. We should never cry for more justice or “why me Lord?”! We should be crying for more mercy, not justice, I stand condemned, but in grace I stand clean, cleared and loved by God who gave His only Son for my sin. Job’s suffering is not due to sin, but for the sovereignty of God to shine in the life of a man under His grace. The sovereignty of God reminds us of our great God who allows suffering in our lives for His glory.

Does sin separate us from a holy God?

Yes, but it’s His mercy that extends to us more and more and more. Bildad says to Job look back to the traditions of our people and learn from them. (v8-v10). We have learned and seen this played out in the life of Adam and Eve, the flood, Sodom, the nation of Israel, at the Cross, the church age. It’s because of our sin that held Him there, but’s it’s His unmerited grace that keep Him there as well. God is so merciful to us and we don’t deserve His grace. We deserve His holy justice and wrath. And yet in our suffering, He extends to us more grace in the midst of it to endure for His glory and for the good of others. If history has taught us anything, it’s that God is a great and we are extremely blessed whether we suffer or not in this life.

See Bildad believes at this moment that Job is living outside the circle of this grace because of what has happened to him. (v11-v19) Bildad asserts that those who reject the wisdom and understanding from the past will destroy their future destiny. There is much truth in what Bildad is saying here! God does bless those who turn to Him and He will rebuke and punish those who turn away from Him. In Matthew’s gospel we read "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” Matt 23:31-33. Unfortunately for Bildad, he goes to the extreme that this is dependent on man and not God. And without man’s wisdom you will waste away like grass during a drought. What Bildad is trying to point out to Job is that he is godless and his hope would perish because he had forgotten and forsaken God. The reason you were once prosperous and now you’re not; is because you have sinned against God and now you’re wasting away. Bildad is arguing that man, by nature, must have God’s blessing in order to prosper. Meaning? That Job will perish as the reed withers without water. The things that man makes for himself will collapse like a flimsy spider web. Your life and all your ventures are gone to waste and tragedy is God’s punishment for sin, especially hidden sin. 

One thing Bildad says that is correct is that God will not reject the “blameless man”  (v20v21) The gospel remind us of this truth we see it more vividly in John‘s last letter. “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Rev 14:9-11

Rev 19: 1-5 we read that the saints praise God for His judgement of lost sinners “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!"

One would ask! What is wrong with what Bildad says? It sounds right and true from history. It sounds logical and supported by the experiences that we see throughout history in the Scriptures. Why is Bildad considered to be a miserable friend? Because Bildad is speaking out of a wrong spirit and he is leaving our important truths. As one writer said “An incomplete truth is often no better than a lie.” What do we learn from this chapter? Listening involves more than speaking; it’s entering into their sorrow with them. Not condemning them but helping them in the midst. Bildad shows us how not to listen to someone hurting. Bildad shows us how not to be a friend to someone who is hurting.

1. A friend is to be someone who encourages and doesn’t destroy the hurting.

Eccl 4:9-10 we read “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

2. A friend is someone who is a disciple of Christ.

Psalm 119:63 we read “I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.”

  

3. A friend is someone who wise and truth teller.

Prov 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

4. A friend is a fast forgiver of many wrongs.

Prov 17:9 says “He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.” Prov 10:12 says “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” One Christian writer said “The best way to tell who a true friend is;

is to mess up and to see if they stay.”

5. A friend is someone who goes to the end even if it means to die for a friend. 

John 15:13 we read the famous humbling words by Jesus “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” 

So far Eliphaz and Bildad have failed miserably to do this with a friend who is extremely fragile and broken by suffering. Eliphaz has had seasoning in his words that are “bitter to the taste and have no value”. And Bildad is like “hot sauce” as he opens his mouth to scorch everything in its path. One theologian said “People like Bildad in this world do a heartless disservice to humanity, under the mask of being a special friend of God.” Does Job need help? Yes! But not this kind of help. These men made a promise to come and comfort their closest friend, and all they have done so far has caused ciaos and trauma to a broken man. Why? Because they have a false understanding of suffering for those who are upright. They are not willing to accept Job, unconditionally, as God does to us every day. Praise be to our great God, who does love us unconditionally in our suffering. Especially, when we fail to do that with one another as brother and sisters.