Job 8
Today we hear, for the first time, from another of Job’s friends, Bildad the Shuhite. Bildad immediately tells Job that his words are “wind” (aka “hot air”) and asks a couple rhetorical questions to which the answer is an obvious, “No”: Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? (v. 3) The implication is that Job has been accusing God of just that (which isn’t wildly off the mark). But then Bildad tries to encourage Job by deflecting attention instead to his children: If your children have sinned against Him, He has delivered them into the hand of their transgression. (v. 4) Way to go, Bildad! Comfort the grieving father by blaming the dead victims! Even if Bildad were correct in his assessment of Job’s children, the utter tactlessness of this statement is breathtaking.
Bildad then shifts gears and urges Job to cast himself on God’s mercy (Job 8:5) but then appears to misunderstand what mercy is by conditioning God’s mercy on Job’s being pure and upright. (Job 8:6) He assures Job that if he would just return to being a “good boy”, everything will turn out OK — or, rather, even much better than before. (Job 8:7) He goes on to say that this is not just his own opinion, but that he is reiterating ancient wisdom, what has been handed down for generations. (Job 8:8-10) In that regard, Bildad is probably right. That is, his worldview of “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people” certainly dates back to time immemorial. (The real question, though, isn’t whether that idea is new or old, but whether it is true…)
Bildad then rightly warns against forgetting God and following the path of the godless (Job 8:11-19) and tries to encourage Job with the notion of future happiness. (Job 8:20-22) I wonder, though, about Bildad’s sincerity. Does he really believe Job has any chance of restoration? I rather doubt it. He sounds to me more like one who is fluent in “Christianese”, who is trying to sound “spiritual” but who has no real substance in himself and no particular insight into Job’s inner person. Perhaps I am being too harsh and cynical toward Bildad, but after his statement about Job’s children, it is hard to take his subsequent “encouraging” words to Job very seriously.
I am sure we have all heard preachers who have grown rich through TV ministries and best-selling books that offer “encouragement” like Bildad’s. Have you ever spoken directly with such a person, one who spouts “spiritual lingo” that sounds true enough at one level but is detached from the core realities of the moment and ultimately rings hollow? One who trivializes grief and promises blessings? Have you ever been that person? Are you now? I am sure I have been that person on at least a few occasions. I hope I never am again.
(On the lighter side, Bildad is purported to be the shortest person named in the Bible. I’ll let you work that one out… 🙂 )