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Job's Reply to Bildad
What You Say Is True
1Job said:
2 What you say is true.
No human is innocent
in the sight of God.
3Not once in a thousand times
could we win our case
if we took him to court.
4God is wise and powerful—
who could possibly
oppose him and win?
5When God becomes angry,
he can move mountains
before they even know it.
6God can shake the earth loose
from its foundations
7 or command the sun and stars
to hold back their light.
8God alone stretched out the sky,
stepped on the sea,
9 and set the stars in place—
the Big Dipper and Orion,
the Pleiades and the stars
in the southern sky.
10Of all the miracles God works,
we cannot understand a one.
11God walks right past me,
without making a sound.
12And if he grabs something,
who can stop him
or raise a question?
13When God showed his anger,
the servants of the sea monster
fell at his feet.
14How, then, could I possibly
argue my case with God?
Though I Am Innocent
15Even though I am innocent,
I can only beg for mercy.
16And if God came into court
when I called him,
he would not hear my case.
17He would strike me with a storm
and increase my injuries
for no reason at all.
18Before I could get my breath,
my miseries would multiply.
19God is much stronger than I am,
and who would call me into court
to give me justice?
20Even if I were innocent,
God would prove me wrong.
21I am not guilty,
but I no longer care
what happens to me.
22What difference does it make?
God destroys the innocent
along with the guilty.
23When a good person dies
a sudden death,
God sits back and laughs.
24And who else but God
blindfolds the judges,
then lets the wicked
take over the earth?
My Life Is Speeding By
25My life is speeding by,
without a hope of happiness.
26Each day passes swifter
than a sailing ship
or an eagle swooping down.
27Sometimes I try to be cheerful
and to stop complaining,
28but my sufferings frighten me,
because I know that God
still considers me guilty.
29So what's the use of trying
to prove my innocence?
30Even if I washed myself
with the strongest soap,
31God would throw me into a pit
of stinking slime, leaving me
disgusting to my clothes.
32God isn't a mere human like me.
I can't put him on trial.
33Who could possibly judge
between the two of us?
34Can someone snatch away
the stick God carries
to frighten me?
35Then I could speak up
without fear of him,
but for now, I cannot speak.
Reflect
It isn’t fair! I don’t deserve this! How often we hear that complaint.
Job’s physical suffering was certainly severe enough to elicit this cry. But there’s more. His sufferings terrify him because if God says he’s guilty, he knows there’s nothing he can do.
Job doesn’t ask for restored health or possessions. All he wants is to be able to stand before God as an upright man of integrity. If he can’t, life is not worth living. He’s fighting for vindication, not knowing that God has already named him blameless.
He is angry at the injustice of being falsely accused by his friends, plus the injustice of not being able to defend himself because he doesn’t even know what he is guilty of. He wants to call God into a courtroom to ask what the charges are against him. Then he would have a chance of defending himself.
But God’s power frightens him. As a mere mortal, he knows he can’t challenge God in court? So then he wishes for a mediator—someone to arbitrate between them.
Once again we see a foreshadowing of Jesus—the one sent by God to be that mediator.
It’s true that Job didn’t deserve his suffering. But then he didn’t deserve to have a relationship with God either. Who does? Not me. Not you.
Jesus didn’t deserve to suffer either but he chose to—for me, for you. And because he did, we get what we don’t deserve. Jesus took away the need for us to defend ourselves in God’s court of justice by declaring us forgiven and purified, making it possible for us to see God.
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
It’s definitely not “fair“—it’s pure grace.
Respond
Dear Lord, how grateful I am that, because of Jesus, I do not have to fear your guilty verdict. When I’m tempted to complain about something I don’t think I deserve, help me to remember that you give me what I really don’t deserve—your amazing love and mercy. Amen.
Lynn Smith
Lynn served Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto as Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Development where leadership development became the focus of her involvement with students. After retiring, she co-founded NextLEVEL Leadership, an International organization focused on encouraging Christian women to develop in their leadership roles in the marketplace, profession or ministry. Her passion for seeing others grow in their leadership confidence has inspired her to teach and mentor wherever God calls. Publications: Gender or Giftedness: a Challenge to rethink the basis for leadership within the Faith Community; Mentoring: Leaving a Legacy; Fred's Not Here - Living with Alzheimer Disease takes Courage