Commentary on the Book of Job part thirty three

                                 Job 18:1-21

In Job 18:1-3, Bildad turned completely against Job and became enraged with him. Bildad became angry with Job because he had continuously rebuked him for his lack of wisdom in speaking about God. Apparently, Bildad considered himself a very wise man whose instructions should never be criticized.

In Job 18:4, Bildad attacked Job for believing that he had some special relationship with God. Born again believers are often attacked today for the same reason. Bildad's questions to Job were: Who do you think you are? Would God tear Himself apart just for you? (He did on the cross.) Do you think God would forsake the whole earth just to save you? (God loves and saves His whole creation.) You have some hutzpah to believe that you are so special with God.

In Job 18:5-21, Bildad accused Job of being wicked for believing that he was special with God. Bildad, and anyone else, can be special with God if they would only humble themselves to Him and accept Christ as their Savior. Then Bildad, just to mock Job, began to list all of the bad events that can happen to wicked people. Under the influence of the Devil, Bildad told Job that whatever light he might have would be totally extinguished. This happens to be the very hope of the Devil. Bildad predicted that Job's wickedness would witness against him, and he would trap himself in a snare. Bildad maliciously informed Job that the robber; that is the Devil, would trap Job in a burning hell forever, and all his hope would be gone. Bildad was speaking the Devil's desire. Then Bildad, knowing that all of Job's children had been killed, cruelly predicted that all of Job's posterity on earth would vanish and that Job's name would be forgotten.

At the end of His speech, Bildad accused Job of being wicked because he did not know God. Bildad actually meant that Job did not know God like Bildad thought he knew God. Bildad did not believe in a God of love, mercy, and grace so he could not believe that Job could have any kind of special relationship with Him.