Bildad picked up where Job left off, describing how Almighty God is. Also, He's not in some distant place that He can not see every one of us and knows what each of us is doing. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. (Psalm 139:7-8) ...for in Him we live and move and have our being,... ‘For we are also His offspring.’ (Acts 17:28)
"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)
But Job answered and said: “How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many? To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you? (Job 26:1-4)
Bildad was correct, that outside of a relationship with God, we all are nothing. But thanks be to God that He so loved the world, that through faith in His Son, He says, "...‘Fear not, I will help you.’ “Fear not,...! I will help you,” says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:13-14) But Job was clearly letting Bildad know that his counsel was not wise, because he continued to tear down. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29) ...you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. (II Corinthians 2:7)
Job continued, “The dead tremble, those under the waters and those inhabiting them. Sheol is naked before Him, and Destruction has no covering. He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the water in His thick clouds, yet the clouds are not broken under it. He covers the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud over it. He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at His rebuke. He stirs up the sea with His power, and by His understanding He breaks up the storm. By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. [Isaiah 14:12-21; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Genesis 3:1-15] Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26:5-14)
How Great and Awesome is our God! Who else can do or ever has done all that He has done? Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God. (Psalm 87:8-10) Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might), who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. (Jeremiah 10:6-7)
Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Far be it from me that I should say you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. (Job 27:1-6) Job was saying that no matter how bad his situation was or may continue to get, no matter how long God allowed him to go through this trial and test, as he had said before, Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. (Job 13:15)
“May my enemy be like the wicked, and he who rises up against me like the unrighteous. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he may gain much, if God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God? (Job 27:7-10) In other words, For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:25; Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36) “I will teach you about the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not conceal. Surely all of you have seen it; why then do you behave with complete nonsense? (Job 27:11-12)
“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: if his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. Those who survive him shall be buried in death, and their widows shall not weep, though he heaps up silver like dust, and piles up clothing like clay— he may pile it up, but the just will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver. He builds his house like a moth, like a booth which a watchman makes. The rich man will lie down, but not be gathered up; he opens his eyes, and he is no more. Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest steals him away in the night. The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. It hurls against him and does not spare; he flees desperately from its power. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place. (Job 27:13-23)
What an important lesson to us, who may feel that if we can have everything we want in this world, we will be satisfied. Jesus told of a rich man, whose experience best describes this lesson. And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21)
We fall into the trap of thinking we have control over our lives, and that the more we possess, the more control we have. Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. (Job 14:1, 5) And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth,... (Deuteronomy 8:18) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts,you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:7-10) AMEN!
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