Does it seem good to you to oppress,
to despise the work of your hands
and favor the designs of the wicked?
Chapters 8-10 record the conversation between Job and Bildad, another of Job’s “friends.” Remember, these three friends traveled a long way to “comfort” job. However, Bildad’s choice words of comfort are to tell Job right off the bat perhaps the reason his children were crushed to death in storm is because they were sinners. Note:
Job 8:3-4 (ESV)
Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
If your children have sinned against him,
he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
If you are going to bring someone comfort, it might be wise to not condemn the dead children first! His truth is true. He application of the truth, however, is way off. Chapter 8 is Bildad’s speech to Job. Chapter 9 is Job’s speech back to Bildad. But, chapter 10 is Job’s response to Bildad’s speech, but directed to God. Bildad has put Job in a mindset. Bildad has boldly stated that the reason for all these disasters in Job’s life are due to his sin (again, good truth but completely upside down application to Job). But Job does begin to pivot Bildad’s argument to God. He will state in chapter 10 that God is difficult to figure out. In the above verse, Job plainly asks God, “Does this make sense to you, God? Do you think it is wise to crush the person you created and bless with all this disaster, while at the same time allowing the wicked to flourish?” This could be a back-handed statement to Bildad, but probably more meant to capture what Job is observing. Job knows his own righteousness (remember, in chapter 1 God even told Satan that Job was righteous). Job is seeing the wicked in the world around him and sees no struggle for him. He sees his own life and simply asks God why? Why is he being “punished,” although declared righteous before God, and they are living in prosperity, although living absent any faith toward God. This philosophical thought has been at the heart of man for centuries. The question is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” That is Job’s thought. Asaph, the song writer in the Psalms, asked the same thing. But, he asked and answered it for himself. Note:
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
Asaph was complexed by the same thoughts Job had. However, note the conclusion that Aspah comes to at the end of his song:
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
Job will eventually see this truth, as well. The wicked (those who reject God) will, in the end, receive their due reward. Those who have faith in God, in the end, will receive their due blessings from God. Right now, like Job and like Bildad, we see it as those who are suffering must be wicked and those who are blessed, must not be wicked. But, God will turn the tables on all that in the end. We are to love God, despite our sufferings, because in the end, we will be blessed by God (as with Job at the end of this book).
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