Job 8:8-22 - Homiletics

Bildad to Job: 2. Wisdom from the ancients.

I. THE TEACHERS . The world's gray fathers, not the immediate predecessors of Job, Bildad, and their contemporaries, but the progenitors of these—their remote ancestors, who are here described as:

1 . Early born. In contrast to the men of Job's time, who are characterized as being late born, literally, "yesterday;" i.e. of yesterday, as if ascending the stream of time meant the same thing as approaching the primal fountains of truth—a popular fallacy which the royal Preacher corrects ( Ecclesiastes 7:10 ). Antiquity is no sure test of truth; novelty is no sure mark of error. Rather error has a tendency to array itself in a quasi-sanctity derived from age. Many respectable fallacies and popular delusions have descended item remote times. Yet truth that bears the stamp of successive generations is all the more valuable on that account.

2 . Long-lived. In comparison with their successors, who are here depicted as a short-lived generation: "Our days upon earth are a shadow" (verse 9); the probability being that Bildad alluded to the remarkable longevity of antediluvian times, and of the patriarchal era immediately succeeding, as affording greater opportunity for making and collecting the results of observations than the brief span of human life at the period when Job and he flourished. Yet the long leisure enjoyed by the Macrobii is now more than counterbalanced by the appliances of modern civilization. So that the results gathered in an ephemeral and shadowy life may rest upon a broader basis of experience than those collected by primeval sages in the course of centuries. Still, were each age dependent on the amount of knowledge it could accumulate for itself, the world's advancement would be tedious, if not practically at a standstill. Hence the duty of recognizing our obligations to the past, and of transmitting to posterity, not diminished, but if possible augmented, the gathered stores of matured wisdom inherited from bygone generations.

3 . Deep-thinking. As men who with powers fully exercised employed the leisure of centuries in observing the phenomena of Divine providence, in comparing their a priori theories with life's facts; in investigating the profound problems of religion, and, after carefully elaborating the results, crystallized them in brief, sententious maxims, apothegms, parables, "bearing the impress of deep thought, and often deeply trying experience" (Davidson), which were passed along from age to age for the instruction of succeeding generations, in contrast with whom the contemporaries of Bildad and Job, and indeed the short-lived sages of modern times "know nothing." Bildad's estimate of the relative values of ancient and modern thought subject to correction on the grounds above indicated.

II. THE TEACHING .

1 . The proverb of the papyrus.

(a) The plant, an emblem of the ungodly man who lives in forgetfulness of God (verse 13). Forgetfulness of God, of God's existence ( Psalms 14:1 ), of God's omniscience ( Psalms 50:22 ), of God's character ( Isaiah 51:13 ; Isaiah 64:5 ), of God's works ( Deuteronomy 6:12 ; Psalms 78:10 , of God's Word ( Ecclesiastes 12:1 ; Hosea 4:6 ), the essence of ungodliness ( Psalms 9:17 ; Ezekiel 22:12 ).

(b) The water, a symbol of that outward prosperity without which the hope of the ungodly cannot spring. A melancholy truth that wicked men, in whose thoughts God never is ( Psalms 10:4 ), have sometimes a hope of eternal life. This not founded on a sure basis; on their own morality, ability, formality, or on some mistaken view they possess of the character of God, instead of on God's mercy, Christ's work, and the Spirit's grace; Commonly dependent on outward circumstances, and not derived from an inherent principle of spiritual life.

(c) The luxuriant verdure while the water lasts, a picture of the hypocrite's display of religion while things continue prosperous.

(d) The speedy withering when the water fails, a representation of the swift and utter collapse of the hypocrite's religion and its hope when, in the providence of God, the fostering element of material prosperity is withdrawn.

2 . The proverb of the spider ' s web. ( Psalms 78:14 , Psalms 78:15 .) Changing the simile, the wisdom of the ancients likens the hypocrite to a spider, and his hope to a spider's web, In respect of

3 . The proverb of the climbing plant. ( Psalms 78:16-19 .) Disentangling the moral from the fable, we have here presented, under the similitude of a creeping plant, the fortunes of an ungodly man in five stages.

"Or like the snowfall in the river,

A moment white—then melts for ever."

(Burns.)

III. THE MORAL .

1 . A general principle . God will neither reject a righteous nor assist a wicked man ( Psalms 78:20 ). A good man may be cast down, but he cannot be cast off ( Psalms 94:14 ; 2 Corinthians 4:9 ). The character ( 1 Samuel 12:22 ; 1 Samuel 15:29 ; Job 23:13 ; Malachi 2:16 ; Malachi 3:6 ), the covenant ( Deuteronomy 4:31 ; 1 Kings 8:23 ; 2 Kings 13:23 ; Psalms 111:5 ), the promise (Leveticus 26:44; Isaiah 54:9 ; Hosea 2:19 ; Romans 11:29 ; 2 Corinthians 1:20 ; Hebrews 10:23 ), the people ( Genesis 24:27 ; Joshua 23:14 ; 1 Samuel 12:22 ; 2 Samuel 23:5 ; Romans 11:2 ), of God, all combine to testify the impossibility of God's turning his back upon a truly pious man,—a thought fall of comfort for the Christian ( John 10:28 ). Equally do they proclaim the doctrine that God cannot really, however appearances may declare the contrary, take a had man by the hand. Otherwise his Word would be falsified ( Psalms 34:16 ), his purity tarnished ( Habakkuk 1:13 ), his Godhead forfeited ( 1 John 1:5 ),—an idea fraught with warning for the wicked.

2 . A particular application. This being so, on the hypothesis of Job's integrity, Job might with certitude reckon that God would not cast him off, hut interpose in his behalf, till prosperity once more dawned upon him, and his mouth was filled with laughing, and his tongue with rejoicing (verse 21); while the contrary portion would be allotted to all Job's enemies and God's, viz. shame and everlasting destruction (verse 22). What Bildad here affirms of the respective fortunes of the righteous and the wicked is only true when we take into reckoning the eternal futures of both, the everlasting happiness ( Psalms 73:24 ; Isaiah 35:10 ; Daniel 12:3 ; Luke 10:20 ; Luke 12:32 ; Romans 2:7 , Romans 2:10 ; Romans 8:18 ) of the saint, and the everlasting perdition of the ungodly ( Matthew 25:46 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:9 ; Revelation 21:8 ).

Learn:

1 . If it is wrong to over-estimate, it is also wrong to depreciate, the men and things of bygone days.

2 . It is much safer in our reasonings to rest upon the results of experience than to build upon the speculations of fancy.

3 . The brevity of life should stimulate to diligence in pursuit of knowledge.

4 . The teachings of tradition, though not infallible, have a place and value of their own.

5 . It is well that the tongue should only speak what the mind and heart have meditated and prepared.

6 . Covet not material prosperity, which may exist without inward piety.

7 . Beware of an appearance of religion which has no corresponding reality beneath.

8 . The secret of soul-prosperity, as the source of spiritual vitality, is frequent meditation upon God.

9 . The entire world of common things is full of parables of heavenly truth to them who can interpret the same.

10. It is possible to make a fair promise at the outset of a Christian profession, and yet eventually fall away.

11. The wicked man's joy must ultimately be exchanged for sorrow.

12. The sorrows of earth in the case of God's saints will be succeeded by the hallelujahs of heaven.