Job 8:1-22 - Homilies By E. Johnson

Shall not the Judge of all … do right?

The supposed attack of Job , by implication, upon the justice of God gives an opening for renewed admonitions and rebukes on the part of his friends. Bildad now comes forward and delivers a discourse full of noble faith, however its principles may be in this case misapplied. Rebuking the grievous complaints of Job as a wind, full of noise and emptiness (verse 2), he proceeds—

I. TO INSIST ON THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD . This is an axiom of his faith. God cannot do unrighteousness. It, is impious to admit the thought for a single moment into the mind. He insists on the inflexibility of God's rectitude. He will not bend right and duty (verse 3). There can be no twisting, deviation, compromise, with God. His path is ever a straight line. Bildad will therefore rather draw an unfavorable conclusion about his friend than allow the slightest shadow to be cast on the splendour of the Supreme. Job may be guilty, nay, probably is so; but there can be no probability of any failure of right in God. The principle may appear somewhat harshly and rigidly stated; and yet from the sincere, even if narrow and limited, point of view of Bildad no doubt he is in the right. Rather seek any explanation of suffering, or leave it in mystery, than bring a charge against the unbending righteousness of God.

1 . Application to the past and present. Following out this reasoning, the fate of Job's sons would seem to point to the fact that they had committed a deadly sin. And so, too, Job's present sufferings lead to the inference that he is very far from pure. The terrible example of his sons should be his warning. Yet this is expressed with some kindliness and forbearance. It is put hypothetically: "if thy sons" (verse 4). Bildad, though rigid in doctrine, is not untender at heart—a kind of character we often see exemplified in life. But we have the lesson again and again from the conduct of these friends that friendship demands intelligence as well as heart. There is a missing link in Bildad's reasoning, which destroys its power in the present case.

2 . Application to the future. There is hope for the sufferer if he will but betake himself in humility and repentance to God.

(a) Innocence will be restored (verse 6); grand hope and promise of the eternal gospel—the crimson stain may be removed from the heart and the hand, past sins and iniquities may be remembered no more. The possibility of a renovation of which men are tempted in themselves to despair.

(b) Divine protection will be felt. God will watch over him (verse 6) or "awake for him." The Shepherd of Israel, who slumbers not, will guard him from evil by night and by day, in his going out and his coming in.

(c) Peace will be in his homestead—the peace which dwells with right and innocence. Over garden and orchard, on fields and barns, and around the hearth, will be felt brooding the nameless presence of the favour of God.

(d) There will be increase of prosperity (verse 7). The little one will become a thousand. The seed of right, germinating and producing, will grow to waving harvests of internal joy. of external good. Such are the cheering deductions from Bildad's high principles, the suggestions of his profound faith. The righteous God will be true to the righteous man. Sin is the only root of sorrow, virtue and godliness the only secret of abiding and eternal bliss.

II. APPEAL TO ANCIENT TRADITION .

1 . The wisdom of the primeval fathers the guide of to-day. Bildad founds this upon the fact that:

2 . Specimens of ancient wisdom. (Verse 11, seq. ) Here Bildad passes into citation of some old sayings, which condense the truths of life.

III. RECAPITULATION . (Verses 20-22.)

1 . In the way of solace. God does not despise the innocent. This is a meiosis , a saying less than is meant. He regards, he tends, he loves them, feeds them with water in the desert, keeps them as the apple of his eye. His will is to make them happy—to bring smiles to the dejected lines of the mouth, and to fill it with the fruits of praise.

2 . In the way of warning. He holds not fast the evil-doers' hand," and therefore when they stumble they are helpless. The enemies of the good man will see with shame that he is raised up from every fall (verse 22); and once more, in final reverberation of the thunder of menace, the tent of the wicked shall vanish and be no more!

LESSONS .

1 . The distinction between seeming and real prosperity—that which is for a time and that which is for ever.

2 . Life by Divine grace, and recovery from seeming ruin. Death without Divine grace, and overthrow of seeming prosperity.—J.