Job Chapter 18
Please read: Job 18 –
Bildad begins his speech with a declaration that he is offended by Job because he has the audacity to go on speaking in the manner that he has been speaking. He is offended that Job refuses to listen to the wisdom of his friends. And he is offended that Job thinks his friends to be like stupid animals. There is a sense of urgency in Bildad’s voice that says that Job had better heed their warning or he would die the death of a wicked man.
The majority of Bildad’s speech is a poetic sermon that describes the life of a wicked man. He never says that he is talking about Job, but the inferences are so strong that there is no doubt who he is talking about. It is as if Bildad hopes to scare Job into confessing his sins because the life of a wicked man is so terrible.
Bildad concludes his speech with the truth that the wicked are the ones that do not know God. However, this was not true of Job and a very cruel thing to say about him.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Let's Reflect
1. What type of animal did Bildad use as an example of a stupid animal?
2. Bildad expressed that Job seemed to think that the laws of nature should just change for him because he said so. Bildad (and his friends) believed that bad things happened to bad people, and good things happened to good people. What change to a law of nature in verse 4 did Bildad sarcastically say that Job was trying to make happen?
3. Bildad describes the journey of a wicked man. According to verse 8 what is something that happens to wicked people?
4. Bildad goes on to paint a picture of the things that a wicked man will encounter. He will encounter a trap, a snare, and what is another item that will trip him up?
5. Bildad even uses the example of a wicked man suffering things that happen to his skin. This inference was not to be missed by Job since he was suffering from skin problems. We learned earlier that he had boils on his skin from head to toe. Another skin problem of Job is described later in the book. Job 30:30 My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat. Bildad’s conclusion is this, that since wicked men suffer diseases that affect their skin, Job must be what?
6. Especially cruel was to personify death as having a son. Job had just lost 10 children in a tragic accident and 7 of them were sons. What does Bildad say this personified son of death will do to the wicked man when he dies?
7. Bildad describes the darkness of the wicked man who is marched in a parade by death, the purpose is to mock him before he is put in a grave. He dies without honor from those who knew him. And most horribly the wicked dies without knowing who?
Most people avoid the topic of death altogether. Humans tend to think if they do not talk about it out loud it will not happen, or at least not for a long time. We all know that it really does happen, but we prefer not to bring it up. It is very true that we must be prepared for death, and therefore an important topic that we must address. Because no one knows the day that their life will end, we must be prepared for that day. Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? Are you prepared, in that you have placed your faith in the one who died for all of your sins so that you can be redeemed from the penalty of sin? I would be happy to talk with you if you are not sure or have questions. It would be my joy to introduce you to Jesus, the only one who can bring true peace to your life.
