Bildad's Third Speech and Job's Answer
Chapter 25 and 26
Man cannot be righteous before God (25)
Bildad's third speech is the shortest in the book of Job. He may have come to the end of his arguments and decided that there was no point in continuing the discussion. He said nothing new, but briefly commented on the greatness of God and the insignificance of man.
He said that God is lofty, and dominion, fear and power belong to Him, who can see all. In His sight the moon doesn't shine nor are the stars pure, and man is just a maggot, a worm, and he cannot be righteous before God.
The Power of God is Infinite and Unsearchable (26)
Job began his reply by sarcastically chiding Bildad for being uncharitable: if Job was powerless, having no strength or wisdom left as he said, Bildad hadn't helped or saved or counselled him. His words were of no practical use to anybody and completely failed to answer Job's arguments.
Job's friends had been unable to turn their knowledge into helpful counsel because they were biased. It would have been more helpful if they had tried to fully understand his predicament first. Compassion produces greater results than criticism or blame.
At first, Job reinforced Bildad's statement of the greatness of God in other aspects closer to home.
Job said that "the dead tremble": he was not a believer in total annihilation of the human being upon death, but was sure of existence after death, and the fear of God which will come upon the dead.
He referred also to "those under the waters and those inhabiting them": as this was said in the context of death, before and after, this could be an idiom for the dead souls in the afterlife. Destruction of the body is not the end, it "has no covering" for those who want to disappear, because they are laid bare before Him in Sheol (the place after death).
Job then demonstrated a remarkable knowledge of God's creation, far more accurate than the notions which came to predominate in the Middle Ages, influenced by the theories of the origin of the universe of heathen philosophers. It is a great mistake to think that Scripture, inspired by the Spirit of God, is ignorant of cosmological facts. On the contrary, even though not written in our modern scientific language, it is totally accurate.
He talked about empty space, and the fact that earth (our planet) hangs on nothing: a poetic depiction of the earth's position and movement in the solar system. Over the empty space God stretches out the north: it is the magnetic north which draws the needles of compasses to guide navigators - did they have compasses in those days?
Then he gave a description of the evaporation and precipitation cycle, and the density of the clouds able to bind masses of droplets of water yet not breaking up with their weight.
The impossibility of the human eye beholding heaven, "the face of God's throne", is pictured as a cloud spread over it.
The cycle of light and darkness over the surface of the globe is probably meant by the "circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness". As our globe turns round on its axis the light of the sun and shadow of its absence make day and night circulate as a "circular horizon". About three quarters of the surface of our planet is covered by water so it is no surprise that it is called "face of the waters". Job would probably be living close to the sea and saw the change from day to night then day again.
Heaven is the abode of God, invisible to the human eye. The "pillars of heaven tremble" could be an idiom meaning "all intelligent beings in heaven are in fear". This, and astonishment, happens when they are rebuked by their Creator. Quite understandable and healthy and gives us an example of the "fear of God".
Another interpretation is that, in harmony which what follows, Job was using a figure of speech for a frightening storm gathering over the sea. God has control over nature, which He created, and His power is seen in these storms, which are also broken up according to His rules. His disciples witnessed His power when the Lord Jesus "rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And there was a great calm" over the sea of Galilee. (Mark 4:39).
God adorned the heavens by His Spirit: the prettiest pictures we can see contain the colours of sunrise and sunset, or of clouds permeated by the rays of the sun. One often wonders - why do we see such beautiful things in creation? Here is the answer: because creation was adorned by His Spirit. Man cannot get close to imitating its beauty.
Verse 13b is literally translated by Young as "Formed has His hand the fleeing serpent." Whether Job means a snake, some of which are undeniably very beautiful, or some constellation in the sky as some commentators think, either of them attest to the greatness of God.
After calling attention to the greatness of God and to the beauty and power revealed in His creation for us to admire, Job exclaims "And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"
Job knew God as a Creator; Job understood Him as a Redeemer; but Job did not yet understand how God as a Sustainer and the One who loved him could allow such evil things to happen to him, which he was now experiencing. Indeed these were the mere edges of His ways, as he said.
R David Jones
Chapter 25
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 "Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places.
3 Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise?
4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
5 If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight,
6 How much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?"
Chapter 26
1 But Job answered and said:
2 "How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
3 How have you counselled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many?
4 To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?
5 "The dead tremble, those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
6 Sheol is naked before Him, and Destruction has no covering.
7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He binds up the water in His thick clouds, yet the clouds are not broken under it.
9 He covers the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud over it.
10 He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at His rebuke.
12 He stirs up the sea with His power, and by His understanding He breaks up the storm.
13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
14 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?"