THE PLACE OF ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW GOD

Job 18:1-21 / Keywords 18:21

Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man; such is the place of one who knows not God.

 

Bildad

18:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

2 “When will you end these speeches?

    Be sensible, and then we can talk.

3 Why are we regarded as cattle

    and considered stupid in your sight?

4 You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger,

    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?

    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?

5 “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;

    the flame of his fire stops burning.

6 The light in his tent becomes dark;

    the lamp beside him goes out.

7 The vigor of his step is weakened;

    his own schemes throw him down.

8 His feet thrust him into a net;

    he wanders into its mesh.

9 A trap seizes him by the heel;

    a snare holds him fast.

10 A noose is hidden for him on the ground;

    a trap lies in his path.

11 Terrors startle him on every side

    and dog his every step.

12 Calamity is hungry for him;

    disaster is ready for him when he falls.

13 It eats away parts of his skin;

    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.

14 He is torn from the security of his tent

    and marched off to the king of terrors.

15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;

    burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.

16 His roots dry up below

    and his branches wither above.

17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;

    he has no name in the land.

18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness

    and is banished from the world.

19 He has no offspring or descendants among his people,

    no survivor where once he lived.

20 People of the west are appalled at his fate;

    those of the east are seized with horror.

21 Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man;

    such is the place of one who does not know God.”

Footnotes

a. Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains

1. Taking up again his insistence that Job is being punished as a sinner (ch. 8), Bildad uses poetic language to reiterate and call new attention to Job’s sufferings. For example, he points out the suffering in Job’s body (4, 13), and mentions fire, which had burned up Job’s sheep and servants (1:16). His allusions to Job having “no name in the land (17)” and directly stating “He has no offspring or descendants among his people (19)” bring to mind the terrible tragedy that cost Job the lives of all his children (1:18,19). Bildad compiles this list as evidence to prove that Job was an evil man; one who does not know God. As the saying goes: “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”

 

2. While Bildad’s principles seem logical and his application impeccable, as readers we know he is wrong. Job was not being punished. God declared from the beginning: “Job is blameless and upright (1:8; 2:3).” The fact is, although Bildad can deliver a fiery message of judgment and condemnation, it is he who is speaking as one who does not know God. Jesus is not like Bildad. He did not come to condemn, but to save (Jn 3:17). Jesus did not crush bruised reeds or snuff out smoldering wicks but brought good news to the poor. We are recipients of this good news. Let’s be like Jesus.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for the good news you gave us in Jesus. Help us be like him, not Bildad.

One Word What a friend we have in Jesus