“Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.” —B B F. W
Bildad’s speech in Job 25 is the shortest in the book and focuses on God’s power (vv. 1–3) and justice
(vv. 4–6). It is disturbing to see how Job’s friends speak so knowingly about God when, in the end, God revealed that they really didn’t know what they were talking about. Too often, those who say the most about God know the least about God.
God’s power is inherent in His nature (vv. 1–3): He has all dominion and fear (“awe”) and reigns sovereignly in the heavens. He has everything under control and sees what is going on in all places. His army of angels is at His command and ready to obey His will. Who can resist Him?
God’s justice is the outworking of His holy nature (vv. 4–6), for “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Since God is holy and just, how can mere man claim to be righteous before Him? (Remember, Job was holding fast to his integrity and refusing to confess that his sins had brought God’s judgment on him.) Since man is born of woman, he is born with a sinful nature (Ps. 51:5). In the East, the moon and stars shine with great brilliance; but even they are not pure in God’s sight. How can a mere man claim to be righteous before God, man who is nothing but a maggot and a worm? (See Job 4:17–18; 8:20; 9:2.) Now, we listen to Job’s reply.