Bildad is a horrible comforter! Immediately, he dismisses Job's words as being "blustering wind" and brings up the death of Job's children in a very insensitive way. Bildad's premise is that God never perverts justice. He always gets it right. Therefore, Bildad argues, their sin was the reason Job's children died. It was their due penalty from God for what they had done. That is a huge assumption, isn't it? Aren't we all sinners and deserving of death? Bildad's argument moves to encircle Job himself. If Job was really blameless, God would restore his prosperity. If not, then maybe he, too, is getting what he deserved. We must reject Bildad's way of thinking. We know that trials come to the lives of the godly and ungodly alike. God uses them for his purposes and glory.

Bildad uses several images to illustrate the destiny of those who forget God. They are like reeds without water and the worldly things they prop themselves up with are no stronger than spider webs. The implication was that Job had forgotten God. If he were truly blameless, none of this would be happening. Jesus is the only truly blameless person who ever lived and he suffered more than we could ever imagine as he bore the penalty for our sins on the cross. Bildad is wrong. Sometimes the righteous do suffer.


Application: Father, help us to glorify you even in trials.
One Word: Even the blameless endure suffering