JOB 8

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Bildad takes the same mistaken view as Eliphaz. He begins to get impatient at Job's perseverance in the line of things with which he started.

How strong Job was in the statement of his convictions may be inferred from the description, that the words of his mouth were "like a strong wind." Job recognised the necessity of keeping up a good stiff breeze on the side of right views of God and His providential dispensations. Here was Bildad's error—

"if thou were pure and upright," says he, "surely God would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous." But there is a time for everything, Bildad; God will yet awake for Job, but for the present it is part of His design that He should be under the cloud.

Clouds are an essentiality in nature as much as the sun—they have each their separate purpose to serve; and so it is in God's human husbandry; the perfection that God designs is a thing of many parts, some of which can only be developed in connection with tribulatory circumstances.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889

6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Bildad reflects upon Job's character for godliness and sincerity when he (in effect) compares his case to the early withering of a rush without mire, or a flag without water [v11]. By this he also suggests that Job and his once prosperous affairs had suddenly withered, while life was yet fresh and green—long before the proper time for him to be cut down.

He regarded Job's hope and trust as a vain perishing thing, and as flimsy as a spider's web [v14]. Not, however, because he knew this for a fact, but because his mistaken theory of the case led him to this conclusion. He regarded it as simply a case of cause and effect, wrongly judging of the cause, however, by the assumed effect.

However great Job had been, and however seemingly independent, it was, in the opinion of Bildad, only the independence and rank and wild luxuriance of "hardy weeds," "plucked up almost as fast as they successively appear." "God will not cast away a perfect man" truly, neither will He "help the evil doers;" but He "trieth the righteous," and not unfrequently useth the wicked to accomplish his purpose in this respect.

He and his friends had set Job up for their target: they had an explanation of Job's case professedly founded upon experience and observation. It was only, however, an instance of facts wrongly used, and illustrations and comparisons unwittingly applied to an affair, of which there were other explanations that they were not prepared to believe, even when they were told.

Their's was a case of gold without fire, and kingdom without tribulation—a view next-of-kin to the view that affirms kingdom and incorruption without judgment.

Job's dwelling-place had not come to nought because he was wicked, as Bildad implied; for otherwise, what he so mistakenly interpreted to Job's hurt, was (connected with the fact that he was a righteous man) the best of evidences that he was an exemplary son of God, such as his three friends, and all else, would do well to imitate; for Job was as beneficent and compassionate as he was mighty against all evil.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889

Right views of providential dispensations.

Here was Bildad's error

—"if thou were pure and upright," says he, "surely God would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous."

But there is a time for everything, Bildad; God will yet awake for Job, but for the present it is part of His design that He should be under the cloud. Clouds are an essentiality in nature as much as the sun—they have each their separate purpose to serve; and so it is in God's human husbandry; the perfection that God designs is a thing of many parts, some of which can only be developed in connection with tribulatory circumstances.

That Bildad should refer to a "former age," or a longer-lived generation (as the word should be rendered), compared with which their days upon earth were but as a shadow, tells us, in effect, that this scene happened at a period subsequent to the shortening of human life.

Jacob gives us the same idea when replying to Pharaoh's remark that his years were many (margin); for describing his "one hundred and thirty years" as "few and evil," he adds,

"and have not attained to the days of the years of my fathers, in the days of their pilgrimage" (Gen. 47:9).

Bildad's suggestion is that the fathers of the longer-lived generation of the earlier times, with their larger experience of things, were capable of affording Job instruction upon the point of his contention; but as Elihu well said further on,

"great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment" (32:9).

Bildad reflects upon Job's character for godliness and sincerity when he (in effect) compares his case to the early withering of a rush without mire, or a flag without water. By this he also suggests that Job and his once prosperous affairs had suddenly withered, while life was yet fresh and green—long before the proper time for him to be cut down. He regarded Job's hope and trust as a vain perishing thing, and as flimsy as a spider's web. Not, however, because he knew this for a fact, but because his mistaken theory of the case led him to this conclusion.

He regarded it as simply a case of cause and effect, wrongly judging of the cause, however, by the assumed effect. However great Job had been, and however seemingly independent, it was, in the opinion of Bildad, only the independence and rank and wild luxuriance of "hardy weeds," "plucked up almost as fast as they successively appear." "God will not cast away a perfect man" truly, neither will He "help the evil doers;" but He "trieth the righteous," and not unfrequently useth the wicked to accomplish his purpose in this respect.

A thing may be right in the abstract but wrong as regards the case or time to which it is applied; or it may be applied in a way, or to an extent, that leaves out of account the existence and operation of co-existent facts and principles. Bildad's was a case of this sort. He and his friends had set Job up for their target: they had an explanation of Job's case professedly founded upon experience and observation. It was only, however, an instance of facts wrongly used, and illustrations and comparisons unwittingly applied to an affair, of which there were other explanations that they were not prepared to believe, even when they were told.

A "perfect man" Job was; a cast-away he was not (as the sequel shows); and his mouth would yet be "filled with laughter," and his lips "with rejoicing;" but for the present, in Job's case, this does not appear to superficial observers, such as Job's three friends seem to have been. Their's was a case of gold without fire, and kingdom without tribulation—a view next-of-kin to the view that affirms kingdom and incorruption without judgment.

Another translation of some of the lines sheds light on the meaning of the comparisons:—

Can the paper-reed lift itself high without mire?

Can the flag grow without water?

Whilst yet in their vigour, they are not cut down,

Yet before all grasses do they wither.

He is luxuriant as the sun,

And his sucker goeth forth over his garden;

Over a stoney heap are his roots continued;

He seeth the inside of stones.

When he is destroyed out of his place,

Then doth it deny him. I saw thee not.

Behold this is the joy of his way!

And another and another spring from the dust.

Carey's Translation.

Note.—"Let him (in effect, said Bildad) consult the experience of the ancients, rather than the opinions of the present race of short-lived men; and he will learn from their maxims that the prosperity of the ungodly is as uncertain and as dependent upon certain contingencies as is the flourishing condition of a water-plant."—Carey.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889

8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age [generation], and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

Jacob gives us the same idea when replying to Pharaoh's remark that his years were many (margin); for describing his "one hundred and thirty years" as "few and evil," he adds, "and have not attained to the days of the years of my fathers, in the days of their pilgrimage" (Gen. 47:9).

"great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment" (32:9).

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

"Let him (in effect, said Bildad) consult the experience of the ancients, rather than the opinions of the present race of short-lived men; and he will learn from their maxims that the prosperity of the ungodly is as uncertain and as dependent upon certain contingencies as is the flourishing condition of a water-plant."—Carey.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889

13 So are the paths of all that forget El; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

Job was not a hypocrite so Bildad's observation though true does not apply in Job's case. The hypocrite's hope shall perish, but Job's did not. He knee his redeemer would raise him from the grave and justify him at the last day.

He regarded Job's hope and trust as a vain perishing thing, and as flimsy as a spider's web. Not, however, because he knew this for a fact, but because his mistaken theory of the case led him to this conclusion. He regarded it as simply a case of cause and effect, wrongly judging of the cause, however, by the assumed effect.

Their's was a case of gold without fire, and kingdom without tribulation—a view next-of-kin to the view that affirms kingdom and incorruption without judgment.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1889