Read Job 18
Questions from the Scripture text: Who answers in Job 18:1? What does he repeat in Job 18:2? What does he accuse Job of saying about them in Job 18:3? What is his summary description of Job (Job 18:4a)? What does he accuse Job of demanding (verse 4b–c)? But what is his explanation of why Job is suffering, and what outcome Job should expect (Job 18:5-7)? Whom does he say that Job has to thank for his suffering (Job 18:8-10)? What experience does he suggest that Job should expect (Job 18:11)? With what sort of pain (Job 18:12-13)? And what sort of humiliation (Job 18:14)? What sort of loss (Job 18:15)? And what sort of legacy (Job 18:16-19)? So that people will think of him in what way (Job 18:20)? What is his final conclusion about Job (Job 18:21)?
How do those who know God relate to others? Job 18 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that those who truly know God have compassion upon His image-bearers and treasure His gospel.
It’s ironic that Bildad accuses Job of counting them as beasts (Job 18:3). His further rhetorical questions in Job 18:4 show that he thinks of Job as less valuable as dirt. Yes, indeed, the earth should be forsaken, and the rock removed, for an image-bearer, and particularly for a saint.
But Bildad’s failure to see Job as an image-bearer is the cause of his lack of compassion. And his lack of compassion is closely connected to his failure to come to Job with the true gospel. He simply does not see men and saints as precious to God, Who has redeemed them by grace. That’s why he has come to Job with a “gospel” (crushingly false gospel!) of “do better to receive better.”
Shamefully, Bildad has interpreted as arrogance, Job’s insistence on hoping for grace, hoping for YHWH has his salvation, hoping for peace in the grave and glory in the resurrection. So, after the assault of his introduction (Job 18:1-4), his assessment of Job bookends with identifying Job as wicked (Job 18:5a, Job 18:21a).
Between those bookends, Bildad explains why Job shouldn’t have any hope in God, shouldn’t have any hope for peace in death, shouldn’t have any hope for resurrection unto eternal blessedness. Cruelly, he does this by weaving Job’s current circumstances into his speech.
Job has described himself as on the verge of death, and this is what putting out the light/lamp means in Job 18:5-6. Bildad is saying, “Yes, you are about to die, because God is punishing you for sin.”
Job seeks understanding from God, and Bildad says that Job’s understanding is being intentionally confused by God, to ensnare him, on account of his wickedness (Job 18:7-10).
Job seeks peace in death, but Bildad assures him that death is coming upon him as terror and destruction, rather than relief (Job 18:11-12).
Job sits there, scraping his wounds with shards of pots, and Bildad not only takes it as some sort of proof that it is Job who is a mere beast (Job 18:4a), but also proof that death’s terror has begun upon him even before the grave (Job 18:13)—the wounds are the advance guard of the “king of terrors” (Job 18:14b).
Job sits upon the ash heap, instead of in his home, and Bildad presents this as proof that both his home (Job 18:14-15) and his lineage/household are being erased from history (Job 18:16-19).
Job seeks to have his name vindicated, but Bildad assures him that he will just be a cautionary tale (Job 18:20). Ironically, it is now Bildad who is the cautionary tale against being a miserable comforter and a professor of a false gospel. Truly, he is a portrait for us of what it looks like to have some measure of religious knowledge but still “not know God” (Job 18:21). He is an example of what it looks like when a gospel-less pseudo-knowledge of God turns you into a man who lacks compassion for God’s image-bearers.
And it is Job who is an example to you, dear reader, of clinging to God and His gospel, even through the most difficult of circumstances, and especially when others have no compassion for you and pour salt into your wounds.
In what circumstances, and against what accusations, are you clinging to God and the gospel of His salvation by His Son? Upon which image-bearers and saints ought you to be having more compassion?
Sample prayer: Lord, in ourselves, we are those sinful ones who deserve to have our lamp put, and deserve to be ensnared in our own net, and deserve for death to hunt us down, and deserve for our lineage to expire with us, and our offspring to be eliminated. We deserve all of these things, but like Job, we hope in You to be our salvation. In You, in Christ, we have hope for peace in the grave, and for resurrection glory. For His sake, forgive us our sins, and deal with us according to His righteousness. Deal with us according to the love in which You gave Him for us and to us, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your tent, Who Will Reside” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace!”
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