Job 25

Job 25:1

Bildad here makes a short reply to Job’s last discourse. He drops the main question concerning the prosperity of the wicked, as if unable to answer the proofs Job had brought: but because he thought Job had made too bold an appeal to the Divine tribunal, chap. xxiii, he in a few words shows the infinite distance there is between God and man, teaching us, 1. To think highly of God, ver. 2, 3, 5, and, 2. Mismily of ourselves, ver. 4, 6. which are two good lessons for us all to learn.

1. THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2. Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. 3. Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom death not his light arise? 4. How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean? that is born of a woman? 5. Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6. How much less man? that is a worm: and the son of man which is a worm?

—6. Bildad, either convinced by Job’s arguments of the prosperity of the wicked, was unable to reply, or losing him obstinate in his opinion, thinks it useless to attempt his conviction. One thing however he cannot but urge, and therein he is right, the majesty and holiness of God, as an argument to deter Job from his repeated appeal to him, and eagerness to plead for himself at his bar.

1. He would have Job observe how great and glorious God is. Dominion and fear are with him, his kingdoms absolute and universal, and reverence and godly fear are the bounden duty of every creature before the eternal majesty. He maketh peace in his high places, no jarring discord disturbs the upside of that bright world where he dwells. Is there any number of his armies? when all the hosts of heaven and earth, the elements, and all the powers of nature stand ready to execute his commands, and

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upon whom doth not his light arise? his providential care, extensive as the son’s bright beams, fills the earth with his goodness. Therefore Job’s noisy clamour is as unreasonable, as his desire to plead with such an Almighty and holy God is presumptuous.

2. How vile man is. How can man be justified before God, and how can he be clean that it born of a woman? his nature is corrupt, his ways perverse; and therefore what folly, what madness to pretend to appear at his righteous bar. Behold to the man, and if flourish not, and the stars are not pure in his light; his piercing eye can defyce spots in the brightest luminaries of heaven; how much less then can man that is a storm, dare stand in his presence as perfect, or the sin of man, the corrupted offspring of a fallen parent, that is a worm, a dying worm, and shortly to be food for worms, presume to vindicate himself. Note, (1.) A sense of our manners as mortal worms, and our sinfulness as fallen creatures, should ever humble us how in the doth before God. (2.) Man is as unfit for communion with God, through his corruption, as unable to stand before him by reason of his guilt; who were unto us, if we should, unconfined and unholy, be called to his bar. (3.) It is a mark of the amazing love and consideration of God, that notwithstanding our witness and sinfulness, he hath in mercy had respect unto us, and sent his son to waft us in his blood, and his spirit to renew our hearts, that we might be enabled to appear righteous in his sight, and be made meet for the enjoyment of his blefied self.