#660 What is Man

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

2 “Dominion and fear are with God;

he makes peace in his high heaven.

3 Is there any number to his armies?

Upon whom does his light not arise?

4 How then can man be in the right before God?

How can he who is born of woman be pure?

5 Behold, even the moon is not bright,

and the stars are not pure in his eyes;

6 how much less man, who is a maggot,

and the son of man, who is a worm!” Job 25 ESV

Bildad goes back to the things that Job does not contest, as if he has not heard Job at all. Job has not diminished God's sovereignty, he declared these things himself, but we are all born more resembling to those that consider their own works or the works of others. Maybe he has misheard Job, thinking that Job is intent upon schooling God, but I think they all miss that Job loves God, and is suffering more than physical pain here. 

Is there any number to his armies? - As if to say, "Job, you are smaller than God, you will never win this argument." Oh God, he must think, you couldn't even leave me one friend.

Upon whom does His light not arise? - the wicked, those that think they are righteous, and those that trust in a righteousness not their own, all see the same sun. There is an eternal perspective that goes amiss. 

44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?…Matthew 5: 44-46

How can man be right before God, how can he who is born of a woman be pure? - this is a good question, but Job has taken this even further in his request for a mediator, this is not the full of the gospel to stop here, we must seek God while He may be found.

Born of a woman

Man, who is a maggot - a maggot survives off rotting flesh, and it is not associated with the best of smells, rather death and decay. Maybe this is Bildad's plea to Job to be humble before God, but I wonder does he see himself this same way? Where is the other half of the gospel, for this is just cruel without it?

Clean and unclean