Bildad’s Second Charge Of Job Series

Bildad’s second charge of Job

Job Sermon Series, Part 9

Introduction (Job Slide)

- Today we continue to examine Job’s conversations with his friends

-- Re: These men came in Ch. 2 to sit with him and mourn his loss

- They appear to come to comfort … but quickly their real motives are shown

-- They are discouragers; ones who desire Job to stop holding onto his faith

-- In their eyes, there is a cause/effect with his sin and his condition

- These friends have three conversations with him…

• Round 1: they suggest Job has sinned

• Round 2: they imply Job is a sinner

• Round 3: they state Job’s sin

- Round two continues with Bildad looking to further accuse Job of sin

-- It’s curious to note how the tone begins to change with these discussions

-- First, they were merely trying to offer guidance; now it’s an assault

- Read Job Ch. 18-19

- Pray

Point 1 – Bildad’s Charge and Proclamation (Ch. 18)

- Bildad, like the others, again rails against Job’s constant talking (v1)

-- If only Job would be silent and listen to them, he could be healed of this

-- APP: He needed to come around to their way of thinking

- Bildad also resented being compared to cattle; they are above that (v2)

-- Note: He could certainly give it … but had a real problem taking it

- Therefore, his assessment again is this is all Job’s fault (v4)

-- Job is destroying his life with this foolishness (sin), not God or them

- So, he tries another avenue of discourse to get Job to listen to reason (v5-19)

-- His purpose is to describe various manners of death and destruction

-- Perhaps one of these will speak to Job and help him understand his life

• The light in his tent becomes dark

• The lamp beside him goes out

• The vigor of his step is weakened

• His own schemes throw him down

• His feet thrust him into a net

• He wanders into its mesh

• A trap seizes him by the heel

• A snare holds him fast

• A noose is hidden from him on the ground

• Terror startles him on every side

• Calamity is hungry for him

• Disaster is ready for him

• It eats away parts of his skin

• Death’s firstborn devours his limbs

• He is torn from the security of his tent

• He is marches off to the king of terrors

• Fire resides in his tent

• Burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling

• His roots dry up below

• His branches wither above

• The memory of him perishes from the Earth

• He has no name in the land

• He is driven from light into the realm of darkness

• He is banished from the world

• He has no offspring of descendants among his people

• There is no survivor where once he lived

- In essence, since all these things happen to the wicked, this is your future!

-- APP: The only good wicked people do is leave warning for others (v20-21)

-- A warning that choosing this life will lead you to destruction as well

-- “Your life Job, will be meaningless and all men will be appalled by you”

- I’m not sure if there is worse fate that we can ever see for a man than this

-- His reputation is ruined and he will have nothing to be remembered by

Read “A Difference in Death”

- TRANS: “Then Job replied …”

Point 2 – Job’s Response (Ch. 19)

- Re: Satan had bet God that Job’s faith would crumble under pressure

-- His assertion was that once God stopped protecting him, he would fail

-- He would curse God’s name and turn away from loving Him

- Job asks his friends, “How long will you torment me and crush me?” (v2)

-- Rather than help him, they are tearing him apart and he is crushed

- They have gone at him again and again (10 times = round number)

-- He then makes a statement of who’s business this is really (v4)

-- If I have made an error in sin, then this is not your business to deal with

- You have exalted yourself above me (implied) … then know this (v5)

-- God’s rejection of me is WHY you are punishing me in this way (v6)

-- Job: I cry out to God for justice, and nothing happens, no help avail (v7)

- Job’s chief complaint is he is suffering from God, but doesn’t know why

-- Even worse: Job says God will not answer him, the silence is terrible