Chapter 25

Bildad sheweth that man cannot be justified before God.

1. Bildad. This short reply of Bildad closes what the three friends of Job had to say, for Zophar does not attempt to answer. The speech appears to be the labored effort of one who felt that he must say something, but who did not know how to meet the line of arguments Job had pursued. Far from accepting Job’s challenge and grappling with the difficulty involved in the prosperity of the wicked, Bildad entirely avoids the subject and limits himself to touching briefly two old and well-worn topics—the might of God and the universal sinfulness of men. On neither of these points does he throw any fresh light. He repeats largely what Eliphaz had said in former discourses (see chs. 4:17; 15:14).

2. Dominion. Job had fully recognized God’s sovereignty (ch. 23:13). However, Bildad could make such statements glibly because he was not passing through an experience like that of Job. Job was undergoing a personal test of his confidence in God. Bildad was not.

He maketh peace. This seems to point to God as the One who maintains harmony in the supernal regions.

3. Armies. The more obvious interpretation of this term is that it refers to the hosts of supernatural beings (see 2 Kings 6:16, 17; Ps. 68:17; Dan. 7:10; Matt. 26:53; Heb. 12:22). Like armies, these hosts carry out the commands of God.

4. Can man be justified? Neither Bildad nor his friends nor Job could answer this question. Only in the gospel era did men receive a full elucidation of the principle of justification by faith (see Rom. 3:23–25; Col. 1:25–27).

5. It shineth not. Bildad is assuming that both the moon and the stars are imperfect when contrasted with God, their Creator. This being the case, how lowly should man appear! What Bildad did not know is that man, despite his frailty, is infinitely more precious in the sight of God than the inanimate works of creation.

6. That is a worm. See ch. 7:5.

These words are intended to humble Job and to impress upon him his littleness. Job needed to be encouraged rather than to be reminded of his weakness. Thus his friends end their defense of tradition—speaking of worms! In their zeal for their defense of an idea, they have failed utterly to understand either God or their suffering friend.

Ellen G. White comments

3    MH 434

6     AA 572