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Message
Job 3:1-25:6
“The Answer of Bildad:- Get Back In Line”
When it comes to crowd control and keeping people in line there are many different theories on how to achieve this.
Example of Mrs Gognait (give your own example)
- what lunch time was like when she was not on duty (chaos).
- what lunch time was like when she was on duty (orderly and quiet).
- everyone knew if you stepped out of line with her that you would soon know it.
- basically we were all scared of her.
It’s an approach that can be very effective in certain circumstances. But is it an approach that God uses?
Bildad the Shuhite seems to think so.
Bildad is trying to help Job deal with the terrible losses he has gone through. Bildad’s basic assumption is this:-
Job you stepped out of line. Now God has got you.
Let’s read some verses from Job to show you what I mean.
Job 18:1-21
It is pretty clear that by this stage Bildad is starting to lose his patience with Job.
As far as the friends are concerned they are right, and Job is talking nonsense.
So much for compassion and care.
But is Job the one who is talking nonsense?
Listen to the way Bildad describes the path of the wicked.
8 His feet thrust him into a net
and he wanders into its mesh.
9 A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare holds him fast.
10 A noose is hidden for him on the ground;
a trap lies in his path.
Work though the 5 different “trapping” words.
• net vs.8 – something spread across a path to entangle feet, the mesh is a description of the design.
• trap vs.9a – branches over a deep pit.
• snare vs.9b – noose that springs when it is touched catching one leg.
• noose vs.10a – circle of rope hidden on the ground pulls animal off the ground when set off.
• trap vs.10b – different Hebrew word for trap than the one in verse 9. Bildad has in mind here a general description of any devise that catches prey.
Bildad has pulled out his thesaurus and is using it to bring to mind every trap word he can think of. As he does He obviously believes that Job’s situation is one of these traps.
Job has been playing a game of Survivor
Outwit ... Outplay ... Outlast.
Bildad’s point is that you can’t play a game like that ... with God ... and expect to win. God will out-manoeuvre you every time. You think you have deviously side-stepped the calamity, only to discover that God knew exactly what was going to happen and you walked straight into a trap.
So what is Bildad’s solution to Job’s current difficulties?
5 But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty,
6 if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.
Job 8:5-6
Job, just admit you have lost to a greater opponent. You stepped out of line and you got caught. Stop all these protests about your innocence. Stop treating us like stupid cattle because you think you can hide the truth. Respond to my God, my way, and all will be well.
And that is the moment when the truth comes out.
Respond to my God, my way and all will be well.
I can tell you – it won’t all be well.
For us to really understand the sort of God being advocated by Bildad I want us to imagine what life would be like for a person who lives in the country of Kampuchea – you might also know it as Cambodia. In the 70’s this country had a brutal civil war and was eventually under the dictatorship of a cruel leader called Pol Pot.
One tactic used during the war was to bury land mines. Even in the mid-90’s there were 10 landmines for every person of the population. Until recently death as a result of standing on a landmine was the highest cause of fatalities in that country.
Imagine what it would be like to live there (expand)
The result would be fear wouldn’t it.
• fear when walking.
• fear when building new houses or new roads.
• fear that you might have them in your back-yard.
It would paralyse you in some ways. Every step you take has a small bit of hesitancy, or doubt. Am I walking into a trap?
And isn’t this exactly going to be the result when we take Bildad’s approach to who God is? The portrait of God which Bildad has is completely based on fear.
You stepped out of line and God will get you.
Now I don’t know about you, but to me that does not portray God in a very good light does it.
Bildad’s God seems to be the sort of God who takes delight in watching us fall. There is a trap set for any and every step which is out-of-line. And you can almost picture God sitting watching intently as you take each step closer and closer to the trap … He’s feeling the thrill of the hunt. And when you step into the trap up goes the cry … GOT YOU AGAIN!
And here we are … going through life with a sense of peace and joy and comfort. NO! Each step of the way becomes a step of fear. The same type of fear which would be experienced by the people of Kampuchea who also know the traps are out there.
- Every step you take is filled with hesitancy, “Am I walking into one of God’s traps?”
- Every move would be done with a sense of doubt, “Have I looked at every one of God’s options?”
- Life becomes even more difficult as you wonder about the next time you are going to be trapped.
Is that who God is? A God who wants delights in making us fearful?
Sometimes God is portrayed like that.
God is portrayed as a God who hates sinners
Expand => how we can be made to feel wretched.
=> in God’s eyes we are nothing.
=> God hates what you do and what you have become.
Tremble in fear when you have such a God
Does He really hate you that much?
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8
Expand => God gave everything for us, at the lowest part of our relationship with Him.
God is portrayed as a God who punishes those who wander
Expand => how God is made to be a policeman.
Keep looking over your shoulder when you have such a God.
Does God want us to have a relationship like that with Him?
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:8-9
Expand => God’s patience shows his true nature.
Why focus on these sorts of things?
When we are going through difficulties our view of God will make all the difference in our ability to get through without going under.
A God who uses fear as a tactic is ultimately nothing but a bully.
You step out of line. You watch out.
You put up. You shut-up.
You are nothing – and you deserve nothing.
You grovel to make me help you.
The God of the Scriptures ... He comes from a totally different perspective
He knows we will fall short and mess up.
He knows we will step out of line and be an embarrassment.
He knows we will need to be picked up, and dusted off, and set on our way again.
He knows all that, but He is willing to hold onto us and call us His children.
Listen to one of the answers Job gives to Bildad.
25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
Job 19:25-27
Job has gone through so much ... yet there is no fear.
Because Job has an ally
In Jobs culture there was a person called a kinsman-redeemer.
• A person from your family who would pay your debts if you could not.
• A person who could get you out of slavery if you were sold into slavery.
• A person who would protect and preserve your family line if it was weak.
Someone to take your place when life was difficult. Someone who stood beside you.
A Redeemer ... someone to defend us.
That someone is Jesus.
He pays our debt
=> expand.
He gets us out of slavery
=> expand.
He protects the weak
=> expand.
And no matter what happens in life ... even the greatest difficulty ... Jesus can bring us through.
I know that my Redeemer lives
He will stand upon the earth.
I will see God ... with my own eyes
Expand
Death is the ultimate fear-factor ... and our Redeemer has it covered.
Do not fear ... for this is your God.
Prayer
