Job 8:1–3: “Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: ‘How long will you [Job] speak these things, / And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? / Does God subvert judgment? / Or does the Almighty pervert justice?'”

December 3rd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Job’s second friend-accuser, Bildad, also tried to convince Job that his suffering was the result of sin in his life. He called Job a windbag, saying he was full of hot air and was accusing God of not judging him rightly. Bildad’s advice was short and dry: repent and everything will be fine. People still use these arguments today as they try to be helpful, but their counsel and comfort just ends up bringing confusion and condemnation to their victims. Of course Job believed God was just. He wasn’t struggling with whether or not God could help him, but whether or not God wanted to help him. All believers at one time or another have had these very same thoughts and questions. Does God really want to rescue us; does He truly have our best interest in mind? Satan, the accuser, has been planting these doubts about God’s character and goodness since Eden.

Even the apostles struggled with this while they were crossing a tempestuous sea. Jesus was sleeping in the stern of their boat, and when the disciples woke Him, they said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus knew the disciples’ faith was small and He cared enough about them to not let it stay small. So He calmed the storm and pointed out that they weren’t walking in faith. The problem for us as earth-bound travelers is that we often can’t see beyond the immediate pain and crisis at hand. But God has stated over and over in the Bible that He is concerned with our welfare, that He is actively pursing a relationship with us. In order for our faith to grow, we have to be in circumstances where we are pressed and can’t see any way out; only then do we reach a point where we are forced to rely more and more on Him. Then as He sustains and delivers us, we see how great and trustworthy He is and our faith expands.

Missionary Hudson Taylor learned to completely trust in God’s faithfulness. He wrote in his journal:

Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning . . . He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all . . . Depend on it, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

“LORD, we choose to trust You today . . . help our unbelief.”

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Job 8

¹ Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, ² How long wilt thou speak these things ? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? ³ Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? ⁴ If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;  ⁵ If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; ⁶ If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. ⁷ Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. ⁸ For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: ⁹ (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)  ¹⁰ Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? ¹¹ Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? ¹² Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. ¹³ So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: ¹⁴ Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.  ¹⁵ He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. ¹⁶ He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. ¹⁷ His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones. ¹⁸ If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying , I have not seen thee. ¹⁹ Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow. ²⁰ Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man , neither will he help the evil doers:   ²¹ Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.  ²²They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.