Ch. 25. Bildad’s third speech

How should Man, who is a Worm, be pure before the Omnipotent Ruler of the Universe?

Bildad perhaps feels himself unable to reply to the facts of experience adduced by his opponent, and he will not continue the dispute. Yet he will not retire without at least uttering a protest against the spirit of his adversary and in behalf of reverential thought concerning God. Let the facts of history brought forward by Job be as they may, the spirit in which they are brought forward, and the conclusions in regard to God founded on them, must be for ever false.

Bildad does not appear to touch Job’s argument as to God’s rule of the world. He only seeks to subdue the immeasurable arrogance of Job in thinking that he would be found guiltless if placed before the judgment-seat of God (ch. Job 23:3-7), and in challenging the rectitude of God’s rule of the world. With this view he contrasts the exalted Majesty of God and His universal power, which the countless hosts on high obey, and the purity of God in whose eyes the moon is dark and the stars are not pure, with the littleness and the earthly nature of man—who is a worm.

These thoughts had already been expressed by other speakers in the controversy, as by Eliphaz, ch. Job 4:17 seq., and ch. Job 15:14 seq., and the brief and simple repetition of them by Bildad indicates that the controversy has exhausted itself.

2. dominion and fear] To God belongs rule, and His majesty inspires terror; He is the Omnipotent ruler over all.

his high places] i. e. the heavens where He dwells. There He “maketh peace” through the dominion and fear belonging to Him. The idea of “making peace in his high places” is suggested first perhaps by the atmospheric phenomenon, the stilling of the warring elements in the tempest on high. When God intervenes the storm becomes a calm. But probably the idea was extended, and the words may include a reference to traditional discords among the heavenly hosts, comp. ch. Job 21:22, Job 40:10 seq.; Isaiah 24:21; Revelation 12:7.

3. his armies] The words still amplify the idea of the “dominion” and omnipotence of God. The armies that obey Him are innumerable. The reference is probably to the phenomena of the heavens by night; comp. Isaiah 40:26, “He bringeth out their host by number, he calleth them all by their names; by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth.” There was a tendency in Oriental thought to identify the angels with the stars, or at least to regard the stars as animated.

his light arise] The reference is probably to the heavens or world by day; and the words express the pervading universality of God’s influence and rule. The sun as a body is not directly alluded to, for the word “arise” is not that which ordinarily expresses rising or coming above the horizon; the meaning is rather “on whom doth not his light shine?” By “his light” is not meant the nature of God as essential light; the meaning rather is that by His light which He sends forth God reaches all (Psalm 19:6) and brings all under His sway, though there may be in “his light” a reference to the light of day as symbolizing what He is. It is out of the question to limit the words “upon whom” to the “armies” of the first clause, making the query of Bildad to mean, Which of the bright heavenly hosts does not His light outshine? or, Which of them does not shine with a light which falls on it from Him and reflect not its own but His light? The reference in the words “on whom” is not limited to the heavenly host, but is universal.

4–5. Such is the Majesty and the universal power of God. How then should a man be righteous before Him?

be justified with God] i. e. be just or righteous before God; comp. Job 4:17 seq., Job 14:1, Job 15:14.

5. The thought of Job 25:4 amplified. Even the moon, the brightest star, does not shine, is dark, when He looks upon it, and the stars are not pure, how much less man, which is a worm? The contrast drawn by Eliphaz between man and the angels is drawn here between man and the heavenly bodies; comp. ch. Job 15:15. The Hebrew has two words for “worm” here, the one the worm of decay and corruption (ch. Job 7:5, Job 17:14, Job 21:26, Job 24:20; Exodus 16:24; Isaiah 14:11), the other in the second clause, used to express the utmost abasement and abjectness, “Fear not thou worm Jacob,” Isaiah 41:14, “But I am a worm and no man,” Psalm 22:6, though occasionally occurring also in the sense of the other word. We have only one word in English, for though Shakespeare speaks of “Grubs and eyeless skulls,” such a term can hardly be used now in language of any elevation.