The Goodness of God to the Least Deserving

Job 18:1–4 (ESV) Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak. 3 Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight? 4 You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place?

It's Bildad's turn to come at Job for the second round. His speech is short, to the point, and wrong. He firmly attacks Job as among those whose own evil comes back on their heads. 

Job 18:5–6 (ESV) “Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire does not shine. 6 The light is dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out.

On and on he goes for the rest of the chapter to make one simple point - Job's wickedness is to blame for Job's suffering. It's a simple conclusion for a man who does not speak the truth nor sit to hear it. He's too busy accusing to hear what Job is saying. 

Putting yourself in Bildad's position is important here. You see your friend suffering while defending his righteousness in a world that has dumbed down the issue of suffering to a matter of simple karma - do good and get good in return. Bildad is like many of us.

Bildad's own words betray him, however. In verse 11 and beyond he says that those who walk in wickedness are fearful and weak.

Job 18:11–12 (ESV) Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels. 12 His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling.

Job 18:14 (ESV) He is torn from the tent in which he trusted and is brought to the king of terrors.

What Bildad must not have paid any attention to was Job's confidence and self-assurance that while he did indeed suffer, he had a case to be made and he was eager for the opportunity to make it. Job was not terrorized, he was confused and wanted answers. He demanded them. And guess what - he will get them - though not in the way he expects. His own self-assurance will be trounced when God shows up but at this point, fear has no place in his heart. 

Finally, Bildad makes an unsubstantiated claim on Job's future. He is certain that Job's end will be ignominious and disgraced along with the rest of the wicked.

Job 18:17–18 (ESV) His memory perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the street. 18 He is thrust from light into darkness, and driven out of the world.

Mind you, none of these words move Job at all. Why? Because Job knows there's something amiss with his experience in suffering. And I suppose the lesson of this chapter is to recognize the assumptions of the religious so that you can weed them out from the chosen of God. 

Job was chosen for a special purpose - to suffer innocently and point us to Christ. His friends were the religious-minded self-seekers who supposed that only good came to the good and only evil came to the wicked. And in the end, Job stood tall and would intervene on his faulty friends' condition.

Good news for us! Though we make all kinds of religious assumptions about our state of affairs and what we experience in life - Jesus Christ suffered for us to save us from these vain self-seeking practices and bring us to a deeper knowledge of the Most High. He is the One who opens our eyes to the goodness of God toward the least deserving.