JOB LESSON 8


     We will begin this lesson in Job 8:1 "Then answered Bildad the
Shuhite, and said," Job 8:2 "How long wilt thou speak these [things]?
and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?"

     It appears that Bildad, the second friend, spoke very bluntly to
Job. He was, probably, a little younger than Eliphaz, and less
experienced.  He spoke strongly and disrespectfully to Job. He spoke
of the words of Job, as being pushy and forcing their way like a
strong wind would.

     Job 8:3 "Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert
justice?"

     Of course, the answer to this was no. This younger friend seemed
to accuse Job of saying that God's judgement was unfair. God does
justice at all times. He is fair in all His dealings with men.

     Job 8:4 "If thy children have sinned against him, and he have
cast them away for their transgression;"

     Bildad accused Job's children of sinning so greatly against God,
that He disposed of them. He was bluntly judging them, and also,
calling their death a punishment from God.

     Job 8:5 "If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy
supplication to the Almighty;"

     This brasen friend was even accusing Job of not praying to God.
He was actually saying that Job had not cried out to the Almighty. His
accusations, of course, were not true. Job had even scolded his wife
for suggesting that he curse God and die. Job had submitted himself to
the LORD immediately and completely, as soon as he heard of his
children's death.

     Job 8:6 "If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would
awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness
prosperous."

     This friend had made up his mind that all of this calamity had
come upon Job for his sins. He told Job, if he were a righteous man,
God would have already heard him, and come to his rescue. This same
teaching has sprung up again in our day. We hear some ministers say
that if you are in right standing with God, you will automatically be
prosperous. This was not true for righteous Job, and is not true for
many saints of our day, as well. God does prosper some of His
children, but not all of them.

     Job 8:7 "Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end
should greatly increase."

     Job was now reduced to near nothing. If God did decide to bless
him, He could greatly increase Job, again. I do not believe this
friend of Job believed that God would do this for Job. He felt as if
Job deserved all of the punishment he had endured.

     Job 8:8 "For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare
thyself to the search of their fathers:"

     His advice to Job was that he would search through the past
history for an answer to this dilemma. His fathers, or grandfathers,
might have had a similar problem. It appears, from this, that there
had been some kind of records kept, prior to Job's lifetime.

     Job 8:9 "(For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing,
because our days upon earth [are] a shadow:)"

     Life on earth is short-lived. The moment in time is so short,
that it would be difficult to learn much from it. In times of old, the
people lived hundreds of years, and experienced many more things.
Their lives can be of use to us, as a teacher.

     Job 8:10 "Shall not they teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter
words out of their heart?"

     Job's friend believed that he had made errors, that could have
been avoided, had he studied his ancestors.

     Job 8:11 "Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow
without water?"

     The rush, here, was speaking of the papyrus which grew in the
very wet mire of a lake, or river. The flag was a water plant, as
well. When the water was gone, both of them would die. In a spiritual
sense, this is telling Job to draw water from his roots. Water, in
this particular sense, would be the Word of God.

     Job 8:12 "Whilst it [is] yet in his greenness, [and] not cut
down, it withereth before any [other] herb."

     This was speaking of a time, when it had grown to its greatest
height. When the land dried up where it was planted, it quickly died.
At the peak of the greatness of Job, this terrible calamity had come.

     Job 8:13 "So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the
hypocrite's hope shall perish:"

     This is a true statement, but did not apply to Job. Job had not
forgotten God. He was not a hypocrite. His troubles had come, because
he loved God.

     Job 8:14 "Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be]
a spider's web."

     This friend did not truly know Job. He had judged Job, without
any evidence of any of this. It appears to the natural eye, that Job's
hope was cut off, A spider builds a web to trap its prey. This was a
terrible statement to make about Job.

     Job 8:15 "He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand:
he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure."

     He was accusing Job of building upon something, besides the Rock
of God. He was actually accusing Job of building on shifting sand.
Everyone around Job had a negative reason for his trouble. Job knew
this was not true.

     Job 8:16 "He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth
forth in his garden."

     Again, he was speaking of the prosperity of Job, which was well
known by everyone. He was prospering in every way.

     Job 8:17 "His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the
place of stones."

     The water that fed the plant, in the verse above, was coming from
the stones like a spring does. It appears, the plant had wrapped
around the rock to ensure itself of the life-giving water.

     Job 8:18 "If he destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny
him, [saying], I have not seen thee."

     This was speaking of the sudden calamity that came upon Job, just
as this plant was suddenly uprooted.

     Job 8:19 "Behold, this [is] the joy of his way, and out of the
earth shall others grow."

     Each plant lives for a short time, and then another takes its
place. That was what Job's friend was saying, here. Job would be
replaced by another.

     Job 8:20 "Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither
will he help the evil doers:"  Job 8:21 "Till he fill thy mouth with
laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing."

     Job was just and upright. Bildad had no way of knowing that Job
was anything but an upright man. Bildad had judged Job severely and
unjustly. In that sense, Bildad was an evildoer. He was stating in the
verse above, if Job was a righteous man, God would not cast him away.
God would fill his mouth with laughing, and his lips would rejoice.

     Job 8:22 "They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and
the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought."

     Bildad was speaking judgement upon the friends of Job in this.
These friends included him.  They had hated Job without a cause. This
shame would not be long in coming. Judging others was a dangerous
thing to do, especially a righteous man, such as Job.
                            Job 8 Questions


1.  Bildad was a ________.
2.  What did he say that the words of Job's mouth were like?
3.  How did he speak to Job?
4.  Quote Job chapter 8 verse 3.
5.  What was the answer to these questions?
6.  Bildad accused Job's children of what?
7.  What was he calling Job's children's death?
8.  What did he accuse Job of in verse 5?
9.  What did he call God in verse 5?
10. Job had scolded his wife for what?
11. What had Job done immediately on hearing of his children's death?
12. What had Job's friend made up his mind about?
13. What are many ministers, today, telling their people brings
    automatic prosperity?
14. What was verse 7 saying?
15. Bildad told Job to inquire of whom?
16. Our days upon earth are a __________.
17. What was the rush in verse 11?
18. What was the flag?
19. Whose hope shall perish?
20. Why does a spider build a web?
21. What happened to the house in verse 15?
22. Where did the water come from, that was feeding the plant in verse
    17?
23. What was Job's friend saying in verse 19?
24. What would God do for the perfect man?
25. Who was Bildad speaking judgement upon in verse 22?