Job 8:22 | KingComments | STEP | Bildad returns to the direct attack on Job. With the call “lo” he asks Job’s attention ( ). He tells him that God does not reject a man of “integrity”. A man of integrity means someone with a clean conscience, someone who is ‘innocent’. Bildad says here that God does not reject an innocent person. The underlying accusation is again that Job is rejected by God and that Job is not upright or innocent. Bildad is again grossly mistaken. For he does not look at Job the way God looks at him, for God has said of him that he is upright ( ). Nor is Job an ‘evildoer’, as Bildad supposes. Indeed, God does not “support the evildoers” to help them, which He does to His own. Bildad does not know it, but God has also given the clear testimony of Job that he turns away from evil ( ). If a man is unaware of God’s view of a person or a thing, he always comes to wrong conclusions. Whoever takes into account that only God has complete knowledge of a person or a thing, will be cautious and reluctant in his judgment of anyone else. At the end of his first speech Bildad has another promise for Job ( ). It is a promise that follows everything he said before. It means that God will make Job laugh again when he has converted from his wrong way. Job’s enemies will then be finished and even gone ( ). Job may count on inner satisfaction and outer peace and security. What Bildad says is nothing but a businesslike enumeration of cause and effect. This line of reasoning characterizes the three friends. There is not a trace of compassion and comfort for Job in it.

‏ Job 8:22

Divine Retribution for the Righteous

Bildad returns to the direct attack on Job. With the call “lo” he asks Job’s attention (Job 8:20). He tells him that God does not reject a man of “integrity”. A man of integrity means someone with a clean conscience, someone who is ‘innocent’. Bildad says here that God does not reject an innocent person. The underlying accusation is again that Job is rejected by God and that Job is not upright or innocent. Bildad is again grossly mistaken. For he does not look at Job the way God looks at him, for God has said of him that he is upright (Job 1:1 ; 8 ; Job 2:3).

Nor is Job an ‘evildoer’, as Bildad supposes. Indeed, God does not “support the evildoers” to help them, which He does to His own. Bildad does not know it, but God has also given the clear testimony of Job that he turns away from evil (Job 1:1 ; 8 ; Job 2:3). If a man is unaware of God’s view of a person or a thing, he always comes to wrong conclusions. Whoever takes into account that only God has complete knowledge of a person or a thing, will be cautious and reluctant in his judgment of anyone else.

At the end of his first speech Bildad has another promise for Job (Job 8:21). It is a promise that follows everything he said before. It means that God will make Job laugh again when he has converted from his wrong way. Job’s enemies will then be finished and even gone (Job 8:22). Job may count on inner satisfaction and outer peace and security.

What Bildad says is nothing but a businesslike enumeration of cause and effect. This line of reasoning characterizes the three friends. There is not a trace of compassion and comfort for Job in it.