1. Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2. His is dominion and awesome power, he who establishes peace in the heavens.
3. Can his armies be numbered? Upon whom does his light not rise?
4. How can man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?
5. Even the moon is not bright nor are the stars pure in his sight -
6. how much less man - this insect, the son of man - a worm?
Footnotes:
25:1-3 - Bildad the Shuhite speaks of God's greatness and man's insignificance. He emphasizes divine sovereignty and God's purity, emphasizing the separation between the Creator and creation. This reinforces the idea that God is just and that humanity is inferior in comparison (see also Psalm 8:4-5 and Romans 3:23).
25:4-6 - Bildad questions how human beings can be righteous before God. He states that even the stars are not pure in God's eyes, demonstrating the gravity of human sin and the need for humility before divine holiness (see also Isaiah 64:6 and James 4:10).
Verses related to Job, 25:
Job chapter 25 presents Bildad's brief final speech. How does he summarize the traditional view of divine justice? In this short text, Bildad reaffirms the greatness and holiness of God in contrast to human insignificance and sinfulness. The chapter addresses themes such as divine transcendence, the fallen human condition and the impossibility of man justifying himself before God. Job 25 marks the exhaustion of the arguments of Job's friends. Ponder with us five biblical passages that illuminate the central themes of this concise chapter.
Psalms 8:3-4: "When I contemplate your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you established there, I ask: What is man, that you care about him? And the son of man, why should you worry about him?" - This psalm echoes the theme of Job 25 about the greatness of God in contrast to the insignificance of man.
Isaiah 6:5: "Then said I: Woe is me! I'm lost! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" - Isaiah's statement about human impurity before God reflects Bildad's argument in Job 25 about the impossibility of man being pure before God.
Romans 3:23: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," - This verse reaffirms the point from Job 25 about the universality of human sin.
Psalms 144:3-4: "O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think about him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow." - As in Job 25, this psalm contrasts the greatness of God with the fragility and brevity of human life.
Hebrews 1:3: "The Son is the resplendence of God's glory and the exact expression of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After having performed purification from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." - This verse presents Christ as the answer to the question implicit in Job 25 about how man can be righteous before God.
FAQ:
What does Bildad say about God's greatness?
Bildad extols God's sovereignty, saying that His dominion is awesome and that His light illuminates everything. He emphasizes that no human being can be righteous before God. (Job 25:2-3)
Why does Bildad say that man is insignificant before God?
He compares man to a worm and a maggot, highlighting God's purity in contrast to human weakness. (Job 25:4-6)
How does Bildad describe heavenly purity?
He states that not even the moon and stars are pure before God, demonstrating divine greatness. (Job 25:5)
What is Bildad's main criticism of Job?
Bildad suggests that Job is a sinner, for no one can be pure before God. He reinforces human insignificance. (Job 25:4)
How does this chapter relate to the theology of divine justice?
Bildad argues that God is just and that no man can justify himself before Him, a common view in the theology of suffering. (Job 25:2-6)
