Job 25 - Introduction

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.