April 23, 2022 - Job 25-27

Bildad pipes back in and argues that no man is right before God. Well, in an ultimate sense, he is correct. But what he seems to be saying is that no man, particularly Job, can be considered obedient and pleasing to God. I guess the silver lining in the cloud of Bildad's argument is that, this time, he confines himself to few words (only 6 verses). We don’t have to listen to him babble and ramble on and on.

Job understands who God is and what man is. He doesn’t need Bildad to instruct him on these matters. Furthermore, Job puts forward his uprightness: “I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go” (27:6). The question all this suggests: Recognizing man’s natural sinfulness, and recognizing that we always fall short of God’s standard, can it be said, in any way, that a man can live an obedient life and one that is pleasing to God? Job answers this question, “Yes! I have done so.” And, in fact, it is to that very sort of life, pleasing to God, to which the gospel calls us.

Lord, make us more holy;

Lord, make us more holy;

Lord, make us more holy,

until we meet again:

holy, holy, holy,

until we meet again. –African-American traditional hymn