Slap in the Face 3 and Slap Back – Job 25-27

Recently Pope Frances showed frustration with a woman in the crowd of greeters who snatched at his hand as he passed and would not let go. He slapped her hand. Bildad has made now a third slap to Job’s face but this time Job slaps back.

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“Dominion and fear are with God; he makes peace in his high heaven. Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise? How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!”

Then Job answered and said:

“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge! With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you? The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud. He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke. By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab. By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

And Job again took up his discourse, and said:

“As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

“Let my enemy be as the wicked, and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous. For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? I will teach you concerning the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not conceal. Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty: If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword, and his descendants have not enough bread. Those who survive him the pestilence buries, and his widows do not weep.   Though he heap up silver like dust, and pile up clothing like clay, he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver. He builds his house like a moth’s, like a booth that a watchman makes. He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more; he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone. Terrors overtake him like a flood; in the night a whirlwind carries him off. The east wind lifts him up and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. It hurls at him without pity; he flees from its power in headlong flight. It claps its hands at him and hisses at him from its place. (ESV)

Bildad makes an exasperated retort to Job about the impossibility of a human being right before God.  But once again his assertion proves too much (If no one is righteous before God then why isn’t everyone suffering?).  He is also forced to view man as having relatively little value, rather than as created in God’s image.

Job sarcastically praises his friends for their amazing help to him, but then challenges the wisdom of their words with a description of the amazing power of God.  Only God has such knowledge of things and his friends have spoken in ignorance.

Job avows that he will never lie and deny his contention that he was living in integrity when God sent suffering his way.

Because Job is right before God his enemies must be like the wicked (and right now his friends are his enemies) and they will not delight in God and so will not be in God’s favor.  When their lives are cut off by God what hope will they have? Is Job hinting at a judgment that goes beyond the grave?

Job begins talking about the judgment that will come to his friends who are acting as the wicked. After their death, judgment will come on their offspring and household.  All the wealth they have accumulated will be dispersed to others. Job is giving his “friends” a taste of their own medicine.

Discussion Questions

1. Can you describe a time when you acted uncharacteristically impatient and your anger got the best of you?
2. What do you make of Job’s sarcastic reply to Bildad?
3. Why is Job describing the power of God to Bildad? What is the implication of his remarks?
4. As Job is asserting his integrity he describes God as the one who has made him bitter and taken away his right. What are you feeling toward Job as you read this?
5. Do you agree with Job’s calling down the judgment of God on his friends?
6. How do you want to respond to people who push your patience to the limit and what would help you respond that way?