Job 8 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

Bildad

1-2 Are you finally through with your windy speech?
3 God never twists justice;

he never fails to do what is right.

4 Your children must have sinned against God,

and so he punished them the way they deserved.

5 But now turn and plead with Almighty God;
6 if you are so pure and honest,

then God will come and help you
and restore your household as your reward.

7 All the wealth you lost will be nothing

compared to what God will give you then.

8 Look for a moment at ancient wisdom;

consider the truths our fathers learned.

9 Our life is so short we know nothing at all;

we are only shadows on the face of the earth.

10 But let the ancient wise men teach you;

listen to what they had to say:

11 Reeds can-'t grow where there is no water;

they are never found outside a swamp.

12 If the water dries up they are the first to wither,

while still too small to be cut and used.

13 Godless men are like those reeds;

their hope is gone, once God is forgotten.

14 They trust a threada spider web.
15 If they lean on a web, will it hold them up?

If they grab for a thread, will it help them stand?

16 Evil men sprout like weeds in the sun,

like weeds that spread all through the garden.

17 Their roots wrap around the stones

and hold fast to every rock.

18 But then pull them up

no one will ever know they were there.

19 Yes, that's all the joy evil men have;

others now come and take their places.

20 But God will never abandon the faithful,

or ever give help to evil men.

21 He will let you laugh and shout again,
22 but he will bring disgrace on those who hate you,

and the homes of the wicked will

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 8:1-22

157.

Who is Bildad?

158.

There are only two kinds of people in Bildad's world. Who are they?

159.

Someone is accused of being a bag of wind. Who is it?

160.

Why do some commentators delete words from verse three?

161.

Bildad knows why Job lost his children. What was the reason? Wasn-'t this cruel?

162.

Job spoke of God seeking him. Bildad reverses the thought. How so?

163.

The American dream turned to a nightmare is based on Bildad's theology. Explain how this is true.

164.

Bildad does promise Job restoration, but on what basis?

165.

The wisdom of the ancients is in favor of Bildad logic. So what?

166.

The longest life is but a brief flickering candle. How does this thought relate to learning from history?

167.

How does the proverb in Job 8:11 apply to Job?

168.

Job is withering away. Do we know the reason for it? What do the ancients teach us as a cause? (i.e., according to Bildad)

169.

Job is accused of being Godless. Why?