Chapter 26

From chapter 26 to 31 we have Job’s final words to his three friends. They have finished speaking now, and we will not hear from them again. It is clear that they still believe that Job is guilty of some wickedness, and are not ready to agree with him about his innocence. Chapter 26 starts with Job responding to Bildad. He basically says to him, “what you just said is true, but what does it have to do with what we are dealing with?” Job basically challenges Bildad and the others with the thought that they had done NOTHING to comfort or encourage him. There every word to him had been either accusatory or irrelevant.

Job spends the remainder of the chapter demonstrating that he is aware of the greatness of God and the smallness of man. He understands the principle completely, and has NEVER been arguing against it. Remember, Job is a suffering man who is just wondering why. He wants to ask the Lord why these things are happening to HIM, and why they are happening the way they are happening. Job will hear from the Lord soon enough.

What can we learn from this short chapter that is really just a response to Bildad? We can learn how not to be a Bildad. If you don’t know what to say to someone who is hurting, don’t SAY ANYTHING. Talk about the greatness of God and puniness of man won’t make them feel better. Theological debate won’t make them feel better. What a person who is hurting really needs is LOVE.