“Listening to God” Bible Reading & Devotion: Aug 30, 2024 – Job 025


Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+025

 

 

 

CHAPTER 25 (ESV)

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

 

2 “Dominion and fear are with God;

he makes peace in his high heaven.

3 Is there any number to his armies?

Upon whom does his light not arise?

4 How then can man be in the right before God?

How can he who is born of woman be pure?

5 Behold, even the moon is not bright,

and the stars are not pure in his eyes;

6 how much less man, who is a maggot,

and the son of man, who is a worm!”

 

REFLECTION:

Bildad’s final answer was weak. He ignored Job’s example of the wicked enjoying prosperity. Bildad did not refute Job, but accused him of pride, because he declared that his suffering was not the result of his sin. However, Job never claimed that he was sinless, he just thought that his sin could not lead to his current situation. Even though people sin, are they really like worm and maggot before God? Please note that it is Bildad, not God that speaks of people like worms. Here Bildad made another mistake, overly degrading the value of man and exaggerating the distance between man and God. Man was created by God in His own image. Psalm 8:5 states that man is “a little lower than the heavenly beings” and is considered extremely precious by God. No matter how many sins we have committed, we don’t have to climb up to God like a worm. We can approach Him with confidence in faith. As long as we sincerely confess and repent, God will forgive us. He will love us as father loves his children, and will give us eternal blessing.

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I thank You! Although I am so tiny, like a speck of dust in the universe, You see me as extremely precious in Your eyes. I am created in Your image. No matter how great my sins are, I can confidently come before Your throne of grace with faith. As long as I sincerely confess and repent, You will forgive me because of the salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross. You love me as a father loves his child and grant me the blessing of eternal life.

 

HYMN:

At the Foot of the Cross – www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk7_SBxYSZs

 


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