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Job 25

6 verses

TL;DR

Bildad the Shuhite condemns human pride and argues that only God has true dominion, using celestial imagery to illustrate humanity’s insignificance.

Summary

In this short chapter, Bildad the Shuhite responds to Job’s lament by asserting that God alone possesses dominion and causes peace in the heavens. He questions whether any human army could rival God’s power, and whether any human light could rival God’s radiance. Bildad then challenges the idea that a man can be justified or made clean by God, emphasizing that even the moon and stars are not pure in God's sight. He concludes by declaring that humanity is far less worthy than a worm, using this metaphor to underscore human humility before divine power. The speech serves as a sobering reminder of human limitation and the futility of self-reliance.

Outline
  1. Bildad declares God’s exclusive dominion and peace in the heavens
  2. He questions human armies and light in comparison to God
  3. He rebukes human attempts at justification, using celestial and worm imagery
Themes
Human humility before divine powerThe futility of human prideThe incomparability of celestial and divine order
Keywords
Dominionfearpeacearmieslightmoonstarswormjustifiedclean
People
BildadGodman
Places
Things
Dominionfearpeacearmieslightmoonstarsworm
Key Verses
  • Job 25:4: Shows Bildad’s claim that humans cannot be justified by God
  • Job 25:5: Uses celestial bodies as a metaphor for the lack of purity in humanity
Questions
  • What does Bildad mean by comparing humanity to a worm?
  • How does Bildad’s view on human justification contrast with Job’s perspective?
  • What role does celestial imagery play in emphasizing human insignificance?
  • Why does Bildad focus on God’s dominion and peace?
  • In what way does Bildad’s speech reflect the larger theological debate in the Book of Job?
Sentiment

negative
Bildad’s tone is critical of human pride and emphasizes human insignificance.