Bildad’s Speech on Divine Majesty in Job 25

Introduction: Job, an Old Testament book, is an exposition of man’s suffering and the sovereignty of God. Divine majesty is a recurring theme in the book, and Job 25 is no exception. This chapter is the retort of Bildad, Job’s friend, who suggests that God’s majesty is so great that even the moon and stars are not pure in his sight. The chapter is a vivid, poetic portrayal of the divine majesty and the utter insignificance of man before such grandeur.

I. Job 25:1 – Bildad’s Speech on Divine Majesty
Bildad’s speech in Job 25:1 serves to underscore the vastness and incomprehensible nature of God’s majesty. This theme is reiterated in various other scripture passages such as Psalm 145:3, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom”. In Isaiah 40:28, we see similar descriptions: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” Bildad’s speech is a reminder of God’s absolute sovereignty and power.

II. Job 25:2 – God’s Dominion and Fear
In Job 25:2, Bildad describes God’s dominion and the fear that accompanies it. This verse highlights the magnitude of God’s majesty, describing Him as one who “establishes peace in his heights.” One can find similar sentiments in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” Also, in Psalm 89:7, we see the fear that accompanies God’s majesty, “In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.”

III. Job 25:3-6 – The insignificance of Man in the face of Divine Majesty
In verses 3-6, Bildad contrasts the glory of God with the insignificance of man, a theme that resonates throughout the scriptures. In Psalm 8:3-4, David expresses the same sentiment, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” The apostle Paul, in Romans 3:23, echoes the same thought when he says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Conclusion: Through Bildad’s speech in Job 25, we gain an understanding of divine majesty and man’s place before God. The portrayal of God’s glory reminds us of our own smallness in the face of such greatness. Yet, in the midst of this, we are not left without hope. Despite our insignificance and sinfulness, God, in his great majesty, cares for us and has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. Thus, while Job 25 is a somber reflection on human insignificance before divine majesty, it also points us towards the grace and mercy of God, reminding us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).