Overview:
Selections from Job 18–19
Bildad now started his second speech in the same way as his first; same song, second verse. His flawed black-and-white theology told him that those in God’s will enjoy great prosperity and good health. So if you suffer, you’re out of God’s will. Bildad not only had the wrong audience; he spoke with a wrong motive. So why is this scene in the Bible? Because the spirit of Bildad still lives! Job had no idea that his words of response would not only survive him but be preserved by God in Job’s honor for all the world to hear and sing! His words leave us with two lasting lessons: one about hope and one about assurance.
Message Summary:
In “Reassuring Hope for the Assaulted and Abused,” Pastor Chuck Swindoll examines the second round of dialogue between Job and his friend Bildad. Focusing on Job 18–19, the message highlights the destructive nature of “black-and-white” theology, which falsely claims that those in God’s will always enjoy prosperity and health. Bildad’s rigid legalism led him to conclude that Job’s suffering was proof of hidden sin—a verbal assault that added to Job’s physical pain.
Swindoll explains that this scene is preserved in Scripture because the “spirit of Bildad” still lives today in those who use theology to blame the victim rather than offer comfort. Despite being assaulted by his friends and abused by his circumstances, Job delivers one of the most powerful declarations of hope in history. His response teaches us that even when we are abandoned by others, we can have absolute assurance that our Redeemer lives and will eventually vindicate us.
Message Key Facts:
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Flawed Theology: Bildad’s second speech repeats his first premise: that suffering is always a sign of being out of God’s will, a view that ignores the sovereign mystery of trials.
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Wrong Motives: The sermon points out that Bildad spoke with a desire to “win” the argument rather than to heal his friend, making him an “assaultive” counselor.
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A Song for the Ages: Job’s reply in Chapter 19 contains words that have been sung for centuries, providing comfort to millions who face unexplained pain.
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Two Lasting Lessons: The message focuses on the twin anchors for the soul: the hope of a future resurrection and the assurance of a living Advocate.
Message References:
Scripture: Selections from Job 18–19
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Job 18:5–6: Bildad’s prediction of the “wicked” man’s fate: “The light of the wicked goes out… the light is dark in his tent.”
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Job 19:13–19: Job’s raw description of his abandonment by family, friends, and even his own servants.
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Job 19:25–26: The triumphant climax: “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God.”
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Job 19:27: Job’s personal confidence: “Whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another.”
Core Principles for Life
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Beware of “Black-and-White” Formulas: Be careful of any theology that tries to fit God’s sovereign plan into a simple reward-and-punishment box. Suffering is not always a sign of sin.
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Speak with the Motive to Heal: When someone is hurting, your goal should be comfort, not correction. Avoid becoming a “Bildad” who values their “brilliant insights” over the broken person’s pain.
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Find Hope in the Redeemer: When you are assaulted by critics or abused by life, anchor your soul in the fact that your Redeemer is alive and active on your behalf.
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Assurance Outlasts Skin: Your physical body and current circumstances are temporal. Your ultimate assurance is the future “face-to-face” encounter with the Almighty.
