February 18 (Exodus 1; Lk. 4; Job 18; 1 Cor. 5)

Today’s devotion will “piggy back” off of yesterday’s. In Job 18 Bildad speaks for the second time. Much of what he says is the same thing he said the first time. Basically he says, “You are a sinner Job. You have committed some great sin. This is why this entire calamity has fallen on you. Repent of this sin and God will restore you.” Sometimes when their argument is weak some people just yell louder. This is what Bildad does in this chapter. The problem with Bildad (and Eliphaz and Zophar) is that they leave no room for the “mystery of wickedness.” Sin is a very complex thing. The first sin committed by Adam and Eve that resulted in the fall left this world pretty messed up.  Things, therefore, don’t always function like they should. Generally God does bless those who obey him, and He brings punishment on those who do not. But it is not always so simple, remember Joseph’s story. Here is the lesson: let us be slow to judge, quick to comfort, and always trust that our gracious God knows what He is up to even if we never will.