SCRIPTURE: Job 18
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Terrors surround the wicked and trouble them at every step. Hunger depletes their strength, and calamity waits for them to stumble. Disease eats their skin; death devours their limbs. They are torn from the security of their homes and are brought down to the king of terrors. [Job 18:11-14]
Bildad the Shuhite is a “fire and brimstone” preacher, one who thinks much about the torment of the wicked.
There have been Shuhites throughout the ages who find pleasure in reminding people how they will suffer for their sin.
There is no good news here, no hope, ne encouragement, no grace, no mercy.

The religious leaders of Jesus day were also like this, they loved to make people feel guilty.
Jesus was not impressed by them, and He saved His harshest words for these religious low life (shoe-heights) [see Matthew 23:15].
But Jesus was not soft on sin, nor did He deny the final judgment.
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Matthew 8:11-12]
What is interesting here is that for Jesus, the “outer darkness” – weeping and gnashing of teeth – will be for the religiously arrogant – those for whom the Kingdom was prepared and yet did not humble themselves to receive it.
I am guessing that Jesus would have turned Bildad’s words against him and said that he would face the “king of terrors”.

I expect that there is a “hell”, the natural consequence for those who prefer eternity without God.
What hell is like, how exactly it will be, is beyond me; I believe the images of hell (like “weeping and gnashing of teeth”) are symbolic word pictures that describe something very real and awful.
But in the end, I do believe that there are two final outcomes – eternity with God and eternity without God.

Unlike Bildad, I do not take delight in talking about hell, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real for me.
But I prefer Jesus’ approach, where He describes God’s mercy for all those who humble themselves before Him, who admit their sin and misery and need for help – whether Gentiles or Jews.
Jesus spent His time with sinners to help them, not to condemn them; He loved the wicked, He sought them out, He walked with them and talked with them, showing them how they needed God’s mercy and help.
Afterall, we are the sinners, we are the wicked, we are the ones that need God’s mercy as much as the next guy.
The judgmental spirit of a Bildad will only bring us down; may we exhibit the gracious love of Jesus!

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to care for the people around me, to see them as equally as in need of Your help as I am. I am no better or worse, they are no better or worse. We all need to be rescued from the “king of terrors”, from “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”