About this episode
Job 18 deals with Bildad's 2nd round of arguments. Job says, "God punishes the wicked", and since you seem to be suffering punishment you, too, must be wicked. Job, Bildad says, "you keep looking for words to justify yourself. "Do you consider us to be merely stupid cattle? “Settle down, stay calm, and submit to your deserved discipline. No matter how much you protest and struggle you cannot escape the discipline of the Almighty. If you do not learn from your chastening you will disappear into obscurity with the rest of the wicked". Chapter 19 contains the most magnificent statement in the entire Old Testament of God's atonement, or the Almighty's plan to reconcile man to Himself. Job passionately replies, "I know that my Redeemer ("goel" near kinsman) lives". We learn much about the role of the "goel" in the book of Ruth.
Both here, and in Ruth, we are taught of Christ's love and His desire to redeem us. Job laments the torments of his friends. The number 10 is used in the Bible, to represent a never-ending sequence (compare in Numbers Yahweh's protestations to Moses of Israel's never ceasing grumbling; also, Hebrews 3). "God", says Job, "seems to have counted me as His enemy. Why I know not. But, if only I had the opportunity I would put my case before Him. My loathsome condition has estranged me from all relatives and friends. Pity me that the Almighty's hand has been stretched out against me". From verses 23-27 we have Job's hope that a "goel" would mediate his case with God. The words have been magnificently captured in Handel's oratorio "Messiah". Our only hope lay in the Father's work of reconciliation, which was accomplished in His Son, who bore our human nature and although suffering its weaknesses and was sinless. And so, he is completely qualified as our Redeemer (Hebrews 2verses5-18). Christ Jesus will return and stand upon the earth to raise the dead in Christ to immortality. Though our bodies be destroyed in the grave ("Sheol"), yet our life will be revived when Christ Jesus comes (Colossians 3verses1-5). "In the meantime, let me be", pleads Job.
Zephaniah prophesied during the reign in Judah of the wonderful king Josiah spanning the years (640 BC - 609 BC). This time was just prior to the four waves of Babylonian invasions under
Nebuchadnezzar. Although Josiah was a great reformer many of the leaders remained entrenched in their wicked positions because of the longstanding evil reigns of the Kings who preceded the greatest of Judah's reformers. The name of the prophet (Zephaniah) means, "hidden of Yah" (Yah is the shortened poetic form of Yahweh) and his name encapsulates the theme of the book (see chapter 2verses3). Those righteous ones who had sought Yahweh would be hidden from His chastening Hand when the judgements came. Verse 5 tells us that the LORD would punish the remnant of the Baal worshippers - even though Josiah had purged Baal from Judah many still secretly cherished and practised that entrenched idolatr
