“…must the rocks be moved…?” Job 18:4c (written for 2/11/2020)

Bildad was reaching the end of his patience with Job’s continued plea of innocence. He asked Job when the speeches would end (v.2a), and pleaded with Job to be sensible so they could have a ‘reasonable’ conversation (v.2b). Well… are you thinking what I’m thinking? It’s about time. Guess what? The finger pointing
continued in Bildad’s very next statement! Perhaps, once the first stone has been thrown, it’s harder to return to civility?

Then, Bildad revealed his injury by asking why Job considered his friends as stupid as cattle (v.3). Returning to his condescending remarks, Bildad asked why the entire earth should be abandoned for the purposes of one who scraped his sores (literally cutting his skin to pieces; v.4; see 2:8). This remark reflects how easily one resorts to a convenient ministry mindset. If another’s problems become too inconvenient to address, many find it ‘unreasonable’. Bildad emphasized his question with another complementary challenge:

“Or must the rocks be moved from their place?” (v.4c)

The question begs to be paraphrased: “Are we expected to actually do something?” Do you see his exhaustion in the query? It’s quite apparent that Job’s friends arrived unprepared to actually assist their friend back into the world of the living.

There is another side to the question that Bildad posed. Could God have breathed the question into him to point to Christ? Before Jesus was betrayed, he entered Jerusalem and was received by crowds who praised him. At one point, the Pharisees wanted Jesus to rebuke the crowds for lauding him with such great honor. Jesus replied with these words, “I tell you if they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40) The rocks will be moved… to give honor and praise to The King of Kings!

Job’s continued stance of integrity could bring the stones to cry out on his behalf. All of creation could shout for the righteous cause of God’s Kingdom. And if the rocks could be moved to rejoicing over one righteous in God’s eyes, certainly Job’s friends should have been moved to consider Job’s defense and come to his aid.

What is this passage teaching us? How inconvenienced are we willing to become for the sake of the call to minister to others? Have American Christians taken to the path of ministry in Jesus name – but only when it’s suitable to their schedules? How often does sports, shopping, social events, the theatre, or other activities been deemed more important than being Jesus to the world? Is it too much to ask? How will we answer God if we were to be asked why we were not available to be a conduit of His love to the world?

If we refuse, must the rocks be moved from their place?

Have a blessed day…