Does God Pervert Justice?

What a weird question.

Today we meet Bildad. All three of Job’s friends have significant overlap in their responses to him. But Bildad is perhaps the most blunt and forceful. He skips compassionate words and goes right for it, saying in many words that Job (and his family) are clearly sinners if they are suffering or dead.

The questions he asks are (for him) conclusive: Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty distort what is right?

…almost as if righteousness is a thing above God, a power that directs God. This is an impossibility. God is righteousness. God is justice. But justice is not a mechanism God answers to, nor is it always visible in methods of mere calculation.

Bildad appeals to the wisdom of the past. Not a bad idea. But his assumptions seem to be his own, assumptions that he then places upon the ancestors. He invokes their authority and reputation, without ever really noting what they say about wisdom.

John the Baptist is also speaking against assumed ancestral righteousness. Bildad appeals backward to assumed righteousness. John looks forward and demands embodied righteousness. He refuses to rely on the presumed strength of old things simply because they are old. Rather, he’s very specific regarding what God seeks within justice and righteousness - mutual sharing of actual hard goods, honesty regarding money, and integrity.

Bildad leans on the authority of the ancestors. And John tells the crowds not to presume upon Abraham. Luke’s genealogy at the end of chapter 3 always sneaks up on me. I forget that it’s there. I’m not sure I’ve ever wondered why. But after juxtaposing Bildad and John the Baptist, I can’t help but wonder if Luke is being both faithful and perhaps a bit mischievous, carrying Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Adam, the father of us all. The irony is rich: ancestry matters, but it cannot save.

Luke 3:7-38

Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.”

The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”

He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.”

Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.”

Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?”

He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.”

The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.

But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done. He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison.

When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”

Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry. People supposed that he was the son of Joseph son of Heli son of Matthat son of Levi son of Melchi son of Jannai son of Joseph son of Mattathias son of Amos son of Nahum son of Esli son of Naggai son of Maath son of Mattathias son of Semein son of Josech son of Joda son of Joanan son of Rhesa son of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel son of Neri son of Melchi son of Addi son of Cosam son of Elmadam son of Er son of Joshua son of Eliezer son of Jorim son of Matthat son of Levi son of Simeon son of Judah son of Joseph son of Jonam son of Eliakim son of Melea son of Menna son of Mattatha son of Nathan son of David son of Jesse son of Obed son of Boaz son of Sala son of Nahshon son of Amminadab son of Admin son of Arni son of Hezron son of Perez son of Judah son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham son of Terah son of Nahor son of Serug son of Reu son of Peleg son of Eber son of Shelah son of Cainan son of Arphaxad son of Shem son of Noah son of Lamech son of Methuselah son of Enoch son of Jared son of Mahalalel son of Cainan son of Enos son of Seth son of Adam son of God.

Job 8

Bildad from Shuah responded:

How long will you mouth such things
such that your utterances become a strong wind?
Does God pervert justice,
or does the Almighty distort what is right?
If your children sinned against him,
then he delivered them into the power of their rebellion.
If you will search eagerly for God, plead with the Almighty.
If you are pure and do the right thing,
then surely he will become active on your behalf
and reward your innocent dwelling.
Although your former state was ordinary,
your future will be extraordinary.

Ask a previous generation
and verify the findings of your ancestors,
for we are only recently here and don’t know
because our days on earth are a shadow.
Won’t they instruct you and tell you;
will words not proceed from their hearts?

Does papyrus grow apart from a marsh?
Does a reed flourish without water?
While still tender, uncut,
it will wither before every other grass.
So are the paths of all who forget God.
Hope perishes for the godless,
whose confidence is a fragile thing,
their trust, a spider’s web.
He leans on its web, and it doesn’t stand;
grasps it, and it can’t remain in place.
It’s like a well-watered plant in the sun;
its runners spread over its gardens.
Its roots are entwined over a pile of rocks,
for it sees a home among stones.
If it’s uprooted from its place,
it lies, saying, “I can’t see you.”
Surely its way is a joy,
for from the dust other plants sprout.

Surely God won’t reject integrity,
won’t strengthen the hand of the wicked.
He will still fill your mouth with joy,
your lips with a victorious shout.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will vanish.

Prayer

God,

I actually really deeply value my ancestors. At least those I know about. And yes, I know many of their dark secrets. I know about slavery. I know about infidelity. I know about several things that would be juicy details to the rest of the world. I guess that’s part of why I value their lives, witness, and example. They persisted in seeking righteousness and justice nonetheless, dependent on grace. Deeply dependent on grace.

So help me, God: I, too, have darkness in life. Sin and mistakes and miscalculations. But I still deeply desire justice and what’s right. Correct me, humble me, grant me your grace to keep on.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.