Jesus’ Fulfillment of Job 9:14-35 Job is not stating a prediction of the Messiah but is expressing a longing, a desire. Job was longing for an umpire who could somehow go between himself and God and lead to Job receiving a fair trial and being pronounced innocent before God.

The word for umpire in the NASB was translated mediator in the LXX. In the NT this word is used of the work of Jesus in I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24. This is particularly tied to what was accomplished by the death of Jesus in several of these passages. Job as an innocent man (9:15, 20-21) longed for a mediator that he could get a fair trial before such a holy God. Jesus’ work as mediator goes far beyond what Job expected. It is not only innocent people who can stand before God, but guilty people, guilty people who have turned to Him for forgiveness. Rom. 4:5 tells us that God “justifies the ungodly.” These same three Greek words translated “justifies the ungodly” are used in the same order in the LXX of Ex. 23:7 to warn judges not to kill the innocent or righteous because God “will not acquit the guilty.” The reason God can now justify the ungodly is because Christ died for the ungodly in Rom. 5:6.

In Jesus we have One who is both God and man and can serve in the way that Job 9:32-33; 16:19-21; 19:23-27 describe. The deity of Jesus is stressed in the New Testament (John 1:1-3; 8:58; Phil. 2:5-8; Titus 2:13). The humanity of Jesus is also stressed (John 1:14; I Tim. 2:5-6; I John 4:1-3; II John 7).

While Job lamented “He is not a man as I am,” Paul proclaimed Jesus as the “man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5; Acts 17:31). The deity/ humanity of Jesus qualifies Him as a faithful and merciful high priest Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-10. Jesus would live and die to bridge the gap between God and man.

Job complained that God mocks the despair of the innocent (Job 9:23), but in Jesus’ death man mocks the pain and suffering of God (Matt. 20:19; 27:29, 31, 41; Mk. 10:34) (The Greek word in the LXX in Job 9:23 is not the same as used in these NT passages).

In Job 9 Job proclaimed his innocence (9:15, 20, 21) and stated that his wounds were without cause (9:17). Job had done nothing to earn them his suffering. His suffering showed (to Job) that God made no distinction between the blameless and the guilty (9:22-24). Job’s innocence does not compare to Jesus’ innocence (II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:22). While Job will complain in the bitterness of his soul (10:1), Jesus offered no complaint or protest (Isa. 53:6-7). Job feared that even though He was innocent the words of his mouth would be used against him (9:20). Unjust judges condemned Jesus by words from His own mouth (Matt. 26:64-66; Lk. 22:70-71).

Job 9:30-31 In the Bible story it is we who have plunged ourselves in the pit and soiled our clothes and it is God who washes us and makes us clean. God far from mocking the despair of the innocent (9:23) enters into this world of sin and suffering to redeem us. Jesus weeps with us and for us (John 11:35; Luke 19:41-44; Heb. 5:7).

Job lamented the brevity of life in Job 9:25-26. Job’s life was so full of pain that he could say he despised his life (9:21, 27-28). Jesus answered this lament via His resurrection. He gives eternal life (John 11:23-26; I Cor. 15:50-58; I Thess. 4:13-18). The pain that Job feared would One day pass away and be no more (Rev. 21:4).

What does Bildad say that is right?

1.He says God does not pervert justice.

If this were not true, there would be no moral order to the universe. There would be no hope that righteousness would ultimately prevail. Thankfully, God’s throne is built on righteousness and justice (Ps. 33:5; 89:14; 97:2; 99:4). These qualities are what God expects of His rulers (II Sam. 8:18; I Kings 10:9; Jer. 22:15-16) and His people generally (Isa. 5:7; Amos 5:24).

Sin and suffering are connected Biblically. The blessings of the covenant in Lev. 26:6-13; Deut.28:1-14 and the curses of the covenant in Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15-68 illustrate the link between blessing and righteousness and sin and suffering. Much of the story of Israel’s history recorded from Joshua- II Kings demonstrates the working out of those principles.

But what does this mean to Bildad? Does he mean that a righteous person will not suffer? Ecclesiastes 3:16-17; 7:15; 8:14 show that this is no true. It is the very fact that things do not always work out in this life that drives us to a life beyond this one where wrongs are righted and the wicked and righteous are given the results of the different paths they have pursued.

2. He says that the godless will perish. He says that the confidence of the wicked is placed in things as fragile as spider’s web

The fundamental question of life is Where is our confidence? On whom do we rely? On whom do we depend?

Isaiah 36-37 deals with the days Assyria was attacking Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah. Sennacherib asks Hezekiah why he is rebelling against him. Where is your confidence? Word “confidence” (36:4), “rely” (36:5, 6, 6, 9), “trust” (36:7, 15) are all from the same Hebrew root word. The word is used 8 times in Isaiah 36. It is used as a verb except in 36:4 where it is translated with the noun confidence. The question that the king of Assyria asks is a fundamental question in the book of Isaiah and to the Bible as a whole and it is the foundational question of our lives. To put our place in the wrong place means that we will inevitably be clothed with shame.

3. There will an ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked in eternity

8:18 Ultimately that the statement that it place does not know it anymore will be God’s pronouncement on the wicked (Matt. 7:13-14, 23; 25:12).

8:21 In God’s presence our mouths will be filled with laughter.

Job 8 and Jesus

Bildad says that God does not reject the blameless in 8:20. He anticipates those who will cry to Jesus, “He trusts in God. Let God deliver him” in Matt. 27:43. “Job has a lesser Calvary, and each person has his own. But when we know of God’s rejection of Jesus, our dereliction can never be as dark as Job’s again”[1]

It is through the suffering of God’s perfect servant, Jesus, that God ultimately showed His justice and righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26). Job’s battle foreshadows the even greater battle and the more intense suffering that God’s servant, Jesus, would endure.

[1] Anderson, 142-143.