Bildad’s third and final speech is also the last speech from any of the three “miserable comforters” who have come to visit Job in his distress. Job 25 is pathetically short because frankly, Bildad has nothing new to say, and neither do his friends. They are clearly winding down, though Job still has plenty of energy left for arguing, as his long response will prove (chapters 26-31). In this final word Bildad reiterates one central point: human beings could never be justified before God. After all, He is awesome in power, worthy of our utmost reverence. The LORD has countless warriors in His army fighting to achieve absolute victory over the highest powers in heaven. The “light” of His omnipotent greatness shines everywhere always. There may be “those who rebel against the light,” as Job said (24:13), but there is no dark corner of the universe where God does not ultimately rule (v 1-3). Therefore, Bildad concludes, in the presence of this holy God we should be bowing in worship, not seeking to be justified. “How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?” (v 4). This point has been made eloquently by Eliphaz twice before (4:17; 15:14-16), but Bildad thinks it deserves repeating: Job’s desire to stand before God face-to-face is absurd and arrogant. It is simply not possible for impure mortals to stand “pure” and clean before God. Job himself has come close to admitting this on two occasions (9:2; 14:4). Yet he has tenaciously clung to his hope that there will be a mediator who will stand in heaven on his behalf, enabling him to be justified before God (19:25-27). Bildad ends his short speech by highlighting the purity of God, as a contrast to the sinfulness of humans. The moon and stars may seem bright to us, but not to God. How much more then are morally filthy creatures like us bound to fail in any attempt to impress Him? God sees us for who we are, Bildad insists, and what He sees is rather disgusting. According to the psalmist, God created man “a little lower than the heavenly beings,” but Bildad regards humans as little better than maggots or worms (v 5-6). Since we are full of sin and God is perfect in purity, how can any person be declared righteous before Him? Bildad is asking the question of the ages, only answerable by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unknowingly, Job’s friends pre-figure those whose enemy is the cross of our Savior. Their final stance represents a denial of grace, an affirmation of unbelief. It is a tragic mistake. For further meditation: