Bildad speaks with reverence toward God: “Dominion and fear are with God; he makes peace in his high heaven” (Job 25:2). God is infinite, he insists – infinite in his power, and infinite in his judgment of humanity: “Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise?” (25:3).

Compared to that, what are human beings? Surely the light of God’s holiness shows that all of us are lost sinners. “How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his sight, how much less a mortal, who is a maggot, and a human being, who is a worm! ” (25:4-6).

The content of this latest critique from Bildad comes to this: God is really big, and humans are really small; therefore, Job is a sinful maggot. There is a certain appeal to that line of thought – and comparing Job to a maggot is really fun, of course. But it doesn’t actually work.

Here’s why. If Bildad thinks Job’s reasoning must be faulty because Job is so small compared to God, shouldn’t Bildad recognize that his own reasoning about God must be just as wrong? If all human efforts are doomed to wrongness because we are so small before the majesty of God, isn’t Bildad’s own effort doomed to wrongness? Why don’t we get at least a little self-critical awareness on Bildad’s part, so that he can see that?

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You are great, O Lord, and your greatness is unsearchable; what are mortals that you care for us? Yet you love us! And you have given us the genuine opportunity to ask, to learn, to know. Teach us to be both faithful and humble, depending on you day by day.