Be careful evaluating the lives of Others

Read Job 18.

Bildad's name means "son of contention".  How appropriate!  In this, his second round of confronting Job, Bildad described his erroneous view of what happens to those who are evil and forsake God.  He squarely issued this to explain what has happened to Job.  It was his belief that bad things happen to bad people.

Bildad's anger at Job was fueled by Job's refusal to repent of his sin and his offensive language toward those trying to help him.  In return, Bildad unleashed a diatribe against him.  Every calamity mentioned was directed at what Job had experienced.  He accused Job of being caught in a trap of his own making.  All his losses, including the deaths of his children, were due to Job's sin.  Bildad’s words were designed to hurt.

Finally, according to Bildad, all of this calamity befell Job because he simply did not know the LORD (v.21).  Of course, that was not true of Job and Bildad's list may only sometimes be true of those apart from God.

So, now the question: Does God always punish those who do not know Him?  No.  There is clear evidence all around us that indeed the most wicked in any culture may appear to prosper.  But that will only be in this life.  Our judgments of people here are limited at best.  Eternal judgment (the only one that counts) awaits.

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (John 3:36)

In our attempts to understand the lives of other believers, Paul wrote:

"Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.  Then each one will receive his commendation from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5)