Job 18-19   Bildad once again responded to Job's lament.  Both  men throw accusations at each other, saying that the other side thinks they are better, more righteous, or wiser than himself. Bildad's argument here gives us a look at the  life and death of the wicked. It is stark and solemn.. something that we don't like to dwell on, but perhaps something we need to contemplate. 

v5 "Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out, and the flame of his fire gives no light. The light in his tent is darkened, and his lamp goes out above him."  Bildad describes this life of darkness - 

He no longer walks with strength. He gets caught in his own schemes. He ends up in his own net. Terror surrounds him. His strength leaves him.  His health fails him. His security is gone. Even the memory of him is lost. "Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God. "

Bildad is not wrong in this. Other Scriptures agree: 

Proverbs 4:19 "the way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble." 

Isaiah 5:20 "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness." 

Jesus talked about darkness too:

Matthew 6:23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

John 3:19 "And this is the judgement that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil."

John 8:12 "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'"

John 12:35 "Jesus therefore said to them, 'For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness doe not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light. " 

 Jesus came to bring us out of the darkness!

John 1:5 "And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it." Light can never be seized by the darkness! Jesus is the True Light who overcomes it!

Acts 26:18  Paul's testimony is that Jesus called him to  ministry for this purpose "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."

 Darkness keeps trying.. as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:12 " For our struggle is ... against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness... "

But.. as he wrote in Colossians 1:13 "For He ( God)  delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son."  As we walk in His Light we are safe. 

Darkness is the enemy in life but also the future place of those who refuse the Light... 

Matthew 8:12 ".. but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. " 

Bildad's message was true... but not about Job.  For Job responds to the True Light.. "And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold and whom my eyes shall see and not another. My heart faints within me." (19:25-27)

Father in heaven, thank You for the Light!  Thank You for not condemning us to eternal darkness, but instead sending the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, Your Beloved Son so that we might have life. We look forward to that day when there will be no more darkness!  Help us to keep walking in the Light day by day.. to the glory of our Lord Jesus.  Father, we see the darkness trying to snuff out the Light in so many ways in our world.. help us to open the eyes of others that they might see the True Light and turn from the darkness and receive forgiveness for their sins and the wonderful inheritance promised to those who follow Jesus.  Come and fill us Holy Spirit that we might be light in this darkness.. wherever we are.. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.