How can we ensure a godly legacy, contrasting Bildad's view in Job 18:19? Setting the scene: Bildad’s bleak conclusion Job 18:19: “He has no offspring or descendants among his people, no survivor where he once lived.” • Bildad assumes that when trouble strikes Job, it proves God is cutting off his line. • In Bildad’s view, a legacy depends on visible descendants and earthly security; if those vanish, the person’s memory is wiped away. • Scripture elsewhere shows that God weighs legacy differently—rooted in covenant faithfulness rather than mere family success. The flaw in Bildad’s logic • Scripture affirms that righteous people can suffer (Job 1–2; Psalm 34:19); suffering does not erase their heritage. • Legacy is not confined to physical lineage—consider the enduring impact of Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6; James 5:17) or Paul, who called Timothy his “true child in the faith” (1 Titus 1:2). • God ultimately secures remembrance: “The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7). God’s blueprint for a lasting legacy 1. Fear the Lord and delight in His commands • Psalm 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD… His descendants will be mighty in the land.” 2. Pass on the word intentionally • Deuteronomy 6:5-9 urges parents to talk of God’s commands “when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road.” 3. Live with integrity • Proverbs 20:7: “The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.” 4. Invest in spiritual offspring • 2 Timothy 2:2 highlights multiplying disciples who will teach others also. 5. Serve the body of Christ • 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Kingdom service outlives us. 6. Trust God for the final inheritance • 1 Peter 1:4 speaks of “an inheritance imperishable… kept in heaven.” Earthly lines may fail, but heavenly reward cannot fade. Practical ways to sow righteous seed • Model daily prayer and Scripture reading in the home. • Share testimonies of God’s faithfulness with children and younger believers (Psalm 78:4-7). • Prioritize church community where intergenerational mentoring happens (Titus 2:1-8). • Steward resources generously—“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22). • Bless others through hospitality and service, imprinting Christ’s love on hearts (Hebrews 13:1-2). • Speak words of life; avoid cynicism. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Encouragement when the visible legacy seems fragile • God counts spiritual descendants: Paul saw converts as his crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). • Even barren couples leave a heritage of faith (Isaiah 56:3-5). • Persecution cannot erase witness; Abel “still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4). • Christ Himself, crucified without children, now “brings many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). Putting it together Bildad equated legacy with earthly offspring and prosperity, concluding that Job’s losses meant a dead end. Scripture corrects this: a godly legacy is secured by fearing the Lord, transmitting truth, and serving His purposes. When we walk in covenant faithfulness, God guarantees that our influence endures—whether through believing children, disciples, or saints we have encouraged—until it is finally unveiled in eternity. |
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