Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Job 20 – Zophar talks about the wicked man. According to Bible scholars, the events of the book of Job took place approximately before 2100 B.C.
I encourage you to turn to Job 20 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Job 20 with me. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scriptures that you find highlighted in purple in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Job 19, we read about Job’s trust in his Redeemer. Well, in this Bible study on Job 20, we will read about Zophar’s sermon on the wicked. Zophar was a Naamathite. He came from an ancient city named Naamah in Arabia. As I have already mentioned before, most of the chapters of the book of Job are conversations between Job and his friends. They go back and forth. In Job 20, Zophar is replying to Job’s discourse in Job 19.
Without any further delay, let us read together and see what Zophar has to say, shall we?
Zophar Replies To Job
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
In Verses 1-3 of Job 20, Zophar told Job that he answers from anxiousness created by his turmoil. He hears his friends’ rebuke yet he is not willing to listen to them and repent. Instead, he answers them by his own understanding. To Zophar, Job was merely speaking from pain and he was not able to reason well because of his pain and circumstances.
No matter how hard Job tried to explain his situation even in Job 19, Job’s friends simply wouldn’t lend their ears to him. They continue to speak about the wicked man to help Job see that he is indeed a wicked man.
The Wicked Man’s End
4 “Do you not know this of old,
Since man was placed on earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?
6 Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it will lie down with him in the dust.
Now, in an attempt to convince Job to repent, Zophar begins his discourse on the wicked man. In Verses 4-11 of Job 20, Zophar talks about how the wicked never triumphed on earth and even if they won their victory and joy was short-lived. The wicked are haughty yet they perish and disappear and no one can find the wicked man again even if they were to search for him . He would disappear from the face of the earth just like a short-lived dream/nightmare. His children would be in such a miserable condition that they would have to seek the favour of the poor people for their living. His hands will be forced to return his wealth obtained by wrong means. Even though his bones are full of youthfulness, it will lie down with him in the dust because, according to Zophar, the wicked do not live a long life.
Evil Is Found In The Wicked’s Words
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15 He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
In Verses 12-19 of Job 20, Zophar explains how evil is found in the wicked’s mouth. He hides it under his tongue constantly and does not let it depart from him because he loves it and greeds for it. Because of this, when he eats, the food in his stomach turns sour to poison (compared with cobra venom). He gathers riches but cannot keep them because God’s pulls away his wealth from him. He is forced to return all his wealth and keep nothing for him because it will be taken away from him. Hence, he does not get to enjoy his wealth for he has oppressed and forsaken the poor and taken hold of a house/houses which he did not build by himself.
Job 20: 12-19 Commentary
Zophar in talking about the wicked’s wealth and evil in the wicked man’s mouth is referring to Job. He is warning Job here and reminding him of how the wicked speak evil and how their wealth was taken away from them since the olden days.
He compares Job’s speech to that of a wicked man who continues to speak without understanding. Also, he speaks about the wicked’s wealth to remind Job of what happens to a wicked man. In short, he wants Job to see the parallels between his situation and that of a wicked man. Job had lost all his wealth too. And Zophar says that the wicked man does not get to keep his wealth meaning Job lost all his wealth and couldn’t enjoy the fruits of his labour because he was a wicked man in God’s eyes. Nothing could be far from the truth. Job was the most-righteous man on the entire earth in God’s eyes. (Refer Job 1:8)
The Wicked Man’s Misery
20 “Because he knows no quietness in his heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
In Verses 20-23 of Job 20, Zophar goes on to explain the misery of the wicked man. The wicked man will not be able to save any wealth that he desires because of his greed for more wealth. He has nothing left for him to eat therefore his well-being will be lost. Even though food here might refer to literal food in Verse 21, according to the Amplified version it refers to wealth. Because of his greed, he will have none of the wealth to enjoy and he won’t be prosperous in health, wealth and in life. He will be in distress because he considers himself to be self-sufficient when he actually is not. Therefore, trouble/misery will surround him on every side and come against him. When he is about to eat, God will show him His wrath and he would not have peace to even eat his meals.
It is clear that Zophar again is referring to Job and talking about his lost prosperity. Propserity does not include only money or wealth. It also includes, peace, joy, well-being and favour on every side from God and man.
The Wicked Man’s Heritage
24 He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath.
29 This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”
In Verses 24-29 of Job 20, Zophar talks about the wicked man’s heritage and how he will flee from trouble unsuccesfully and terrors shall come upon him continually. All his riches (includes physical wealth, health, peace, joy, happiness and the like) will be lost and he will be consumed by trouble and turmoil and no one shall be well in his household. According to Zophar, God by punishing the wicked man, will reveal his iniquity. The earth will bear witness to his wicked deeds. His wealth, dignity and name would be taken away from him by God. And all these are the heritage and portion reserved for the wicked man from God.
Observation On Job 20: 24-29
Zophar tells that it is clear that Job is a wicked man in God’s eyes otherwise all this trouble wouldn’t have come upon him. And he is sure that God is revealing Job’s iniquity (revealing that Job is a wicked man) by punishing him thereby taking away everything from him, turning everyone against him and by afflicting him with illness. Well, Zophar is wrong in thinking that God is punishing Job (Refer Job 1 and Job 2).
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the bible study lesson on Job 20. It shows us how Job’s friends assumed much and judged Job based on his circumstances. They came to the conclusion that Job is a wicked man. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful.
If you have any comments or questions for me, kindly leave them in the comments box below. I highly appreciate it. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!