Jewels From Job
Job – Chapter #20
This chapter could be outlined:
1. Short Joy for the Wicked (verses 1-9)
2. Certain Destruction of the Wicked (verses 10-22)
3. The End of the Wicked (verses 23-29)
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. Job 20:1-3 (NKJV)
ZOPHAR’S SECOND ROUND
Zophar takes his second round of hits at Job.
Zophar says that because of the debate he is uneasy. He is not at rest – and needs to say something – so now we find his comments.
Job has been straight forward with those who were sitting with him. Through all the debate Job has claimed his innocence – yet his friends don’t believe him. In their minds God does not let the things that have happened to Job – happen to the innocent. God would bless the innocent and punish the wicked. That is justice. Since Job was afflicted it meant that he had sinned and should make full amends for his sin in order to restore his health. Job did not claim to be absolutely perfect, but he did deny that his affliction was not caused by sin in his life.
Zophar feels that he must explain further the understanding that he has. Understanding – a rational approach not from passion, but certain knowledge.
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. Job 20:4-9 (NKJV)
SHORT JOY FOR THE WICKED
Zophar looks back in history – to the beginning of time – that it is a fact that the wicked will prosper – but it will only be for a short period of time. How long was it between the sin of Adam and the day that he was held accountable for it? We are not certain – but it was a short time. Genesis says that God came in the “cool of the day”. It was probably the same day – but whatever the time span was the time between the sin and judgment was short. “The joy of the wicked has been brief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?” Job 20:5 (HCSB) “The good times of the wicked are short-lived; godless joy is only momentary.” Job 20:5 (MSG)
NOTE: The Hebrew word for man in verse four is literally “Adam”.
A wicked man may think he is mighty – but it is only for a moment. He will stand tall – so tall that his head seems to reach to heaven. Success is temporary – no matter how rich, famous, or secure he may be, the wicked person will eventually perish. Zophar used graphic images: he will go away like human excrement. People will then ask, “Where is he? Where did he go?” Here today, gone tomorrow! (Verses 6-7)
In verses 8-9 we find that the wicked will vanish like a dream. There are dreams that I dream and when I first wake up I remember them – but then as the day wears on I start forgetting them. Within a week most of them have been pushed out of memory. There are times that at night I see things that are not there. As the dawn breaks and the light begins to expose that which is hidden in the darkness – I realize that my vision were only in my imagination. These things pass away. Zophar says this is just like the wicked. They will pass away also. No one will see them anymore. “The eye that saw him will see [him] no more, and his household will no longer see him.” Job 20:9 (HCSB)
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. 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. 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. Job 20:10-22 (NKJV)
CERTAIN DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED
The wicked’s children have become so destitute that they try to take refuge with the poor. Here again is a principle of sowing and reaping. “You reap what you sow.” In this case it may take awhile. It may be the children of the wicked who suffer. While the father through ambition and tyranny oppressed the poor, the children through poverty and misery will seek favor from the poor.
In verse 11 we find that there is strength in the bones of the wicked – yet he will take that strength with him to the grave. The Vulgate renders this verse: “His bones are full of the sins of his youth.” The Hebrew literally is: “His bones are full of his secret things”. This rendering would mean that the wicked takes nothing away with him but his sin.
In verses 12-16 the picture changes to state the similarities of the wicked to a snake. Of course a snake has always been used as the symbol of evil. In Genesis Satan appears as a serpent. Evil should be bitterness to us – but this is not the case of the wicked. They find evil to be sweet. They like to suck on it. They hide it in their mouths – but it is right there with them the whole time. They don’t spit it out! He uses it sparingly – but always keeps it in reserve and does not forsake it. How quickly one’s words can turn from sweet to bitter. In a flash of a moment there can come blessing in the next can come curing. But it should not be this way. “Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be this way.” James 3:10 (HCSB) In the depths of his stomach there is poison. The food he has eaten has become sour. It becomes like poison in the depths of his person. That which should be good – he can no long hold on too. He desires that which is evil – but it will kill him. When we take delight in that which is evil we are practicing destructive behavior. It will kill us.
God had always promised His people to lead them into a land of milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) yet this is not the case of the wicked. “He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream”. Job 20:17 (HCSB) Rivers of milk, honey, cream, and butter are emblems of prosperity. Most translations talk about the wicked will not “see” the rivers of honey and cream. *It is interesting to note that the order in this verse is honey and then cream. In other places in the Bible the order is reversed.
In verse 18 the Holman Bible says: “He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming [it]; he doesn’t enjoy the profits from his trading.” Job 20:18 (HCSB) Even though the wicked man works – he gets no enjoyment from his labor. Verse 19 explains why – because he has not taken care of the poor and has practiced injustice. God will hold us accountable for our actions. We as Christians are saved by grace – but let us never forget that God is still going to hold us accountable for our actions. The story of the “Great White Throne Judgment” (Matthew 25:31- 46) is a story of accountability. How we treat people matters.
Those who find God should have “quietness” in their hearts. If God is all we need – and He is – why should we search further? Why should we run to and fro to find that which we have already found? Look into the deep things of God and you will find a well that has no bottom. The deeper you draw from the well the colder and clearer the water becomes. With the wicked it is not so. They run through life trying to find something that will fill the void – if they do not find God – they will always be empty.
If a man is full of himself – he will be empty. He will never be satisfied. “At the height of his success distress will come to him; the full weight of misery will crush him.” Job 20:22 (HCSB)
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. 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." Job 20:23-29 (NKJV)
THE END OF THE WICKED
In verse 23 the NKJV makes it sound like Zophar tells Job that God will disturb the wicked at their meal time – before he has a chance to fill his stomach. God will grab hold of the wicked and show him His “wrath.” The Holman Bible makes it sound like God will grab the wicked after his stomach is full. “When he fills his stomach, God will send His burning anger against him, raining [it] down on him while he is eating.” Job 20:23 (HCSB) One version gives the picture of being taken away on an empty stomach the other on a full stomach. In either case the wicked are taken away. If the stomach is full – it is a picture of man being removed by God at the height of his success. An empty stomach represents that God will come at an unexpected time – like a thief in the night – when it is least expected. He will arrive at a time when we think the blessings are set before us – at a time that we have planned for and anticipated. Yet God arrives in His time and at His time.
In verses 24 and 25 God has drawn the most modern weapons of the day. Iron and bronze are strong. The last phrase of these two verses express it all – “Terrors come over him.” Job 20:25 (HCSB)
There are very few times I have found myself in “total darkness”. In fact there has only been a couple times. One of those times was just a couple years ago when my family took a vacation to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. We took a tour of the cavern that used candle light. At one point along the tour route the guide had us blow out the candles. Above ground we usually have some source of light – stars, moon, street light, etc. – this is not the case in a cave. We were in “total darkness.”
An “unfanned” fire is one that is relatively slow moving. When the winds are howling a wild fire is very dangerous – but what terror there would be as a slow fire approaches and there is nothing you could do to stop it! That which is in its way will surely be destroyed.
In verse 27 both heaven and earth are witnesses against him.
Verse 28 proclaims that there will be a decrease in the house of the wicked. Everything that had been gathered will “flow away” as the flood of God’s wrath are poured out.
In verse 29 Zophar sums up the chapter. He says, “This we what is going to happen to the wicked. It is set in stone – there is no alternate course.” The King James says: “This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.” Job 20:29 (KJV) The Message Bible reads: “There! That’s God’s blueprint for the wicked— what they have to look forward to." Job 20:29 (MSG) The end of the wicked is sure there is no alternate course.
