The Wicked Will Not Prosper

INTRO

In the previous chapter, Job expressed his hope in a living Redeemer who would ultimately save him. Now, Zophar offered his

second speech in response to Job. The other two friends, Bildad and Eliphaz, had each given their second speeches, and Zophar wanted his turn. Zophar’s previous speech was in chapter 11. In this speech, Zophar “admonished Job to reconsider the fate of the wicked.”¹ Zophar’s second speech would hurt Job more than any other thus far. ²

TEACHING

Job 20:1–3: These verses clearly portrayed Zophar’s anger.³ Zophar asserted Job’s rebuke had upset him, so he felt compelled to reply. This was probably in response to Job’s statement in Job 16:3, “Is there no end to your empty words? What provokes you that you continue testifying?”Phillip Brooks wrote, “The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his greatest strength that he may be able to bear it.”⁴

Job 20:4–11: Zophar outlined the brief prosperity of the wicked.⁵ He believed the joy wicked people experienced came and went quickly, similarly to Job’s happiness that was now gone. Ash reminds us that, even in the midst of what can feel repetitive in these friends’ speeches, we can depend on the promise of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”⁶

The book of Job, and especially these chapters that repeat the warnings against wickedness from Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, is beneficial for three reasons:

1. They terrify us and move us to warn unbelievers that unless they repent, this will indeed be their destiny. Consequences for our sin, ultimately including death, are real. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were at least aware of the eternal consequences of wickedness.
2. They help us grasp the depth of darkness and suffering that the Lord Jesus experienced on the Cross. When we go through periods of darkness and suffering, we must consider that the Lord may be trying to speak to us through it. Christ took on suffering and darkness so we could have life (2 Corinthians 5:21). Job painted a picture of the depth of darkness and suffering Jesus took upon himself to give us life.
3. If it is true that disciples of Christ in this age do have in some measure to drink the cup that He drank, then we do suffer with Him in order that in the end we may be glorified with Him.7 Because of the eternal life that we will inherit through Christ, there is a measure of suffering in this life that we must embrace. Romans 8:17 says, “And if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”

Zophar continued to explain the fate of the wicked. In Zophar’s opinion, the wicked would quickly disappear, his children would become beggars, and he would ultimately meet an early death.

Job 20:12–19: Zophar outlined his belief in the certain punishment of sin. Nelson’s Commentary notes, “Though evil may be sweet to the wicked for a while, the certain consequences of their behavior will bring about their downfall.”⁸ Proverbs 20:17 says, “Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.” While Zophar’s main point that God will judge the wicked was true, its application was twisted because he and his friends insisted Job was wicked and sinful.

Job 20:20–29: Finally, Zophar outlined his belief in “God’s swift judgment of the wicked.” Zophar’s bottom-line admonition to Job was for Job to repent or face the loss of everything he had.

CLOSING

While persecution may be coming to believers, that does not mean it is God’s judgment. While Zophar’s theology was wrong, he did remind us to be willing to consider death, to remember the depth of darkness and suffering experienced by Christ, and he admonished us to be willing to drink the cup of suffering to share in God’s eternal glory.