Job 20
Zophar confronts Job for the second time verse 1
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said
Zophar feels insulted by Job verse 2- 3
Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer
and for this I make haste
I have heard the check of my reproach
and the spirit of my understanding
causes me to answer
Hypocrites will live short lives verse 4- 11
Know you not this of old – since man was placed upon earth
that the triumphing of the wicked is short
and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Though his excellency mount up to the heaven
and his head reach unto the clouds
yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung
they which have seen him shall say
Where is he?
He shall fly away as a dream – and shall not be found
yea – he shall be chased away as a vision of the night
the eye also which saw him shall see him no more
neither shall his place any more behold him
his children shall seek to please the poor
and his hands shall restore their goods
his bones are full of the sin of his youth
which shall lie down with him in the dust
Hypocrites pleasure is short lived verse 12- 21
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth
though he hide it under his tongue
though he spare it – and forsake it not
but keep it still within his mouth
yet his meat in his bowels is turned
it is the gall of asps within him
He has swallowed down riches – he shall vomit them up again
God shall cast them out of his belly
he shall suck the poison of asps
the viper’s tongue shall slay him
he shall not see the – rivers – floods
brooks of honey and butter
That which he labored for shall he restore
and shall not swallow it down
according to his substance shall the restitution be
and he shall not rejoice therein
BECAUSE he has oppressed and has forsaken the poor
BECAUSE he has violently taken away
an house which he built not
surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly
he shall not save of that which he desired
there shall none of his meat be left
THEREFORE shall no man look for his goods
Hypocrites death is painful verse 22- 29
In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits
every hand of the wicked shall come on him
When he is about to fill his belly
God shall cast the fury of HIS wrath on him
and shall rain it on him while he is eating
He shall flee from the iron weapon
and the bow of steel shall strike him through
it is drawn – and come out of the body
yea – the glittering sword comes out of his gall
terrors are upon him
All darkness shall be hid in his secret places
a fire not blown shall consume him
it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle
The heaven shall reveal his iniquity
and the earth shall rise up against him
the increase of his house shall depart
and his goods shall flow away in the day of HIS wrath
This is the portion of a wicked man from God
and the heritage appointed unto him by God
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. (4148 “check” [muwcar] means instruction, correction, chastening, discipline, warning, training, or admonition)
DEVOTION: Job had made it plain what he thought of his “friends” comments about what was happening and why it was happening.
His last speech made it plain to them all that he believed they are wrong in their evaluation of his situation and that they were not being good friends to him.
So here we find the reply of Zophar to his comments. He heard the warning he had given them and didn’t like what he had to say. He continued to think that Job was wrong. In fact he told him that he was wicked and that he was going to pay the consequences of his wickedness. He believed that all wicked people paid for their sins with a short life and many frustrations. He had to answer Job because he had made a wrong evaluation of their help.
Too often we act like the friends of Job. Too often we find it hard to look at others who are going through hard times and think we have an answer to why they are going through what they are going through.
When someone tells us we are wrong about our evaluation of what is going on in their life we find ourselves having a hard time admitting that we might be wrong. Job’s three “friends” though they knew the answer to Job’s problems and were upset that he would not listen to them.
Christians have the ministry of the Holy Spirit in their life and HE instructs them regarding what is going on in their relationship with the LORD. Yes sometimes others are listening to the Holy Spirit who are trying to help a friend but they would not respond the way these three friend did to Job.
None of us likes to admit we would give wrong counsel to another person. It happens sometimes and we have to own up to it and say we are sorry for giving the wrong advice or thinking the wrong thoughts. This was not happening here.
CHALLENGE: Accept the reprove of someone you have given wrong counsel too. Never think you know completely what is going on in another person’s life.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? (2611 “hypocrite” [chaneph] means soiled, impious, irreligious, godless, or profane)
DEVOTION: Have you ever been innocent of something but those around you will not listen? Most people feel if there is smoke there must be a fire. If you try to defend yourself, then they only think the worse. Well we have this going on in Job’s life.
Here is the second round of comments by one of Job’s “friends.” Remember that all three think he is guilty, even though they don’t know what the LORD has said about Job at the beginning of the book. They feel that God only punishes those who are sinners. They don’t have a spot in their doctrinal beliefs for the purging or pruning of the LORD regarding those who are faithful.
The profane and the wicked are put in the same category. The world looks at many people who call themselves followers of Christ and see them as soiled. Even those who are truly following the LORD are considered soiled by some. Christ was perfect but the Pharisees thought he was a sinner and possessed by the devil.
The true followers of God through Christ will spend eternity with HIM. What happens on this earth will be little remembered. It hurts now, but then it will not. Job was put down by his “friends” as a profane, wicked, and godless man because he claimed to do nothing to deserve the treatment he was getting from God.
Zophar used his whole debate with Job to tell him that he was a soiled or godless. He believed that the earth and heaven were rising up against Job. All three “friends” didn’t believe him. To them, he must have done some sin to deserve the treatment he was receiving.
Watch out for “friends” who call you wicked and profane when bad things happen to you. The LORD knows what is going on. HE knows what HE is doing in our lives. Don’t start believing the lies of “friends” when the LORD sends difficult circumstances our way.
Zophar was right when he stated that the triumphing of the wicked is short. It only lasts a lifetime and then judgment for eternity. There is a literal place of torment for eternity prepared for those who reject the LORD. We need to be praying for those who practice wickedness on purpose on a regular basis. Even though there is no thought of repentance for sinners in the minds of Job’s three friends, there is in the mind of the LORD. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents and becomes a follower of the LORD.
Our goal is to glorify the LORD. There are times in our lives that we don’t glorify HIM but it is not our regular daily practice. If we do things that don’t glorify the LORD, we need to confess our sin and HE will be faithful and just to forgive us our sin and restore our fellowship with HIM. Praise HIS name.
CHALLENGE: Take the name calling to the LORD and leave it with HIM. Names do hurt us but the LORD can heal those hurts. Let the LORD take vengeance on those who call you names or lie about you. Just keep your eyes on HIM!!!!)
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: 10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. (7725 “restore” [shuwb] means return, to give something back to someone, to cause to return, bring back, allow to return, or relinquish)
DEVOTION: Zopher’s worldview is wrong. He looks at those who are not righteous and makes a blanket statement. In fact he makes many statements that don’t represent the facts of life.
He thinks that God judges those who are sinner quickly. He thinks that all of the sinners are going to die and their families will have to beg from the poor. This is not the case. The LORD is longsuffering and wants every individual to understand that they have to correct their relationship with HIM. In fact is seems that sinners live longer than saints and that their children enjoy the wealth their parents accumulate from sinful habits.
The truth of the matter is that usually those who are faithful to the LORD have more financial struggles than those who are disobedient to the LORD. It seems that they can live a life of eat, drink and be merry and never struggle.
Zopher has put Job in the wrong camp and Job confronted him about it. Now all his comments are made to correct Job. We need to look at life from a Biblical point of view. We might be wrong at times but here in the book of Job we find answers to what is wrong to say to those who are struggling that want to honor the LORD.
We also have to realize that not all sinners steal to get wealthy. Some of those who are not followers of Jesus Christ make what this world calls an honest living and work hard to become wealthy. We are to work hard and if it is the LORD’S will for us to be wealthy then we will be. Most believers are not wealthy. Money can tempt even Christians to not move forward in their relationship to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Our responsibility as believers is to not take what doesn’t belong to us and if we have to give it back as soon as we realize we have done it.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide, it under his tongue (4985 “sweet” [mathaq] means to taste sweet, to give a sweet taste, or enjoy close fellowship, enjoy sweetness, or may refer to a pleasant experience of any kind)
DEVOTION: Sometimes believers think that all those who are not followers of Jesus Christ enjoy sinning. There are those who are not followers of Jesus Christ who try to live a good moral life because it seems like the right thing to do. They are honest. They are hard working. They try to raise their family’s right. They try to help those in need. They think good works are good even if they don’t care if they go to heaven or not.
There are others who enjoy sinning. They try to encourage others to join their group. They want to do as much evil as they can. The Ten Commandments are their guide to do wrong. Their goal is to break every commandment and laugh about it. This is the group that enjoys wickedness.
So Zophar is right regarding this last group. They do enjoy sin and will meet the LORD sooner than most because of their habits. They will die young or they will be in poor health most of their life because of habits they have established. Some will even go to jail or prison for their sins.
Think about your evaluation of those who don’t love the LORD. Some are decent people but on their way to hell for eternity. We should be praying for them and not wishing they would die young like Zophar.
Our responsibility is always to work to restore those who are believers to a faithful walk with the LORD. Also, our responsibility is to work with those who are not believers and give them the message of salvation when they are willing to listen.
CHALLENGE: The Bible doesn’t consider being wicked to someone as something that is pleasant because God considers it wrong for us to mistreat people.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 15, 23, 29
Wrath of God verse 23, 28
Heaven will reveal iniquity of hypocrite verse 27
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Zophar the Naamathite verse 1
My thoughts cause me to answer
Heard the check of my reproach
Man placed on earth verse 4
Hypocrite verse 4- 29
Triumphing is short
Joy is for a moment
Perish forever
Fly away as a dream
Chased away as a vision in the night
Be seen no more
Children seek to please poor
Bones full of sin
Wickedness is sweet in his mouth
Not spare his mouth
Gall of asps within him
Swallowed down riches
God shall cast riches out of his belly
Suck the poison of asps
Viper’s tongue shall slay him
Restitution shall be made
Not rejoice in restitution
Oppressed and forsaken the poor
Taken by violence house he has not built
Not quietness in his belly
Nothing left
Hands of wicked shall come upon him
Go shall cast the fury of HIS wrath upon him
Flee but still be struck
Terrors are on him
Go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle
Earth shall rise up against him
Portion of a wicked man
Heritage appointed by God
Children of hypocrite verse 10
Seek to please the poor
Hands shall restore their goods
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wicked verse 5, 22, 29
Hypocrite verse 5-
Sin verse 11
Wickedness in mouth verse 12
Oppressed the poor verse 19
Forsaken the poor verse 19
Violently taken away house he has not
built verse19
Iniquity verse 27
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Perish forever verse 7
Slay – poison of asps or viper’s tongue verse 16
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QUOTES regarding passage
20:3 Zophar seemed most disturbed, not by Job’s affirmation of hope but because he was “dishonored” by his warning at the close of chap. 19. Job used the same word (klm) in 19:3 when he charged the friends with “reproach.” First his “thoughts,” now his “understanding” moved him to enter the discussion again. With anticipation we await his wisdom. (Alden, R. L. (1993). Job (Vol. 11, p. 212). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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Zophar (20:1–29). Zophar’s opening remarks (verses 2f.) are a retort to Job’s concluding warning, which he considers an insult. After that he plays his own variation on the theme of the fate of the wicked (verses 4–29). Their happiness is short-lived; their wrongdoing is self-destructive. All three friends, dwell on this fact, incontrovertible to their mind, in the second round. Job, having refuted their argument in chapter 12, restricts his discourse to the contrary fact of the suffering and death of the righteous, a problem on which the friends have nothing to say, for in their theology this would never occur.
2, 3. The clarity of mind which Zophar claims for himself is lost in the heat of his words. His statement about his thoughts and spirit answering him suggests a capacity for dialogue with himself of which we are now to share the benefits. The difference between av ‘reproach’ (reinstated by neb) and rsv insults involves an interesting problem. A reproach is personal and produces private shame; an insult causes public disgrace.209 Zophar is stung by the way Job has discredited his claim to be ‘wise’; hence his parade of understanding. That rv ‘shame’ should accordingly be discarded is proved, not only by the work of Klopfenstein, but also by the remarkable reading ‘curses’ in 11QtgJob. (Andersen, F. I. (1976). Job: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 14, pp. 210–211). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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The hope is missing. In his first sermon, Zophar spoke of wickedness as well, but he finished his preaching with a song of restoration if Job would repent. Not even the slightest sound of hope is found in his second sermon. The true Zophar stands up. In defense of his own ego, he easily forgets the other side of his own doctrine of justice; namely, that a return to righteousness will restore prosperity. In his heart of hearts, Zophar is more capable than Bildad of burning Job at the stake because his passion for righteousness is nothing more than a coverup for protecting his own ego.
The materialism is evident. A long time ago, a camp meeting evangelist spent ten days and twenty sermons preaching against immodesty in women’s dress. Afterward, my grandmother reflected on the experience, “Watch out for preachers who ride hobbies. They are revealing their own problem.” Sure enough, the news came back a year or two later that the hobby-riding evangelist ran away with one of his new converts. Zophar also rides a hobby. He is obsessed with wealth, success, and possessions. Code words tell us where his heart is: wealth (v. 11), proceeds from business (v. 18), well-being (v. 21), self-sufficiency (v. 22), treasures (v. 26), increase of his house (v. 28), and his goods (v. 28).
(McKenna, D. L., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1986). Job (Vol. 12, p. 142). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.)
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Zophar, of course, in his philosophical shortsightedness, made no allowance for a person being afflicted for any reason other than retribution for sin. In his stubborn invective, he flared at Job with venomous words, like the poisonous snake he spoke about. (Zuck, R. B. (1985). Job. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 743). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Their life is brief (Job 20:4–11). Zophar declares that from the beginning of human history the triumphing (“mirth”) of the wicked has been short. We wonder where he got his information, for the Lord waited 120 years before sending the Flood (Gen. 6:3), and God gave the wicked Canaanites at least four centuries before He judged them (15:13–16).
Most of the people in Scripture who pondered the problem of evil in the world started from a different premise—the wicked enjoy long life and freedom from trouble, while the righteous suffer much and die young (Pss. 37; 73; Jer. 12:1–4). Zophar was deliberately blocking out a lot of data to prove his point. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Patient (pp. 76–77). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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But God’s judgment involves much more: the wicked man not only gets sick from his sin, but he does not enjoy the everyday blessings of life (Job 20:17). “He will not see the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream” (NKJV). The land of Canaan was a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8; Lev. 20:24). Milk and honey were staples, not luxuries; and a land “flowing with milk and honey” would be productive and able to support the people. But the wicked man has lost his taste for basic foods, and nothing satisfies him anymore. His taste for sin has ruined his enjoyment of the fundamental blessings of life. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Patient (pp. 78–79). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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“The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best strength that he may be able to bear it.” Phillips Brooks
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Jesus becomes involved in controversy with religious leaders over His true identity.
INSIGHT
When iron and aluminum shavings are mixed together, they are indistinguishable. You cannot identify them by sight; you must sweep a magnet through them. The magnet will attract all of the iron filings, but the aluminum filings will remain undisturbed.
The Lord Jesus Christ has exactly the same effect on those to whom He ministers. Those whose understanding is anchored in faith are drawn to Him like iron to a magnet. Those who choose not to believe remain undisturbed, as though nothing special has happened.
Some of the multitude were saying, “This is the Christ” while others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?” Understanding, combined with faith, understands even more. Unbelief blinds people. (Quiet Walk)
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Say You’re Sorry
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10, NIV
A friend wrote to tell me of an incident in his home, a scene uncomfortably familiar to many of us. He and his wife had experienced some conflict—nothing major, just enough to leave the air a bit tense as the breakfast rush ended and the kids disappeared for school. My friend, Keith, admitted that he had “developed the fine art of winning arguments at any cost, especially when I am in the wrong!” So when his wife began to come down pretty hard on him for what he had done, he was half listening and half preparing his case for a suitable response.
“As I caught my breath,” he wrote, “readying my tongue for the task, something happened. Just at that moment, God did one of those surprising things it seems He loves to do. No words came. I watched my wife fall silent in turn, as she waited, girding herself for my self-defense. But in place of my impeccable logic, five simple words came out of my mouth: ‘I’m sorry. I was wrong.’ ” Repentance is never easy. We know. It’s even bitter at times. But the fruit is sweet: Husbands and wives forgive each other and discover fresh joy, hope and oneness in their relationship. Children regain loving, attentive parents and are raised to fear God and keep His commandments. The estranged are reconciled. The haughty are humbled. The guilty find relief and rebellion. A family reformation begins.
Keith concluded, “Husband, don’t argue with your wife from a position of authority or gifting or power or capacity. Don’t win just because you can. Simply apologize.” And ask for forgiveness. Don’t you love the way that sounds? (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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Acts 22
Upon his arrest at the temple, Paul attempts in vain to justify his message to the Jews.
INSIGHT
Even though Paul lives in complete recognition of the will of the Lord and acceptance of the sovereignty of God, he is not passive regarding his personal welfare or the welfare of his mission. Paul knows it is illegal to punish a Roman citizen without his being tried and found guilty. When he is about to be beaten, Paul brings up this issue and is spared. Acceptance of the sovereignty of God does not mean passiveness in the things of this world. Paul does what he can within the legal system and then leaves the results to the Lord.
PRAYER
Because the Lord is sovereign, we praise Him and trust in His goodness on our behalf
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LIMITATIONS
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Mark 13:32
Another piece of evidence for the humanity of Christ is that here on earth He was subject to certain [self-imposed] limitations in His knowledge. There is an instance of this in Mark 11:13–“the incident of the barren fig tree. We are told that our Lord came to it expecting to find fruit. He did not know that it had none. Also, in Mark 13:32 we read these most important and momentous words, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” He said specifically that He did not know the precise time of this day that is coming; not only the angels, but even He did not know it, but only the Father.
That brings us to another proof of Christ’s humanity, which is that He was subject to physical limitation. In John 4, in the instance of the woman of Samaria, we are told that He was weary. He sat down by the side of the well and did not go with the disciples to buy provisions because He was physically tired. We read that He fell asleep in the boat on the sea, in the stern of the vessel (Mark 4:36-41). In the incident of the barren fig tree we are told that as He was going to Jerusalem one morning He was hungry. He endured physical agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating great drops of blood. And finally, of course, and conclusively and most important of all, He actually, literally died; and His death–this physical limitation–is the ultimate proof of His humanity.
Further evidence of Christ’s humanity was that He was tempted. We find this in Hebrews 2:18, in addition to the Gospel accounts of His temptation in the wilderness.
A Thought to Ponder: Christ was subject to physical limitation.
(From God the Father, God the Son, p. 273, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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