Job 20 - 24
In Job 20, Zophar continues the horrendous description of judgment that awaits the unrighteous, just as Eliphaz and Bildad had done.
In response, Job makes several observations that his friends do not want to admit within their rigid theology of God’s justice. First, Job observes the prosperity of the unrighteous, something that his friends refuse to consider (Job 21:7-13). But instead of this as an excuse to walk in sin, Job reconfirms his commitment to righteousness: “The counsel of the wicked is far from me” (Job 21:16). He is not afflicted by seeing the prosperity of the wicked; he agrees with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar but with a more mature and developed theology, one that still confirms God’s judgment over sinners despite their wellbeing (Job 21:17-22). Second, he observes that both the righteous and unrighteous have the same end: “They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them” (Job 21:26). His friends’ counsel can be more accurate if they take into account these realities… but Job doesn’t expect to convince them: “Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on” (Job 21:3).
And as Job expected, his friends do not allow his observations. Eliphaz repeats the same theology as earlier, this time with sarcasm: “Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?” (Job 22:4) Job’s sin is the only reason he can find for his suffering: “Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities” (Job 22:5). He estimates that Job has committed many sins (Job 22:6-9), and it is precisely for these that he is suffering (Job 22:10-11). But if he repents of those sins that have caused his tragedy, God will prosper him once more (Job 22:12-30).
Job does not even answer him directly in chapter 23; he continues to imagine his defense before God: “Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!” (Job 23:3). He is certain that he will be vindicated (Job 23:10), but then begins to doubt that possibility (Job 23:13-15). He considers many cases of injustice in which God does not respond (Job 24:1-18). And as he observed earlier, death is the end of them all (Job 24:19-25). Even though he has not arrived to a conclusion about questions such as the silence of God before injustice and the death of both the righteous and the unrighteous, Job has distanced himself so far from Eliphaz’s rigid theology that there is hardly a basis for communication any longer with his friends.
In response, Job makes several observations that his friends do not want to admit within their rigid theology of God’s justice. First, Job observes the prosperity of the unrighteous, something that his friends refuse to consider (Job 21:7-13). But instead of this as an excuse to walk in sin, Job reconfirms his commitment to righteousness: “The counsel of the wicked is far from me” (Job 21:16). He is not afflicted by seeing the prosperity of the wicked; he agrees with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar but with a more mature and developed theology, one that still confirms God’s judgment over sinners despite their wellbeing (Job 21:17-22). Second, he observes that both the righteous and unrighteous have the same end: “They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them” (Job 21:26). His friends’ counsel can be more accurate if they take into account these realities… but Job doesn’t expect to convince them: “Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on” (Job 21:3).
And as Job expected, his friends do not allow his observations. Eliphaz repeats the same theology as earlier, this time with sarcasm: “Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?” (Job 22:4) Job’s sin is the only reason he can find for his suffering: “Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities” (Job 22:5). He estimates that Job has committed many sins (Job 22:6-9), and it is precisely for these that he is suffering (Job 22:10-11). But if he repents of those sins that have caused his tragedy, God will prosper him once more (Job 22:12-30).
Job does not even answer him directly in chapter 23; he continues to imagine his defense before God: “Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!” (Job 23:3). He is certain that he will be vindicated (Job 23:10), but then begins to doubt that possibility (Job 23:13-15). He considers many cases of injustice in which God does not respond (Job 24:1-18). And as he observed earlier, death is the end of them all (Job 24:19-25). Even though he has not arrived to a conclusion about questions such as the silence of God before injustice and the death of both the righteous and the unrighteous, Job has distanced himself so far from Eliphaz’s rigid theology that there is hardly a basis for communication any longer with his friends.
