Job 11:16–20

He too believes that Job is a wicked man who has hidden iniquity, and that this must explain his affliction. So he turns preacher and calls on him to repent. Set your heart right, he tells Job; stretch out your hands towards Him. Put iniquity away, do not let iniquity stay in your tents! He talks as if he is very sure, more so than Eliphaz and Bildad, that Job is guilty of much sin. Then he draws a charming picture of the blessed results if Job confesses and repents. He would forget his misery "as waters that have passed away."

The ending is like singing songs to someone with a heavy heart. Zophar paints a beautiful outcome — one as imaginary as the sins he charged Job with. Job would then forget his present troubles, which would slip past him like flowing water. His darkness would turn to light. He would have safety and prosperity, and the men who had slandered him would bow before him.

He does not say what Job has been guilty of, but is sure he must be guilty of something… Zophar thought he was giving Job the remedy for his depressed condition, but his diagnosis was totally wrong and his remedy was therefore not what Job needed.

Zophar had not a doubt what the sentence would be. He had not learned that we should not judge, or we will be judged, and that our judgments really judge us. A sound and gracious judgment proves that we dwell in God, because we dwell in love and walk in the light. A harsh judgment shows, just as clearly, how far we are ruled by thoughts and feelings that come from nothing higher than self.

He paints everything in the rosiest colours, as if he knew what God would do for Job. The time did come when Job got richer blessings than the ones Zophar described. And what Zophar said — "many shall make suit to you" in the older wording, that is, many would beg for Job's favour — did come true when Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had to humble themselves before this Servant of God.

God blessed Job richly. He restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. He did this when Job had prayed for his friends — and not till then… Yet God did not let that tide of blessing roll in on Job again until he had been deeply changed in spirit and character. At last Job was brought near to God. He then acted as a priest in a way that reflected the goodness and kindness of God, and everything outward changed.

The conclusion is like singing songs to someone with a heavy heart. Zophar paints a beautiful outcome — as imaginary as the sins he charged Job with. He would then forget his present troubles, which would slip by him like passing waters. His darkness would be turned to light. He would have security and prosperity, and those who had slandered him would bow before him.

And the future shall rise brighter than noonday; you shall soar — you shall be as the morning.

Zophar thought he was giving Job the remedy for his depressed condition. But his diagnosis was completely wrong, so his remedy was not what Job needed.

Zophar's final words of counsel (verses 13-20) also have truth in them. Verse 14 in the New Translation begins, "If you put far away the iniquity which is in your hand." That is, he again assumes, like the others, that Job is after all an evil man, holding tight to his sins. Here he was wrong. His counsel to put away evil and turn to God was still good, and his description of the happy result of doing so was correct enough.

He can tell that if Job were not a sinner, then things would be most blessed with him; and that is all that Zophar, or mere human light, can do. This is human religion. I must try not to be a sinner, and then I shall be happy, and God will not be against me. It is still a useless effort, isn't it? You are a sinner. How then can you stand before a holy Judge? There is the difficulty.

"If iniquity be in your hand" — that was not what it was. It was not a question of iniquity, but of God dealing with Job's satisfaction with himself. Job was a truly godly, God-fearing man; but he had a high idea of his own character. That is what no soul should ever allow.

God blessed Job abundantly, turning his captivity and giving him twice as much as he had before. He did this when Job had prayed for his friends — and not till then… Yet God held back that tide of blessing. It came only after Job had been changed deep down, in spirit and character.

Zophar thinks he has proved Job's guilt. He also thinks he has shown Job something of the greatness of God. So he urges Job to change his ways. He does not say what Job is guilty of, but he is sure Job must be guilty of something. "If you prepare your heart … if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away … Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and will not fear" … Zophar thought he was giving Job the remedy for his depressed state. But his diagnosis was completely wrong, so his remedy was not what Job needed.

He would be secure and take rest in safety, he would lie down without fear, and many would seek his favour (vv.18-19). Before Job's deep trial, many had indeed sought Job's favour. Zophar thought that since this was no longer true, the only reason could be Job's falling into sin.

The conclusion is like singing songs to someone with a heavy heart. Zophar paints a beautiful outcome — as imaginary as the sins he charged Job with.

Zophar replies, trying to convict him. He presses on Job that God "exacts of you less than your guilt deserves." If there were no iniquity, there would be present mercies. "You will lift up your face without blemish … and take your rest in security." Zophar makes man's acts the measure of God's dealings. He does not see that man is evil in himself, and therefore far from God, with no claim to any blessing.

He can say that if Job were not a sinner, then it would be most blessed for him. That is all that Zophar, or mere human light, can do. This is human religion. I must try not to be a sinner, and then I shall be happy, and God will not be against me. It is still a wasted effort. You find that, don't you? You are a sinner. How then can you stand before a holy Judge? There is the difficulty.

"If iniquity is in your hand" — that was not the issue. It was not a question of iniquity at all. God was dealing with Job's satisfaction with himself. Job was a truly devout, God-fearing man; but he had a high idea of his own character. That is what no soul ought ever to allow. It is altogether wrong for a person to rest in himself, no matter how spotless he may be, no matter how he may truly wait upon God day by day. There is no rest in any creature, least of all in ourselves.

His friends might hold out fresh, bright hopes if he would repent, turning night into day … But as for his own hope, the grave was his house, and his bed was spread in darkness … What a blessed contrast to such gloomy words from a believer is the strong encouragement we have! We have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. It is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and it enters the inner place behind the curtain.

The conclusion is like singing songs to someone who is heavy of heart. Zophar paints a beautiful outcome — as imaginary as the sins he charged Job with. Job would then forget his present troubles, which would slip past him like water flowing away. His darkness would turn to light. He would have security and prosperity, and those who had slandered him before would bow to him. Little did Zophar and his friend dream that they would have to come to this. The closing verse is a warning which Zophar no doubt applies to Job.

Zophar's final words of counsel (verses 13-20) also have truth in them. Verse 14 in the New Translation begins, "If you put far away the iniquity which is in your hand." So he again assumes, like the others, that Job is after all an evil man, holding tight to his sins. Here he was wrong. Yet his counsel to put away evil and turn to God was good, and his description of the happy result was correct enough.

He does not say what Job has been guilty of, but is sure he must be guilty of something… Zophar thought he was giving Job the remedy for his depressed condition, but his diagnosis was completely wrong. So his remedy was not what Job needed.

He would be secure and take rest in safety, he would lie down without fear, and many would court his favour (vv.18-19). Before Job's deep trial, many indeed had sought Job's favour. Since this was not true now, Zophar thought the only reason could be Job's falling into sin.

He paints everything in the rosiest colours, as if he knew what God would do for Job. The time did come when Job received richer blessings than those Zophar outlined. And what Zophar said — that many would court Job's favour, or entreat him — did come true. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had to humble themselves before this servant of God.

He had not learned that we should not judge, or we will be judged. Our judgments really judge ourselves. If they are solid and gracious, they prove that we dwell in God, as dwelling in love and walking according to light. If they are harsh, they show in the same measure how far thoughts and feelings that rise no higher than self are ruling us.

Zophar was likely the youngest of the three men, and what he lacks in maturity he makes up for in bitter accusation against Job. He did not have Eliphaz's restraint or Bildad's skill in argument, and he does not hold back his bad temper. He did not appeal to what he had seen, as Eliphaz did, or to the traditions Bildad had learned. He appealed to his own intuition.

The fact is that a man who bases his argument on his own intuition is always very dogmatic and sure of himself. He has to be. It makes up for the lack of outside evidence that would back up his claims.

But the eyes of the wicked waste away, and refuge vanishes from them, and their hope is a breathing out of the soul.

Before Job's deep trial, many had indeed sought Job's favour. Since this was no longer true, Zophar thought the only reason could be that Job had fallen into sin. He implies this when he adds, "But the eyes of the wicked will fail; all way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last." He is warning Job that if he does not take Zophar's advice he will not escape, but end in dreadful judgment.

Zophar's final words of counsel also have truth in them. Verse 14 begins, "If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away." That is, like the others, he again assumes that Job is after all an evil man, holding tight to his sins. Here he was wrong, though his counsel to put away evil and turn to God was good, and his description of the happy result of so doing was correct enough.

They had no true grasp of God's character, so they could not understand His dealings with a soul. They had no proper sense of sin. So they did not know that if God is going to bless man, it must be wholly on the ground of grace. They did not know how to meet Job's case. They had said many true things, yet not one single right thing that fitted Job, because they did not understand him.

Ignorance in a believer is not surprising. But it is sad when someone forgets the need of light from above and dares to judge anything before the time, before the Lord comes. He will bring the hidden things of darkness to light and make clear the purposes of hearts, and then each will have his praise from God.

The Lord restored Job's fortunes when he prayed for his friends, and gave him twice as much as he had before. The friends were only silenced. Job opens his mouth in full confession. So he wins forgiveness not only for himself but for them too, by praying for them.

For a wicked man death has a final word: he perishes. But after death, what? Hebrews 9:27 gives the solemn answer: after death comes judgment. So for the unjust, hope perishes too. Believers have a hope that is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Heb. 6:19).