Right Theology - Wrong Application - Again! Job 20-21

Job 21:18-19 (ESV)

That they are like straw before the wind,

and like chaff that the storm carries away?

You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’

Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

To understand the above verses we have to go back to what the proceeding friend of Job, Zophar, has just told Job. In the proceeding chapter Zophar’s syllogistic thought can be summarized as follows

Destruction comes upon the wicked. 

You, Job, have experienced destruction. 

Therefore, you, Job, are wicked.  

Here is just one glimpse of Zophar’s previous argument:

Job 20:4-7 (ESV)

Do you not know this from of old,

since man was placed on earth,

that the exulting of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

Though his height mount up to the heavens,

and his head reach to the clouds,

he will perish forever like his own dung;

those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

Job’s response to Zophar is as follows:

Job 21:7-10 (ESV)

Why do the wicked live,

reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

Their offspring are established in their presence,

and their descendants before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear,

and no rod of God is upon them.

Their bull breeds without fail;

their cow calves and does not miscarry.

Job’s argument is that if what Zophar is saying is true, then why does not life show it.  Job is seeing something opposite of Zophar’s commentary.   Job’s syllogistic argument is as follows:

The wicked seem to prosper.

Job is not prospering.

Therefore Job must not be wicked.

In the above passage Job is praying that what Zophar is saying would be true.  But that will not change Job’s claim to his own innocence.   He just wants the scales of justice to be balanced.  Why?  Because he knows if that is how God works (giving justice to evil), God will be gracious to him, the innocent.  Again, we can’t read any of this without recalling the first and last chapter of Job.   He is declared righteous in the first and he is justified as righteous in the last.  In between we have human experiences that don’t always look like they match our eternal truths.  Zophar is right.  The wicked will be judged.  But not as immediately as we might think.  Job is right. The wicked often prosper (Psalm 73) right in front of us.  But the wicked will be judged.  And, Job is a sinner.   However, God declared him righteous.   Zophar is right in his theology but, regarding Job, wrong in his application.  His syllogism is right, but incomplete.   Job’s syllogism is right, but incomplete.  Both of them fail to understand the forbearance and patience of God. 

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.