You’re Toast, Man!

It wouldn’t be so bad if Zophar were writing an essay in a first-year class at theological college. It wouldn’t be so bad if we were reading some kind of attempt to spell out what happens to wicked people in the economy of the Judaic God. It wouldn’t be so bad . . . though we might well wonder how the professor would mark this essay! It is incredibly fundamental, unfeeling, and simplistic.

It is also remarkably visceral, as if Zophar the student had just come from his Anatomy 101 class, and is using the recurring imagery of bellies and vomit (sorry!) to make his theological points.

My point here is that this is primarily to be understood as speech, not writing; this is mano a mano conflict, a fierce and forceful face-to-face shouting match. The best way to understand this chapter is to hear it as a physical assault. Job is being slammed and hammered.

Oh yes, it’s only words, you may object. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Not true. Words have the power to destroy and destruct, akin to the power of shells and bullets. We have to imagine Job in the despair of verbal violence, cringing beneath this relentless attack. Zophar’s attack is so personal, so violent, so destructive, so shaming.

The wicked, he says, are as impermanent as a dream (v 8), as mortal as dust (v 11), as sweet as vomit (v 15), as satisfied as a convicted thief (v 19). The wicked will grab with greed everything that’s going, but they will never know more than the most temporary pleasure.

Heaven and earth will rise up against them.

And that’s you, Job! You’re toast, man!

Respond in Prayer

Oh, Father God, protect us from people who want to destroy us. Protect us from people who scorn our faith, belittle our belief, and judge our behaviour. And give us a powerful appreciation of how you have rescued us from your wrath in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Michael Pountney

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).