About

Call to worship: Psalm 73

Text: Job 20-21

Sermon Outline:

1. Zophar's depiction of the wicked man's portion, ch. 20.
2. Job's depiction of the wicked man's portion, ch. 21.

3. Enlisting other counselors to help us make sense of mixed signals.

   Specifically, the path of true prosperity as a comfort for righteous-sufferers.

   • Paul in Rom 2:4. Earthly prosperity calls sinners to repent.
   • Asaph in Ps 73:18-21. Earthly prosperity can be an expedient to judgment.
   • Jesus in Lk 4:5-8. Righteous suffering goes before glory.
   • The writer of Hebrews, particularly 13:14. Righteous suffering goes with sojourning.
   • Job himself in Job 19:25-29. Jesus will reveal the truly prosperous person and life at last.

Prepare

Questions to Consider:

1. In chapter 20, what seems to be Zophar's main focus in his depiction of the wicked man's portion? Think through the flow of the poetry. Pay careful attention to 'for' and 'therefore.'
2. In chapter 21, how does Job counter and contradict Zophar's depiction? If death is the end for all people, what's the best life to live? Is enduring righteousness, through suffering, worth the struggle?
3. These two chapters give competing depictions of the wicked man's portion. At the end of chapter 21, see that Job is still concerned for his comfort, but his friends have come up short. Taking that last word on comfort, we might say these two chapters aren't completely about which of the wicked man's portions is more or less correct, but more ultimately about making sense of the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous in this world—it doesn't seem right, but this is often the case. Consider how you might comfort the Christian sufferer in light of the prosperity of the lost. What might you say?
4. I've tried to enlist some help from other biblical authors in making sense of mixed signals. Take time in Romans 2:4, Ps 73:18-21, Lk 4:5-8, Heb 13:14, and Job 19:25-29. Think how they might add some color to Zophar and Job's more absolute takes. Think how they might comfort the righteous sufferer.
5. According to Paul in Rom 2:4, what's one divine intention in prosperity (God's general kindness)? How does that speak to Zophar's inference that prosperity identifies the righteous. In Ps 73:18-21, how does Asaph struggle in a way similar to Job? What does Asaph see that Job hasn't yet? As you look to Lk 4:5-8, what's Satan tempting Jesus with, to do, to forego? What does Jesus choose? In Heb 13:14, our eyes on set on the City to come. What implications should that have for us in this world in terms of willingness to suffer, what we live for, what we make of our sojourning days? In Job 19:25-29, what hope does Job already know that ought to help him overcome his sense of injustice?