Job 20:1-29 “What’s Wrong with Zophar’s Speech…”

Pastor Andy looks at Job chapter 20, where God later declares that Zophar "did not speak what was right" about Him and dissects the speech line by line to identify what went wrong. Zophar's accusation (that Job's suffering proves he is wicked and hypocritical) reflects a one-dimensional theology that sees God only as a transcendent judge and has no category for the test of faith. The truth from Exodus 34 is that God introduced himself to Moses as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in goodness, forgiving, but not without justice. Both dimensions are true. The fullest expression of this complete picture is Jesus, who is the exact image of the invisible God. Pastor Andy draws two takeaways: First, get your theology right because a wrong view of God leads to mistreating people. Second, get your view of self right, standing in the truth that you have been crucified with Christ, are a new creation, and can answer every accusation of the enemy from that unshakeable foundation.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:Job 20:1-29Job 42:7Job 19:23-26 ("I know my redeemer lives")Job 6:4, 7:20Psalm 7:11 (God is a just judge, angry with the wicked every day)Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11Exodus 34:6-7 (God's self-declaration to Moses)Colossians 1:15, 2:9 (Jesus is the image of the invisible God, fullness of God)Romans 1:18-21 (wickedness suppresses the truth about God)Galatians 2:20 (I have been crucified with Christ)1 John 1:9 (if we confess, he is faithful and just to forgive)2 Corinthians 5:17 (new creation in Christ)James 1:2-4 (count it all joy, testing of faith produces patience)1 Peter 4:12-13 (do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial)TOPICS AND KEYWORDS:Zophar's second and last speech in JobGod declaring Job's friends did not speak correctly about HimHebrew poetry and the rhyming of ideasOne-dimensional theology / God as judge onlyThe difference between God's transcendence and His immanenceExodus 34 — God's full self-declaration to MosesJesus as the exact image and fullness of GodNo category for the test of faithWickedness suppresses the truth about GodWrong view of God leads to mistreating peopleGod is not closer to Allah or Santa Claus — He's JesusRight view of self, standing in who you are in ChristThe enemy's accusations during trialsI have been crucified with Christ, no longer I who liveNew creation, the old is gonePatience as the only path to maturityMerciful, gracious, slow to anger