瑣法開始他第二次，也是最後一次的言論，全然不顧約伯的求憐，和他關於人死後、以及他對救贖者的見解（19：21；25：27）。瑣法感到約伯的侮辱和挑戰，這在他心上十分介意。瑣法提出三項理由，說明為什麼他覺得，再度強調自己正統信仰的立場是適當的（20：2~3）。（1）因為他急切的思想（像以利法，他擔心約伯異端言論的擴散，參15：4）；（2）由於他內心的混亂（氣約伯離開正統信仰）；而（3）由於他心靈的理解（他以為他有了所有正確的答案）。他立即獨斷地解說自己和其他兩個同伴，關於惡人要受懲罰的觀點。

        由於約伯過去曾主張，上帝允許惡人興旺（12：6），瑣法反擊說，如果真是這樣，那只是暫時的，而且享受期也短；因為上帝在憤怒之中，會在他們剛開始享受興旺時，突然降下毀滅性的審判（20：5，11，18，22~23；例：路12：16~20）。瑣法使用第三人稱說話：「他將要毀滅……」（20：7，8），但他卻明顯地是指著約伯。因為在他的宣告中，證明這點：「老天要洩露他的罪惡」──直接與約伯希望與信心的說話相衝突（參16：19；19：25）。

        約伯認為瑣法的話指著他說，便請求，在他們繼續譏笑他前，請先細心聽他的訴說。約伯，正如瑣法勇猛直接地表達他的主要觀點，也這樣做了；但專門反對瑣法，認為他是大錯（21：34）。他表示惡人真的會興隆，而不必看見上帝的懲罰。他們活得久、享受、生活平靜，而且又多後嗣（21：8），死時輕鬆（21：13，23），同時葬得榮耀（21：25）。另一面，約伯則說：「其他的人（正人君子）死時，魂受痛苦」，從未享受生命（21：25）顯然地，似乎瑣法和約伯都誇大其詞，各走極端，為了要支持自己的立場，但約伯比瑣法更接近真理。

        以利法、比勒達、和瑣法都是社會的精英，而很可能地，他們的周圍都是一些有錢和正直的人（約伯原先也是其中的一位）。他們活在「象牙塔」式的生活中，眼睛只看見周圍臨近的現況，所以約伯要他們問問客旅，也許他們會支持約伯的說法（21：29）。

        約伯和他的朋友，受一樣的背景和思想學說之薰陶，但是由於他個人的苦難，於是他重新思考原來的神學體系；這便是為什麼他要問：「為什麼那些壞人，即使他們拒絕並亂罵上帝和祂的道（21：14~15），還能（興旺地）生存並且終老」（21：7）的原因。約伯驚疑的以為：上帝任意憑著機運，選一些要用悲傷懲罰的人（不分好壞，21：17~18）；因為他始終不懂他所以受苦的目的。

        關於惡人興旺好人受苦，同樣的問題，仍然困擾著今日的人們，約伯、耶利米（耶12：1），甚至詩人（詩73；37：1~7）也是這樣。真正的生命，不靠感官或物質的享樂，因為內在靈性的情況，更加重要得多。物質、身體的生命，與永恆相比，是飛逝而短暫的；唯有靈魂才能存到永遠（林後4：16~18；羅8：18）。在永恆的境界，上帝的審判才會臨到，那便是屬天的獎賞和地獄永火的懲罰。在聖經中有一個特別好的例子，便是財主和拉撒路。財主，他有了世上的一切，希望從拉撒路給他一滴水。那時拉撒路在亞伯拉罕的懷中，安全又快樂；但是在以前，活在世上的時候，他卻是一個貧病交加的乞丐（路16：22~24）。

        上帝常用壞人為自己帶來榮耀。因為他是最高的主控者，並且利用他們，達到自己的目的。上帝也會讓萬事互相效力（不論好壞），叫愛祂的人得益處（羅8：28）。祂以賜福自己的兒女為樂。因為「各種美善的恩賜……乃由天父賜下」（雅1：17）；但祂也允許我們受試驗和受苦難，結果會為我們造成益處（雅1：2，3）。試驗可以測出基督徒的信心，使他更純潔、更強壯、更接近主，有更高品質的靈性，更完全地彰顯耶穌基督的形象。祂曾比任何人受過更多難忍的痛苦（彼前4：12~13，16，19）。當上帝兒女經歷苦難時，可以相信上帝會與他同在，給予幫助、安慰、並支持（詩23）。這樣，他們就學會超越在環境之上；從試煉和苦難中進入得勝，使上帝得榮，撒但蒙羞。

        另外一個要素，約伯也忽略了。因為他缺少進一步的啟示。（我們現在已擁有藉著耶穌和祂神聖話語而來的、上帝完整的啟示）。這啟示便是：上帝對所有受造之物的一般恩典，未信的人也能享受（太5：45；羅2：4~5）；藉此他們能認識上帝。

        感謝主！您現在已完全把您自己啟示我們。因著這一偉大的啟示，求幫助我們能為您彰顯得更為完全。奉耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。

English

        Zophar began his second and last speech by ignoring both Job's plea for pity and his incredible insight about life after death and his Redeemer (19:21; 25-27). Zophar felt insulted and challenged by Job, and that was foremost upon his mind. Zophar gave three reasons why he felt it pertinent to reinforce once again his orthodox position (20:2-3): 1) because of his anxious thoughts (like Eliphaz, he was worried about the spreading of Job's heresy, cf. 15:4), 2) because of his turmoil within (anger about Job's departure from othodoxy), and 3) because of his spirit of understanding (he thought he had all the right answers). He immediately proceeded to dogmatically expound his views and that of his two companions regarding the punishment of the wicked.

        Due to Job's past assertions that God allows the wicked to prosper (12:6), Zophar retorted saying that if they do, it is short-lived and only a temporal enjoyment, because God, in His wrath, will bring sudden judgment of destruction upon them while they are still in their prime and enjoying prosperity (20:5,11,18, 22-23; eg. Luke 12:16-20). Zophar spoke using the third person, "he will perish..." (20:7, 8), but he was obviously referring to Job, as is evident in his claim that "the heavens will reveal his iniquity" — a direct contradiction to Job's words of hope and faith (cf. 16:19; 19:25).

        Job took Zophar's words personally and asked that, before they continued mocking him, they first listen carefully to him. Just as Zophar went boldly and directly to his main point, so did Job, but in contradiction to Zophar, whom Job claimed to be wrong (21:34). He showed that the wicked do indeed prosper and do not necessarily see the punishment of God. They live long, enjoyable, peaceful lives, and have many descendants (21:8), an easy death (21:13, 23), and an honourable burial (21:32). On the other hand, Job said that "another man [a righteous man] dies in the bitterness of his soul" without having enjoyed life (21:25). It seems apparent that both Zophar and Job exaggerated and went to extremes in order to support their position, but Job was closer to the truth than Zophar.

        Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were the elite of society and had likely surrounded themselves with other wealthy and righteous people (Job had formerly been one of them). They lived an "ivory tower" type of existence; their eyes were closed to the realities around them, so Job asked them to question the travellers, since they would verify Job's words (21.-29).

        Job had come from the same background and school of thought as his friends, but because of his personal suffering, he was in the process of rethinking his theology; that is why he asked, "Why do the wicked live [prosperously] and become old" (21:7), even though they have rejected and scorned God and His ways ? (21:14-15). Job pondered the notion that God arbitrarily chooses at random those he will punish with sorrows (whether righteous or wicked, 21:17c-18), for he still did not understand the purpose of his own suffering.

        This same question about the wicked prospering and the righteous suffering still perturbs people today, as it did Job, Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12:1), and even the Psalmist (Psalm 73; 37:1-7). Real life is not dependent upon physical or material enjoyment, for the inner spiritual condition is far more important. The life in the physical body is fleeting and short compared to eternity, but it is the soul that lasts forever (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:18), and it is in this eternal state that God's judgment will come, whether it be heavenly rewards or the punishment of hell fire. An excellent example is the biblical story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, who had everything on earth, longed for just a drop of water from Lazarus, who was safe and happy in Abraham's bosom, but who had been a poor and sickly beggar while alive on earth (Luke 16:22-24).

        God often uses the presence of the wicked in the world to bring Him glory, for He is sovereignly in control and uses them for His purposes. God also works out all things (whether good or evil) for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). He takes pleasure in blessing His children, for "every good gift... comes down from the Father" (James 1:17), but He allows trials and suffering, that they may result in our good (James 1:2,3). Trials can test a believer's faith and bring him forth purer, stronger, and closer to the Lord, having a higher quality of spirituality, that they might show more fully the image of Jesus Christ, who suffered more than any man could bear (1 Peter 4:12-13, 16, 19). When God's children go through suffering, they can be confident that God is with them to help, comfort, and sustain them (Psalm 23). Thus they learn to live above the circumstances, and when they emerge triumphantly from times of trials and suffering, it brings glory to God and puts Satan to shame.

        Another factor Job overlooked, due to lack of the progressive revelation that would later make things clearer (we now have the full revelation of God in Jesus and His Holy Word) was that of the common grace of God for all His creation, which unbelievers also enjoy (Matthew 5:45; Romans 2:4-5) so that they might come to know God.

        Thank You, Lord, that You have reveaiea luurbtuj fully to us today. Help us to respond even more fully to You because of this greater revelation.